top of page

Jun Xu - Report 

Introduction

What is Airport Access?

​

Airport access refers to the different ways people can access the airport. Airport access is used by numerous people to access the airport for a variety of reasons, such as going to the airport to work, to travel, or just to visit.

​

​

Types of Airport Access

​

The types of airport access can be categorized into the following 3 main groups:

Road Access
Rail Access
Others

Road Access

Of the 3 main groups, road access is the most commonly used. According to an IATA survey of 38 airports, 82% of passengers use a road vehicle for airport access.

The 3 main forms of road access are automobiles (cars), taxis and buses.

​

Rail Access

There are 3 main types of rail access:

​

 1. Part of urban or regional transit.

  • Part of the country’s transportation system

 

 2. Dedicated airport link.

  • Special network linking the airport to downtown area

 

 3. Intercity network

  • Goes between cities, only a few stops

​

Others

Access modes other than road and rail include water access using ferries and air access using a helicopter. These options are the least used as they require more facilities such as docks for vessels and heliports for the helicopters.

​

​

​

Evaluation of Access Mode - 3 Key Considerations

The access modes can be evaluated using 3 key considerations for airport access:

​

 1. Length of access time. This is the time taken to travel to the airport. This can help evaluate how fast a mode of access is.

 

 2. Reliability. It looks at the dependability, availability and frequency of the mode of transport to the airport.

​

 3. Check-in requirements. Check-in requirements vary for different flights and airlines. Generally, long-haul international flights require a longer time of at least 1 to 2 hours for check-in before scheduled departure time, whereas domestic flights or short-haul international flights may only need 30 minutes for check-in before the time of scheduled departure. The presence of a check-in service provided by the operator of a particular access mode would be helpful for passengers using the service.

 

​

​

Parking

Parking is an important part related to airport access. While people in Singapore generally do not drive to the airport when travelling overseas, people in many other countries such as the United States drive to the airport and park there. It is therefore important to ensure parking facilities are adequate.

 

Different airports in different countries require different types of parking facilities depending on their size and amount of traffic. For example, a large international airport with large amounts of traffic would need a wide range of parking facilities to cater to customers with differing needs.

 

Parking facilities are categorized into 4 types:​

Short Term

  • Used by Visitors

  • Stay typically <3h

  • Near Terminal 

  • High parking rates

Long Term

  • For departing passengers

  • Park for less than a week

  • Further away from terminal

  • Rates lower than Short Term Parking

Long Term Remote

  • For departing passengers that park usually >1 week

  • Least expensive option for passengers

  • Furthest away from terminal

  • Connected by shuttle service

Others

  • For buses, valet services, delivery vehicles, employees, contractors

  • Also includes taxi holding areas

To conclude, what I understand about airport access is that it is how people get to the airport. Airport access is very important to an airport as it allows it to function. For example, if passengers cannot get to the airport in a timely and efficient manner, they might not reach in time to board a plane to fly.

Importance to Haneda Airport

The flight that my group has chosen is NH844. It is operated by All Nippon Airways and flies from Singapore Changi Airport to Tokyo’s Haneda Airport.

 

Tokyo Haneda Airport serves both international and domestic traffic, with an expected rise in international traffic due to the 2020 Olympics. As Asia’s second busiest airport and Japan’s busiest airport, it saw 85.68 million passengers in 2017.

 

With such a large number of passenger movement, it is important that passengers are able to get to the airport so that they can make it for their flights timely.

​

It is also important that personnel working at the airport are able to access the airport, as many staff would be required to facilitate the movement of the millions of passengers at the airport.

​

Airport access is also important for visitors. With good airport access, more people would be inclined to visit the airport, where they would likely spend money. This in turn helps the airport operator bring in more revenue.

 

In conclusion, airport access is important to Haneda Airport as it is a critical factor in ensuring things operate smoothly at the airport. It is also important because an airport with good access would also attract more visitors.

