The Narita Shinkansen virtual tour

[@chron123]

I find it quite funny that even JR knows the Keio Line platform is so far away from main Tokyo station concourse, that they allow you to change trains to Yurakucho by walking outside at street level.

[@cherubin7th]

When the Narita Express got cancelled (because of a defect), the Skyliner saved me for free, when I needed to get to my plane.

[@Sacto1654]

Keisei Electric Railway took advantage of the cancellation of the Narita Shinkansen and built the Narita Sky Access Line instead. Now, with the _Skyliner_ , Nippori (a major connection station to the JR network) to Narita is just over 30 minutes one-way.

[@doioz]

Thanks for this video!

[@hossp2365]

Thank you very much.

[@Lodai974]

I think the problem stems from the fact that Narita Shinkansen station was intended as a terminus and not as a crossing station. In France two airports have their TGV station. Lyon St Exupery (in 1st) and of course, Roissy CDG. They are on a line that forms a ring road around the main city, they are called "interconnection Line". If Lyon did not have the success expected, Roissy is a success. The line interconnection is appreciated and the southern part of that of Paris is planned in the projects, adding Orly Intl as a TGV station. in fact each his role ... the suburban trains make the connection with Paris and the suburbs ..., the TGV makes the connection with the big cities of France (the Line interconnection is at 300km / h) ... Lyon / Strasbourg are 2H10 from Roissy, Lille 45min, Tours 2H, Bordeaux Marseille 3H ,Massy (south suburb of Paris) 1H!

[@AISPs]

I don't think it's do-able on the Narita airport side. It's literally just farmland and Pacific ocean on its east. Turning north or south towards other cities are making the route much longer. Even if railway company want to build a line, they need to face those notorious farmers with their holy land right between airport runways, such as ... www.google.com/maps/place/Kinone+Pension/@35.7607451,140.3923369,308m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m7!3m6!1s0x6022f3a6a4d7a377:0xdcc04c03e7e4511c!8m2!3d35.7609718!4d140.3923205!9m1!1b1 Tokyo side, however, might be feasible to connect to Shinjuku and further, Joetsu shinkansen and maybe Chuo shinkansen, if built as bullet train on wheels. Many metro lines are zigzaging under the streets to avoid Emperor's palace and government buildings, though

[@SaiinOsho]

Fantastic video. The production quality continues to increase with every video you make, and I really love the Google Earth fly-through sections. Thank you for this excellent content!

[@jpchtk]

日本の鉄道系KZbinrの英語チャンネルを受注したら凄そう。

[@Bencentre]

Fascinating. I like this video format! (i.e. aerial tour)

[@ewanmcgregor146]

When I fly to Tōkyō Narita, I usually take the Narita Express, but I usually stay near JR stations. But the question that always interested me about the Narita Shinkansen plan was how and where would it have connected to the Tōhoku Shinkansen? Also, being designed for just 12 cars, I’m assuming it would be operated by 200 Series F units? No room for H unit Super Yamabiko trains!

[@matthewjohnbornholt648]

Great tour as ever! Yeah the Narita Shinkansen was classic 1970's overbuilding. Thing is because it left such a bad taste Chiba and Tokyo have neglected the Hokusou-sky-access line, not only is it infamously expensive but its low frequency both for ordinary commuters but also people not wanting to use Skyliner but also the conventional expresses. They need to build another pair of tracks at Keisei Takasago at least and probably another station like Chiba New Town. Also since the Keiyo line is already so deep underground they might as well use it to build a tunnel to Shinjuku (its such a pain to get to those platforms).

[@matthewjohnbornholt648]

Speaking of Kesei and JR guages, Takeshi do you know why the Shinjuku line doesn't connect up to the Keisei mainline? I mean the Moto-Yawata stations are next to each other and the Shinjuku metro line is standard guage to connect with the Keio network. The Keisei line's at capacity with too few platforms in Ueno, Takasago and how many they squeeze through the Asakusa/Oshiage through running tunnel. I mean the Tozai and Toyo lines do it...

[@knk3220]

@@matthewjohnbornholt648 Toei Shinjuku Line gauge is 1372mm, not 1435 standard gauge

[@matthewjohnbornholt648]

@@knk3220 Whoops. (should still change it though).

[@brucetharpe762]

What a very interesting video! Thanks for sharing! I wonder what today would’ve been like if we had the Narita Shinkansen running.

