Which airport is better?
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Which airport is better?
My husband and I will be traveling to Japan for a cruise in late June. We want to spend a few days in Tokyo before embarkation. Which airport is better to travel to for us since we:
1. Use a transport wheelchair – I’ll be pushing him and have to also deal with luggage.
2. Don’t speak the language (unfortunately 🙁 ) and will be traveling without any other companions
3. While he’s mobile, his disability prevents him from walking too much without the possibility of passing out (very similar to vertigo but the onset is very sudden and most time with little warning) and losing balance.
We’re hoping to find an airport that have assistance readily available and where we can get taxis easily to take us, the foldable transport chair (slightly slimmer than a regular wheelchair) and our luggage (probably 2-3 large ones and 2 carry-in’s) to our hotel.
I heard NRT is much further away. Would Henada be better?
Thank you!
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17 Replies
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Hi! Haneda is indeed a lot closer. Both airports are fine for wheelchairs and access to transport. Haneda is a lot closer. If you are using taxis, then definitely Haneda. Do you know where your accomodation is?
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We haven’t book accommodations yet since we have not decide on the exact date of arrival. Any recommendations?
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Keep an eye out on hotels daily. The prices are crazy in Tokyo now. Depends on your budget. Which port does your cruise depart from?
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Thank you for the tip. I will. I think we depart from Yokohama. Is that far from Tokyo? We want to spend a couple days in Tokyo before the cruise.
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I can go over all of this on our Zoom call. It’s my area of expertise. Live and breathe it daily.
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Heather, Is this a paid service you are offering?
I am a resident of Japan, been here 28 years. I was under the impression this was an open discussion forum to help fellow travellers, not promote business. Correct me if am wrong Josh.
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Sarah, thank you so much for your tips and help. I was actually referred to Heather by Josh and I had another question for her and she’s graciously offer to chat with me about my question. Im so happy to find a forum here to get all this wonderful information before going to Japan! Thank you everyone!
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Josh is very aware of who I am and what I do, thanks Sarah. I don’t think there is any harm to offer a complimentary consultation to them. Whether or not they choose to work with me is their choice. To be honest, I don’t want to promote my business right now as I am quite busy as it is. However, one of the reasons I started my business was because I saw someone in a wheelchair disembark a cruise in Yokohama visibly upset because they couldn’t do much ashore. I want to help *everyone* have the best experience possible when visiting, so I would like to help them if they want my help as I have the knowledge, experiences, and contacts to do so.
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Yes! That’s wonderful. My message wasn’t to be negative or rude. I am happy you can help JD out with upcoming travel plans and you are specialised in the area. Fantastic!
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You are doing wonderful work! Thank you so much! My husband’s disability was a fast and unexpected onset so we are very new to managing our lives with accessibility and we cannot be more thankful to find this forum.
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Thank you Heather! I am very much looking forward to speaking with you. I didn’t realized that you can also help me with logistics outside the cruise topic. Thank you ssooooooo much!
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Sarah, thank you so much for your tips and help. I was actually referred to Heather by Josh and I had another question for her and she’s graciously offer to chat with me about my question. Im so happy to find a forum here to get all this wonderful information before going to Japan! Thank you everyone!
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That’s fantastic! I am sure Heather will help make your holiday a whole lot easier.
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Hi everyone,
We allow businesses on Tabifolk as long as it aligns with our goal of helping visitors find the information they need, and the businesses give back to the community in a positive, open-sourced way by sharing information in public so that the next visitor with the same question can find answers (which Heather does frequently). Often, the best answer is “get in touch with this company because they are exactly what you need”. I guess in this circumstance JD and Heather already had a call planned.
As for airports, I generally only fly from Narita if there is no other option – the service is incredible at both, but the distance to Narita adds to fatigue and takes time away from actual traveling. Taxis are also in the level of ridiculous in terms of the cost to get to Tokyo from Narita.
Here is some more info:
https://www.accessible-japan.com/airport-accessibility-in-japan/
Thank you everyone for your help!
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Hi JD:
It sounds like others might already be assisting but my husband and I just returned from Japan and we had also considered Haneda as it was much closer. However, we did fly to Narita in the end because it made a lot more sense (direct flight for us). I thought I would offer some info on how we managed in case this is something you’d consider for the both of you.
I have a foldable manual wheelchair and am ambulatory enough to get in and off a train. My husband helps push the wheelchair and the luggage. We travelled with one large suitcase and two backpacks (for two weeks…we optimized as much as possible!) and I had one bag in my lap and pushed the suitcase on my side while he pushed the chair (team work!). We used the Narita express to get to Tokyo station and did ok. From what I saw, most gaps between the platforms and the trains were small enough that I could handle them while my husband folded down my chair to load it in the trains. Certainly something to discuss with your husband to see what he’s comfortable doing.
Taxis are usually available at train stations and airports. They’re usually a queue and you take the next available. My wheelchair folds down and would go in the trunk while the large case went in the front seat by the driver. So, it’s also an option.
Another thing to consider is coin lockers at train stations to temporarily store luggage while you are out and about if it’s too early to check into your hotel.
Anyway, I hope it helps and that you have a lovely time in Tokyo!
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Thank you Alliejay. These are great tips. You’re right, there is a noticeable price difference between the two airport. And NRT does offer a better schedule. I’ll have to look into it more. Thank you again!
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I have used both & find Haneda much easier. Also much smaller. The accessible taxi parked right in front of the area we met at.
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