Access Modes at Haneda Airport

The following main types of access modes are available at Haneda Airport:

Road Access
Rail Access
Water Access

Rail Access

​

One can access Haneda Airport using the Monorail and the Keikyu Train Line.

​

Operating Hours:

  • Monorail: 0900-1900 hrs on weekdays, 0900-1700 hrs on Saturdays, Sundays and Public Holidays.

  • Keikyu Train: 0730-2100 hrs on weekdays, 0900-1700 hrs on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays.

​

Connection Time to Haneda Airport:

Monorail: 13 minutes to International Terminal from Hamamatsucho station on Haneda Express (cost: 490 yen)

Keikyu Line: 13 minutes to International Terminal from Shinagawa station on Airport Limited Express (cost: 410 yen)

rail access.jpg

There are 3 different types of monorail services to Haneda Airport from Hamamatsucho station.

They are:

  • Haneda Express  ------- Quickest, least stops

  • Rapid Train

  • Local Train  -------------- Slowest, most stops

​

There are 5 different types of service for the Keikyu train:

  • Airport Limited Express -------- Quickest, least stops

  • Limited Express (KAITOKU)

  • Limited Express (TOKKYU)

  • Airport Express

  • Local---------------------------------- Slowest, most stops

​

They are ranked from the quickest with the least stops to the slowest with the most number of stops respectively.

​

For more information on the train line map, visit the respective rail operator's website:

​

There is only 1 station at the domestic terminal for the Keikyu trains where terminals 1 and 2 are accessible by foot. The monorail has stations at each domestic terminal.

Both the monorail and the Keikyu trains stop at the International Terminal first, followed by the domestic terminal(s).

Road Access

​

The types of road access include:

  • Bus

  • Taxis

  • Private Vehicles

 

Bus

Buses connect various cities to the airport. There are buses that connect between the Airport and Tokyo, Kanagawa, Chiba, Saitama, Ibaraki, Tochigi, Gunma, Yamanashi, Shizuoka, Nagano and Fukushima in the International Terminal.

​

For more information on the destinations, visit the following websites:

 

​Bus tickets can be purchased at the ticketing counter, using a bus ticket vending machine, or online.

​

Timing for buses varies for different routes. The schedules can be checked at this website. Most bus routes start from around 1000hrs.

​

Limousine Bus

There are also limousine bus services at the airport. They are operated by 2 companies:

 

The buses connect the airport to a variety of locations, including but not limited to, cities like: Tokyo, Chiba, Saitama, Gunma, Tochigi, Ibaraki, Kanagawa, Yokohama and Boso. Prices vary from about 620-2000 yen depending on location.

​

The buses have a dedicated space for baggage and is thus good for those travelling with a lot of baggage or bulky items.

​

​

Late Night & Early Morning Bus

They go to numerous destinations and are operated by 3 companies, namely:

​

However, they are less frequent and more expensive than those operating in the day.

The latest and earliest timings for the buses are generally as follows:

  • Departing from Haneda Airport - latest bus around 0300hrs

  • Arriving at Haneda Airport - earliest around 0400hrs

​

​

Shuttle Bus (between terminals)

​

For going between the terminals, there is a free shuttle bus service that stops at each of the 3 terminals at Haneda airport.

It operates from about 0500 hrs to about midnight daily (last bus from international terminal departs at 2356 hrs), varying slightly depending on the terminal because the buses takes a few minutes to travel between the terminals.

​

Shuttle Bus (from hotels)

There are also free shuttle bus services by some hotels near the airport.

​

Pickup timings for the various hotels generally are as follows:

  • Airport to hotels: around 1800 hrs to midnight.

  • Hotel to the airport: around 0400hrs to about 1000hrs

For actual timings for each hotel, please visit their website for more info.