[@Digicola1]

Had the Joetsu shinkansen to Shinjuku been realised then it could have made sense as you said. It would have served Tokyo Station and in theory would have allowed through service from all JR East Shinkansen lines to Narita airport. That being said, there way were too many problems with it, most notably the cost and I reckon it made little sense especially since it is unlikely that the 250km/h limit could have been maintained. Furthermore, with the ever decreasing importance of Narita since Haneda opened up to foreign airlines, it is doubtful that this venture would have made commercial sense anyway. I think the only addition that could be made would be doubling the tracks on the approach to Narita (currently JR and Keisei are single track near the end). Also JR should rename the Narita Express because it really isn't express at all!

[@Santiago-lb5md]

The Narita Shinkansen was a failed plan since the beginning in my opinion, is surprising that the plan was really going to get done and they were convinced that it would be the solution for their problems. Great video as always

[@matthewjohnbornholt648]

Japan was growing 10-6% per year in the 1960's and 1970's. NE Tokyo is the poorest part of Tokyo and the adjacent parts of Chiba either poor or sparsely populated back then. They voted for the enemies of the LDP too. Hubris and denigration, but hard work got Narita an extra air connector in the end vis Hokusou and Tokyo-Chiba got the Keiyo line. Happy story in the end.

[@jmstransit]

Through service through service, the semi-fast Sky Access Tokkyu will save you tons if you're on an airport transfer - and I don't think there's takkyubin service for daytime stopovers (I hope I'm wrong on this). No navigating through Hamamatsucho or Shinagawa with checked luggages (unless you want to use lockers or the service in Tokyo Station)

[@IchWillNicht0119]

I want to try Sky Access sometime when I'm not so dependent on the JR Rail Pass, especially as some of our favorite hotels in Tokyo are better served by the Asakusa and Keikyu lines rather than the Narita Express/Yamanote line.

[@knk3220]

@@IchWillNicht0119 Indeed some Hongkonger with JRPass will choose to pay for the Keisei Line because: 1) The tourist centre has a long queue, especially at the dawn when red eye flights arrives, it saves some time to activate the pass in Tokyo area 2) Narita Express is too slow for them Overall it is all about time cost, for them is like "if they enjoy the trip to Japan, why not minimize the travel time?"

[@limaemflightsimulator6843]

Just realized of Keisei Narita Airport Line track (double tracked 1435 mm gauge with overhead catenary) at Inba-Nihon-Indai - Narita-Yukawa section is the former Narita Shinkansen track, the Narita Yukawa Station is also originally used for Narita Shinkansen (i think)

[@mikkieugenio]

Chiba New Town looks pretty sad with that aerial view.

[@agntdrake]

Honestly it's still a pain to get to Narita, even with Skyliner (or N'Ex), particularly if you're coming from Shinjuku/Shibuya. That's usually 75 to 90 minutes. I always try to fly out of Haneda instead.

[@mojabaka]

Hm, that‘s not really a lot for me. In my home country every airport is around 1 to 1 and a half hours away if you live in a city. Building airports in the city center would be dumb and impossible in most cities. Haneda is a special case since it‘s on an artificial island. I like both airports though and don‘t really have a preference.

[@chandershekhar9349]

Can you pls make a video about the 36+3 train JR Kyushu ?

[@mojabaka]

I‘m honestly more than satisfied with the Narita Express. It‘s only a bit slower than a Shinkansen and the design actually looks cooler lol. The whole Narita airport actually shouldn‘t exists, considering the majority of people were against it, but oh well. They keep voting for the same party, so I‘m not really too sad about that. As an airport I rate it 5/5 though. Very clean and easy to navigate, even though it‘s big. A lot of good restaurants and stores too. I had a bad experience with 1 asshole staff, but that‘s not the problem of the airport.

[@AISPs]

3:11 It's not a not-in-my-backyard situation; it's I-hate-you-when-I-see-you.

[@rbrbirbi]

interesting

[@mikkieugenio]

By the way I'm curious about the rail to LRT & BRT conversions in Japan, like the one in Toyama. I read there's a proposal in Okayama and Utsonomiya too?

[@hkdavid001]

Anyone found the voice a bit low (comparing to the ad popping up)?

[@shoebillstonk]

So basically, the Skyliner is what the Narita Shinkansen would've been?

[@Lodai974]

in less fast, less direct, and without the service of the center of Tokyo.

[@Santiago-lb5md]

Keisei railway is the best