Tokyo Narita (NRT): The Complete Layover Guide

Three terminals. Terminal 1 hosts ANA and Star Alliance, Terminal 2 hosts JAL and oneworld, Terminal 3 is the low cost shed, connected to Terminal 2 by a walking path of about 15 minutes (to be confirmed) and by free shuttle. There is no airside walkway between Terminals 1 and 2: airside transfers ride dedicated buses from bus gates 28 and 59, taking roughly 8 to 16 minutes depending on the pair.

The defining fact is the curfew. Aircraft operate only from 6am to midnight, and the airside zone closes overnight. A same day international transfer never touches Japanese immigration; an overnight one always does, because you must wait landside. Entry rules depend on your passport, so verify before travel.

Overnight reality

The old story that Narita locks everyone out overnight is outdated. Designated landside floors now stay open 24 hours: the first floors and basements of Terminals 1 and 2, and the first and second floors of Terminal 3, with 24 hour convenience stores in each and round the clock food counters at T2 and T3. Upper departure floors close from midnight to 5am. It is survivable, but the nine hours capsule hotel attached to Terminal 2 is the better night. Full detail in the NRT sleeping guide.

The lounge landscape

About 15 airline lounges across Terminals 1 and 2, none in Terminal 3. The ANA Suite Lounge and ANA Lounges sit in Terminal 1 satellites, the JAL First Class and Sakura Lounges in Terminal 2, alongside United, Korean Air, Turkish, Emirates, and others. Priority Pass shrank to two basic IASS lounges, one per main terminal. The full table is in the NRT lounge directory.

Getting to Tokyo

Four tiers. The Narita Express reaches Tokyo Station in about 60 minutes for 3,070 yen, with direct runs to Shinagawa and Shinjuku. The Keisei Skyliner does Nippori in 36 minutes and Ueno in about 41 for 2,580 yen, cheaper booked online. The airport bus to Tokyo Station costs 1,500 yen and takes about 65 minutes. The Keisei local crawls in at about 90 minutes for roughly 1,030 yen. For a city visit, treat 8 hours of layover as the floor; with less, the temple town of Narita, 2 stops away, is the honest alternative.

The small print that helps

The 24 hour floors come with real services. A Lawson runs around the clock in the Terminal 1 basement, a 7 Eleven does the same below Terminal 2, Terminal 3 keeps its own Lawson, and there are 24 hour food counters at T2 and T3, so a midnight arrival still gets a hot meal.

Lounge fine print: the Cathay Pacific lounge in Terminal 2 is listed as closed for renovation, the ANA complex lives out in the Terminal 1 satellites rather than the main building, and the Aspire Lounge sits on the second floor of Terminal 2's satellite. Check your gate before committing to a long walk in the wrong direction.

Landside, free shuttle buses loop all three terminals, and the walk between Terminals 2 and 3 takes about 15 minutes, to be confirmed. Late at night, walking is the dependable option. The wifi is free in 240 minute sessions that ask you to register again when they lapse, which is very Narita: polite, functional, and slightly bureaucratic.

Can I sleep airside overnight at Narita?

No. Flights operate only between 6am and midnight and the airside transit area closes overnight, so overnight passengers must clear immigration and customs and wait landside. Designated landside floors stay open 24 hours: the first floors and basements of Terminals 1 and 2 and the first and second floors of Terminal 3, with 24 hour convenience stores.

Do I clear Japanese immigration when transiting Narita?

Not for a same day international to international connection: the airside transfer buses between Terminal 1 and Terminal 2 keep you in the sterile transit zone. An overnight connection is the exception, because the airside area closes and you must pass immigration to wait landside. Entry rules depend on your nationality, so verify before travel.

How many hours do I need to visit Tokyo from Narita?

Treat 8 hours as the realistic minimum. The fastest trains take 36 to 60 minutes each way, you need 2 to 3 hours of buffer for immigration, security, and the ride back, and Tokyo itself deserves more than a sprint. With 6 hours or less, the town of Narita near the airport, with its temple street, is the smarter excursion.

Which Priority Pass lounges are at Narita?

Only two as of mid 2026: the IASS Superior Lounge NOA in Terminal 1 and the IASS Executive Lounge 2 in Terminal 2. Both are basic, with snacks and a drink dispenser rather than meals. The strong lounges here are airline run, led by the ANA Suite Lounge in Terminal 1 and the JAL First Class Lounge in Terminal 2.

What is the cheapest way from Narita into Tokyo?

The Keisei local train at around 1,030 yen takes about 90 minutes. The airport bus to Tokyo Station costs 1,500 yen and takes about 65 minutes. The Skyliner reaches Ueno in about 41 minutes for 2,580 yen, and the Narita Express reaches Tokyo Station in about 60 minutes for 3,070 yen.

Is there a hotel inside Narita airport?

The nine hours capsule hotel is attached to Terminal 2, landside in the P2 parking structure, open around the clock with hourly day use rates. It is the only hotel at the airport itself and fills up on busy nights, so book ahead. Many area hotels run free airport shuttles.