How to reach KEK from the New Tokyo airport (Narita)

 There is a way to reach KEK with one ride, i.e., taking a taxi from the  
airport. It would take nearly 20,000 Yen. There is an alternative and  
cost-effective way: e.g., coach-bus service from the airport to downtown  
Tsukuba, Tsukuba Center (The bus terminal), 2540 Yen, and a taxi to KEK, about 
2000 Yen. 

(1) Airport to downtown Tsukuba

 There are several ways to reach Tsukuba area: (1.1) coach-bus service ( 
non-stop), (1.2) train services,... A recommended way is to take the coach-bus 
service (although frequency and running hour is limited). Here is how:

(1.1) Narita-Tsukuba-Tsuchiura coach-bus service (NATTS)

 The coach-bus leaves the airport terminals, Terminal#1 (Bus Stop#?) and  
through Terminal#2 (Bus Stop#12) (in the sequence of #2 -> #1), and leaves the 
Tsukuba Center, as in the table.

  Narita A.P. -> Tsukuba   Tsukuba -> Narita A.P.
    7:20    9:00              6:20  8:00
    9:05   10:45              7:20  9:00
   10:35   12:15              8:50  10:30
   12:50   14:30             10:20  12:00
   14:35   16:15             11:55  13:35
   16:15   17:55             13:25  15:05
   17:20   19:00             14:35  16:15
   18:40   20:20             15:50  17:30
   20:00   21:40             17:35  19:15


 The riding time is about 1 hr 40 min.

 The ride fare is 2,540 Yen. Ticket must be purchased at the ticket counters  
of the KEISEI Bus service in the airport. In the terminal #1, where most of  
the international flights arrive and leave, it is located near the north exit 
in the ground level floor. There are three exits in the terminal #1, the south 
exit (of the south wing), the central exit, and the north exit (of the north  
wing). (The north wing is in operation currently. The south wing is under 
re-newal.) 

 In the terminal #2, it is located near the south exit.

 Although no reservation is required from the airport, a reservation IS  
required from Tsukuba Center. Please purchase a ticket in advance a day or so 
at the counter in the Tsukuba center.

(1.2) Train to Tokyo and Express-way bus service from Tokyo to Tsukuba/KEK

 Services more frequent and longer in operation are trains and busses. There  
are two routes to reach from the airport to Tsukuba: via TOKYO or via NARITA/ 
ABIKO. The route via TOKYO would be more easily identifiable and described in  
below. For the route via NARITA/ABIKO, please refer the P.S. section. 

 Narita <-> Tokyo (about 1.5 hr)

 There are train services from the airport to the TOKYO station. The trains  
can be found in the underground level of the airport terminals #1 and #2. Two  
companies operates: JR and KEISEI. Although the fare of KEISEI is half of the  
JR, it would be easier to take one of the JR trains to the TOKYO station. In  
the JR service, take the Narita Express, limited express trains. When you  take
this, buy the ticket as early as possible since the number of seats is  limited. 

 Why there are two? In Japan there used to be one government operated company ,
national, and private companies. The airport was designed at the time when  the 
national and a private company were assigned to operate. The government  
company is privatized and split into sevearl private companies, and now, two  
private companies are operating. 

 For your inf.: KESEI goes for the KEISEI UENO station, which is unfortunately 
not the JR UENO Station, and to get to the TOKYO station, first you have to  
exit the KEISEI UENO station, walk to the JR UENO station (5 to 10 min.), then
  take a short ride on a JR train from the JR UENO station to the TOKYO station.
 If you are more adventurous, there is a slightly better short-cut, i.e., the 
two lines touch each other at the NIPPORI station, one station before the UENO
  station. Take off the KEISEI at the NIPPORI station, exit and enter the JR  
part of the station, take a JR train to the TOKYO station. 

 Tokyo <-> Tsukuba (about 1 hr from Tokyo, 2 hr TO Tokyo)

 There are express-way bus services from the TOKYO station to either Tsukuba  
Center or Tsukuba-San (Mount Tsukuba) (this stops in front of the KEK gate).  
The express-way bus service is the one you use when you happen to be in Tokyo  
and to come to Tsukuba.
 

 At the YAESU south exit of the TOKYO station, express-way non-stop  
bussesleave for major cities. One of them is the buses for Tsukuba Center,  
which leaves every 15 min. Both cash payment and advanced ticket purchase are  
available. The fare is 1,230 Yen. There is another bus service which goes  for 
Tsukuba-San (Mount Tsukuba). This bus service is almost every 2 hrs, but,  take
this if available. This bus stops in front of KEK. 

(2) Tsukuba center <-> KEK

 With the buses for the Tsukuba centre you need to take one more ride from the 
Tsukuba Centre to KEK. The Tsukuba Center is the bus terminal in the downtown  
of City of Tsukuba. KEK is located at the north edge of the city. You can  
either take a taxi (probably about 2,000 Yen), a city bus service (about 300  
Yen) or a ride on a freind's car (10 to 15 min.). The bus service is every 30 
min. to one hour depending on the time of the day. 

 GOOD LUCK! and Von Voyage!

 Phones: 	KEK switch board operating 8am-6pm. (0298) 64-1171


P.S. The route via NARITA/ABIKO

 In the train network of JR, there is a short-cut connection from the airport  
to the JR stations near Tsukuba, TSUCHIURA or ARAKAWAOKI station. Since the  
route is using only the JR and local trains, the fare is the lowest, about 1200
Yen, up to the JR Tsuchiura station. You need an extra fee from the station to 
KEK, about 5000 Yen by a taxi, about 600 Yen by a city bus, or 30 to 40 min.  
ride on a freind's car. The frequency of the bus service from KEK to TSUCHIURA 
station is similar to the bus to the Tsukuba centre, or in other words, the bus
to the TSUCHIURA station makes a stop at the Tsukuba centre on the way. 

 The route from the airport to the TSUCHIURA or ARAKAWAOKI station is to take  
trains,

  Airport -> Narita station
    Narita station -(Narita line)-> Abiko station 
      Abiko station -(Joban line)-> Arakawaoki/Tsuchiura station

The service frequency is every 30 to 20 min in each line. The time required  
would be Airport-Narita: 10 min., Narita-Abiko: 50 min., Abiko-Tsuchiura: 30  
min., in addition a waing time of, say 20 min. at each station (Narita, Abiko),
which would be 2 hrs and a few 10 min. in total. The total time would be  
similar to taking the route via TOKYO, but much cheaper if you can find a  
cost-effective way from the TSUCHIURA/ARAKAWAOKI station to KEK. This is an  
all local route and you may enjoy the local life of Japan. Buy a JR ticket at 
the airport for TSUCHIURA or ARAKAWAOKI station.