​

Some of the hotels that provide this service are:

  • Haneda Inn

  • Hotel MYSTAYS Haneda

  • Tokyo Inn Tokyo Haneda Airport (No. 1 & No. 2)

  • Hotel JAL City

  • Keikyu EX Inn

​

​

Taxis

There are taxi stands located at the first floor of the terminals. It is the most expensive mode of transport amongst train and bus.

 

A metered fare taxi to central Tokyo would cost between 5000 - 11000 yen depending on the destination and timing. 

​

There are also fixed fare (instead of meter fare) options to some destinations from the airport and for pickup from certain locations to the airport.

There is a surcharge for timings between 2200hrs and 0500hrs. The amount of surcharge depends on the destination.

For the Keikyu fixed fare taxi, the surcharge ranges between 1200 yen and 2000 yen. 

 

The taxis are available 24 hours, unlike the train services. Taxis can also be affected by road congestion during certain periods.

 

​

Private Vehicles

There are designated drop off locations for private vehicles at Haneda Airport.

​

For visitors who are picking people up at the airport, they should use the parking lots (parking is free up to 30 mins).

​

According to the Airport’s website, congestion of the roads and parking lots at the airport is expected on weekends and holidays.

As such, accessing the airport via public transport is recommended during those periods.

​

​

Water Access

There is a wharf near the airport's international terminal. One can access the wharf by taking a bus from the International Terminal or by taking a short 15-minute walk.

access_Page_2_Image_0002.jpg

More details with regards to accessing the wharf from the International Terminal can be found here.

​

However, it is likely not a commonly used access mode as it is not directly connected to the terminal. One would have to take a bus from the terminal or take a 15-minute walk.

​

People who are likely to use this as an access mode would likely be:

  • looking for a special way to go to the airport

  • wanting to go sightseeing before their flights

  • for leisure purposes (no flights to catch)

​

Regular cruises connect the airport wharf with the Yokohama Pukarisanbashi Pier and Odaiba Seaside Park Pier. The picture below depicts the wharf routes.

wharf route.jpg
Connection Time
Evaluation of Access Modes at Haneda

Rail Access

​

The Keikyu train is more convenient for those going to or from central Tokyo as it has more stations. However, the trains tend to be less frequent than the monorail. The monorail train runs on an average of once every 4 minutes. There are even published timetables for the train services online.

​

While fast and affordable (only 13 minutes), the train and monorail do not operate 24 hours a day and is unavailable early in the morning and late at night. During those hours, one would have to opt for the late-night/early morning bus service or the taxi.

​

The access time for trains and monorail is relatively consistent since it uses the rail lines and thus is not affected by road congestion. 
 

While rail lines may sometimes be perceived as unreliable (such as Singapore's train system since the major disruption in 2011), Japan's railway systems are regarded as one of the world's most punctual.

​

Most train delays in Japan are relatively short. Longer train delays are rare, but they are often a result of other factors like earthquakes or suicides.

​

In comparison with road access, it should be less susceptible to delays unlike congestion on the road, which is almost guaranteed during peak periods.

​

Road Access

​

Road access (includes bus, taxi, private vehicles) tends to be less reliable, especially in terms of length of access time. It is susceptible to road congestion during peak periods where many people are headed to the airport concurrently. During such periods, it is not uncommon for the access time to be doubled that of normal situations.

​

Just like the monorail and train, buses do not operate on a 24-hour basis. While there are late-night and early morning bus services, the destinations and number of buses are limited. Therefore during late night or early morning, taxis and private vehicles might be the only option for accessing the airport.

​

​

​

Water Access

​

For the boat ride, it takes about 90 minutes for each of the routes: Yokohama - Haneda and Haneda - Odaiba

​

Operation of the boat routes depends on the tide levels and is thus unavailable on some days. There are published boat schedules that indicate the availability of the boat based on tide estimates.

​

The walking path to the wharf from the International Terminal is also not sheltered. This makes it inconvenient to walk to the wharf during adverse weather conditions.

