International Railroad Discussion > Fun with Narita Express (Japan)

For tourists visiting Japan, JR East's Narita Express is probably their first introduction to Japan's passenger rail. Narita Airport serves majority of international flights to Tokyo, and the Narita Express takes the passengers to/from Tokyo Station in about an hour (~53 minutes).

From Tokyo, the consist splits in two, one heading to Ofuna (大船) in the Yokohama area, and the other heading to Omiya, or Takao (大宮、高尾) via Shinjuku (新宿), depending on time of day.

The Narita Express does have competition. Keisei Electric Railway's 160 km/h (99 mph) Skyliner, which can take passengers from Narita Airport to Nippori (日暮里, just a few stations north of Tokyo Station where JR connections can be made) in 36 minutes. I rode that on my April 2014 visit, but I didn't get any photos or videos. The story of Narita Airport and rail access is VERY interesting, but it'll have wait until my next visits to Japan.

I didn't use the Narita Express on my recent visit to Japan in May because I flew into Haneda Airport, which is much closer to Tokyo. However, I ran into them so many times while railfanning for other stuff that I've decided to post this thread.

I'm riding a Shinkansen toward Nagoya in the first clip, along the Yokosuka Line tracks, the same tracks that goes to Shin-Kawasaki and Shin-Tsurumi. This is near Musashi-Kosugi (武蔵小杉). I knew from previous rides that I'd run into the Narita Express here, so my camcorder was ready, and caught the Ofuna-bound Narita Express.

Second clip is at Shin-Kawasaki, where I catch a Narita Airport bound train while in middle of foaming JR freight trains. Narita Express uses the E259 Series EMU, which replaced the first generation E253 Series EMU in 2009. E259 has a "musical horn" and the engineer decides to show it off here.

Third clip is at Higashi-Jujo (東十条) triple double main, May 18, 9:28 am. You see the Narita Airport bound train, a Shinkansen E2 above, and a Keihin-Tohoku Line local (京浜東北線).

I use a combination of time machine and teleporter to be two places at once and get the same clip 50 yards north... just kidding. The fourth clip is exactly 1 week later, May 25, 9:28 am, where I catch the same trains from a location ~50 yards north: Narita Express, Shinkansen, and a Keihin-Tohoku local.

Fifth and last clip is at Yoyogi (代々木), where I wanted to record a Narita Express at a grade crossing in middle of Tokyo. The train is travelling on the Yamanote Freight Line (山手貨物線).

- Narita Express E259 Series EMU at Yoyogi.
- Narita Express E253 Series EMU at Shinjuku, February 2002 - that's 13 years ago.
- Video as described above.

That's all for the quick post.

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Neat video!