Narita Express


Narita Express, abbreviated as N'EX, is a limited express train service operated in Japan since 1991 by East Japan Railway Company, serving Narita International Airport from various Greater Tokyo Area stations. Services run approximately half-hourly in the mornings and evenings, and hourly through the middle of the day. The main competition for the Narita Express is Keisei Electric Railway's Skyliner.

Trains and destinations

Narita Express trains serve various stations in the Greater Tokyo Area. Trains are formed of dedicated E259 series 6-car EMU sets, with all trains passing through Tokyo Station, where services are coupled or uncoupled. Usually, a train from or is coupled with a train from, or to form one train set for the remainder of the journey to Narita Airport. On the return journey, the reverse is true. From, a small number of seasonal trains continue to and on the Yokosuka Line, and from, a small number of seasonal trains continue to and on the Fujikyuko Line.
The majority of Narita Express services do not stop between Tokyo and Narita Airport Terminal 2·3 Station. During rush hours, however, the Narita Express serves as a commuter express, stopping at,,, and. The average time between Tokyo and Narita Airport is between 55 minutes and an hour. All seats are reserved, with both Standard and Green accommodation available.

Formations

As of March 2012, services operate as twelve-car formations, as shown below, with car 1 at the Shinjuku/Yokohama end, and car 12 at the Narita Airport end. All cars are reserved, with Green car accommodation in cars 6 and 12.
Car No.123456789101112
NumberingKuHa E258MoHa E258MoHa E259MoHa E258-500MoHa E259-500KuRo E259KuHa E258MoHa E258MoHa E259MoHa E258-500MoHa E259-500KuRo E259
AccommodationReservedReservedReservedReservedReservedGreenReservedReservedReservedReservedReservedGreen

Interior

Green cars have leather-covered forward-facing rotating/reclining seats arranged in 2+2 abreast configuration. Seat pitch is.
Standard class cars have 2+2 abreast seating with forward-facing rotating/reclining seats and a seat pitch of is.

History

Until 1991, rail service to Narita Airport was limited to the Keisei Skyliner, which at the time used a station separated from the terminal complex. JR had initially planned to run a high-speed line, the Narita Shinkansen, to a station underneath the main airport terminal. This plan was abandoned in the 1980s, and the space originally slated for the underground station and Shinkansen tracks was used to connect both the JR Narita Line and Keisei Main Line directly to the terminal. The Narita Express began service to the new station on 19 March 1991, and Skyliner switched its service to the new station at the same time.
Until March 2004, the Wing Express limited express service was introduced to complement the Narita Express with one return working a day between Ōmiya/Ikebukuro/Shinjuku and Narita Airport. This service was subsequently replaced by an additional Narita Express service.
From the start of the revised timetable on 10 December 2005, Narita Express services were made entirely no-smoking.
On 1 October 2009, nine new E259 series EMU trains were brought into service on 10 of 26 return Narita Express services, replacing the 253 series. By June 2010 all Narita Express trains were operated by E259 series equipment.
From the start of the revised timetable on 13 March 2010, Narita Express service frequencies were increased with more splitting and combining of trains at Tokyo Station. Service is provided between Narita Airport and Tokyo, Shinjuku and Yokohama every 30 minutes during most of the day. All trains operating to/from Shinjuku now stop at, and all trains to/from Yokohama now stop at the new Musashi-Kosugi Station.
Narita Express services were suspended from 11 March 2011 due to the effects of the Great East Japan earthquake and tsunami and subsequent power supply shortage in the Tokyo area. They were partially restored from 4 April 2011, with the remaining pre-earthquake and tsunami timetable and services finally re-instated on 3 September 2011.