This article introduces various ways to access Tokyo Disney Resort(TDR) for non-Japanese guests who are visiting the park for the first time. It might be tricky for beginners because Tokyo Disney Resort is not in “Tokyo” but the neighbor prefecture “Chiba”. No need to worry however, because once you’ve read through this article you will be able to choose your best way to access the kingdom of magic.
If your using train, your first destination will be Maihama station, the entrance of TDR. Also free shuttle buses that go directly to Tokyo Disneyland and Tokyo Disney Sea are available from over 20 hotels located across Tokyo and Chiba. Buses are also available from major stations and airports, and of course you can always choose to pick a taxi. Let’s take a look at each option in more detail.
3 ways to access Tokyo Disney Resort
Train
If you are staying far from Tokyo and are traveling by “Shinkansen”, using the train to Maihama station will likely be your best choice. Also if you want to save money, using the train is probably the least expensive choice(unless your hotel offers a free shuttle bus). The downside is that it is less likely that you can sit on a train in Tokyo. Also, you may have to walk a long distance as mentioned under.
Maihama station is a Keiyo line station and the most common route is transferring at Tokyo station. The problem is that you have to walk a long distance in Tokyo station(about 10 minutes) to transfer from other rail lines (including Shinkansen) to Keiyo Line. If you have come to Tokyo station using one of the JR lines(e.g. Chuo line, Yamanote line, Keihin-Tohoku line, etc), you don’t have to get out the ticket gate, because Keiyo line is also a JR line. You just have to find and follow the signboard that looks like the picture below.
Also if you’re transferring from Shinkansen, be careful to get out the ticket gate that says “Transfer to JR Lines”. Otherwise you may be charged another first ride fair (about 160 Yen(about $1.5) depending on your Shinkansen ticket ).
Once you have arrived at Maihama station, congratulations, you are already in the TDR area. Although you can choose to walk to Tokyo Disney Land or Tokyo Disney Sea, I recommend that you take the Tokyo Disney Resort Liner, a lovely monorail that goes around Tokyo Disney Resort and stops at each park. The Ride fare is 260 Yen.
Bus
The good thing about using these buses is that, you are guaranteed to sit. These busses go to both Tokyo Disneyland and Tokyo Disney Sea. If your traveling with big luggage, this should be big merit. The downside maybe would be that you cannot arrive too early. If you want to ride on soaring, and you don’t mind waiting at the entry gate of the Tokyo Disney Sea from 6 A.M., you would better choose to ride on a train or taxi.
Over 20 hotels located around the coast side of Tokyo provides a free shuttle bus to TDR. It’s a good idea to check this, to see if the hotel you are staying has a shuttle bus. Typically the first bus arrives at TDR just before the park opening time, and the last bus back to the hotel departs just after the closing time. The frequency is about 2 buses per hour. Although these shuttle buses are not charged, most hotels require a reservation for the bus and the capacity is limited. If your planning to use the shuttle bus, don’t forget to ask about reservations at check-in.
Airport Limousine buses are provided from Haneda airport and Narita airport. You can make a reservation here. Just select the airport you are using and Tokyo Disney Resort like in the picture below. The ride fee for Narita <=> TDR is 1900 Yen for adults and 950 Yen for children(6 to 12 years old). The ride fee for Haneda <=> TDR is 850 Yen and 430 Yen respectively.
Also expressway buses are departing from few stations including Yokohama station, Kawasaki station, Shinjuku station, Akihabara station, and Ikebukuro station. You can find more details here. The ride fee is around 1000 yen and depends on the distance. Also the homepage states that reservation is not needed.
Taxi
Riding on a taxi is of course the easiest and the most expensive way to go to TDR. You can check how much it will cost you by using your smartphone’s google maps app. The ride fee is \410 for the first 1km and \80 for each following 240m. Late-night fees(from 10 PM to 5 AM) is about 20% higher. Note that taxis in Japan don’t take chips.
Summary
In summary, if your hotel provides free shuttle buses, that will be your best choice. Don’t forget the reservation! If you’re from or going to the airport or if you want to sit, consider taking the expressway bus. Otherwise taking the train is the most reasonable way, unless your traveling late at night or early in the morning, in which case taking the taxi might be your only choice. Thanks for reading and enjoy your trip!
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