​

There is a lack of information online about the schedules of the boat trips. The published boat schedules indicate availability for Wednesdays of each week, but there is no clear information on how to book a boat ride.

​

The website also states that it is also not possible to make advance bookings. In addition, trips can be cancelled due to reasons such as but not limited to bad weather.

 

As such, it can be concluded that this is not a reliable mode of access due to the lack of predictability of cancellations (due to bad weather etc), consistency of information and schedule.

​

Check-in Services

None of the airport access service providers provide early check-in services. 

There used to be check-in and immigration services in the Tokyo City Air Terminal (T-CAT for short) for those using the Airport Limousine Bus, but the service was discontinued after security has been tightened in 2001. 

​

Summary​

Below is a summary of the various access modes:

Rail Access

Cheapest, most reliable

Fastest option

Daytime only

Road Access

For those who do not want to carry baggage around

For those who have more time to spare(in case of congestion)

For those travelling during late night or early morning

Water Access

For time insensitive occasions(in case of cancellation)

For sightseeing use

Timing varies with different boat operators

Parking Facilities

There are multi-storey car parks at each terminal. In Terminals 1 and 2, there are 2 car park buildings. They are labelled P1-P4, where P1 and P2 is connected to terminal 1 and P3 and P4 is connected to terminal 2.

Beside the International Terminal, there is a multi-storey carpark, which is linked to the International Terminal on the first floor and by a covered walkway on the third floor.

​

Parking Capacity 

International Terminal - around 3000 lots

P1 - 2351 lots

P2 - 2315 lots

P3 - 2449 lots

P4 - 2,425 lots (2 large spaces, and 16 high-roof spaces)

​

The carparks are operational 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

​

Below is the layout of the terminals at Haneda Airport, showing carparks P1-P4 and the carpark at the International Terminal.

Short/Long Term Parking

​

The parking rates in the terminal car parks are lower when the vehicle is parked for more than 3 days(long term). However, the rates are still very high which would deter many from parking at the airport when they travel.

 

Car parks P1-P4 charge up to a maximum of 1500 yen for a 24-hour period.

The International Terminal car park charges 2100 yen for each full 24h (for parking duration of 24 to 72 hours), and 1500 yen for each 24-hour period after 72 hours.

​

Please visit the websites of the International Terminal and the Domestic Terminals for detailed car park rates.

​

​

Other Vehicles

​

There dedicated lots for motorcycles and the handicapped.

Handicapped visitors can get a 50% discount on the car park fees.

​

Large vehicles that are between 2.3m-3.8m tall, 2.1m-2.5m wide and 5.7m-12m long are to use the outdoor parking lots.

​

​

Long Term Remote Parking

​

Other than the parking lots provided by the terminal, there are a few private companies that provide long term parking services outside the airport but near the airport’s vicinity. Some of these companies provide free transport for their customers from their carpark to Haneda Airport. 

Some of the companies that provide this service are:

Potential Constraints and Limitations of Parking Facilities 

Vehicles rely on the roads around the airport to access the car parks at the airport. Access time to the car parks during peak hours, weekends and public holidays might be much longer due to congestion. This can cause people to miss their flights.

​

Expansion for the parking space is limited especially for carparks P1-P4 since they are surrounded by the terminal buildings. Expansion by adding floors might be limited or impossible depending on the loading capacity of the multi-storey carpark building.

​

The carpark at the International Terminal could be further expanded if needed as it is not surrounded by terminal buildings.

However, expansion of that carpark would likely put a further strain on the roads surrounding the area. The roads are already facing congestion at certain time periods; thus, expansion is not ideal unless the capacity of the surrounding roads is improved.

​

As for the remote long term parking services, the websites for the various companies are written only in Japanese. Some tourists may encounter issues using the services due to the language barrier, so most of the users of this service would likely be only the locals.

Referencesss
Declaration of Originality

Click to View

  • Black Instagram Icon

©2019 by Long Pants. All Rights Reserved.

bottom of page