It’s certainly possible to travel on the Narita Express with a dog. However, it’s not an option for all dogs and there are some restrictions in place. The Narita Express is a great way to travel from Narita Airport to Tokyo. It provides a direct link to Tokyo, Shinagawa, Shibuya, Shinjuku, Yokohama and Ofuna. So it’s very convenient when coming from the airport to the city.
Trains were operating every hour when we arrived which was early in the morning (7am). By the time we got through security, immigration and animal quarantine it was about 9am. So we opted for the 9.45am train which gave us plenty of time.
The Rules
JR East is the rail company that manage the Narita Express line. Their website states that small dogs, cats, pigeons and similar small animals may be brought on board for a fee. As long as they are kept in a carrying case that is no more than 70 centimeters long and has a total length, width and height of no more than around 90 centimeters. The measurements seem a bit strange since if it’s 70cm long how can the maximum size be 90cm?
There is also a weight limit of 10kg, so it’s limited to smaller dogs. It doesn’t say if this is including or excluding the bag but I’d guess it’s 10kg including the bag.
It also mentions a fee for bringing your dog on board with you, but it doesn’t mention what that fee is. When we arrived we paid Â¥290 which was paid at the gates where you put your tickets. We were given a separate baggage ticket which we were told to hold onto. They didn’t seem to look twice at the size or weight of the bag.
We had purchased our own tickets first at the Service Centre as the ticket machines didn’t accept foreign credit cards. I asked for a ticket for the dog at this counter but was told to pay at the barriers. The staff were all super friendly and helpful.
On The Narita Express
As we had 45 minutes to wait until the train, there was a waiting area and plenty of vending machines to get drinks from. We had allocated seats so sat next to the car we’d get on at (number 5). The train itself wasn’t very busy with only a few other people in the carriage.
The rules say that dogs must have their head in the carrier at all times. However, after flying for so long, I was getting a bit whingy being locked up. So mammy allowed me to put my head out but covered it with her coat so no-one could see and that no hairs could get anywhere. This made me much more relaxed and I slept most of the way. The bag I used was a Sturdibag XL which I used on the plane also.
The journey was 1.5 hours from Narita Airport to Yokohama with a couple of stops en route. You must be careful about which carriage you are sat in as at Tokyo station the first 6 carriages carry on to Ofuna (if you are headed to Yokohama) and the back carriages head off to Shibuya. So make sure you are on the right carriage!
It was very simple and easy to travel on the Narita Express with a dog.
If you want to read more about my adventures, check out some of my other big trips.
Woof woof, Wylie x
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