Airport Limousine Bus From Haneda to Yokohama Station

The Haneda to Yokohama Station limousine bus is the busiest airport bus route, offering hotel drop-offs that beat the Keikyu Line when you have luggage.

Airport Limousine Bus from Haneda to Yokohama Station

The bus from Haneda to Yokohama costs ¥1,000. The Keikyu Line costs ¥480. The train takes 25 minutes. The bus takes 30 to 45 minutes in normal traffic. That difference in time and money is the easy part of the decision. The harder part is what you carry and where you are going once you arrive.

The bus stops at YCAT, the Yokohama City Air Terminal, a three-minute walk from the East Exit of Yokohama Station. It also stops at major hotels in the Minato Mirai and Kannai areas. If your hotel is one of those stops, the bus drops you at the door. If it is not, you still get off at YCAT and walk or take a taxi from there. The train drops you inside Yokohama Station, a massive underground hub where you then navigate corridors and stairways to reach your hotel. With a rolling suitcase and a backpack, that difference matters.

Operating Hours

The bus runs from roughly 05:30 to 23:30 from the airport to YCAT. The first departure from YCAT back to the airport is around 05:00, and the last is around 21:30. Frequency is every 15 to 30 minutes, depending on the time of day. The Keikyu Line runs more frequently, every 10 to 20 minutes, but its late-night frequency drops. After midnight the bus is no longer an option either. Your fallback at that hour is a taxi costing ¥10,000 to ¥15,000 and taking 30 to 90 minutes, depending on traffic.

Yokohama skyline Minato Mirai
Kanchi1979 , CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons

How the Bus and Train Compare on the Route

This is the busiest route on the Haneda airport bus network for a reason. The bus serves hotel guests directly. The train serves everyone else faster.

Travel Time

The Keikyu Line takes 25 to 35 minutes, including a change at Keikyu Kamata. The bus takes 30 to 45 minutes without traffic. During weekday mornings toward Yokohama and weekday evenings toward the airport, the bus can take 60 to 90 minutes. On holidays and weekends, especially outbound from Tokyo, it can take two hours. The train time does not change with traffic. If you are on a tight schedule, take the train.

Cost

The bus fare is ¥1,000 for an adult and ¥500 for a child. The Keikyu Line fare is ¥480 with an IC card or ¥490 with a paper ticket. The bus costs more than double. There is no return ticket for the bus. You buy two singles.

Luggage

The bus allows two pieces of hold luggage per passenger. Each piece must have total dimensions (length plus width plus height) of 200 cm or less and weigh 30 kg or less. No declaration is needed. You hand your bags to the driver and collect them at YCAT. The train has no dedicated luggage space. You keep your bags with you, which means holding them in the aisle or on your lap during the 25-minute ride. With a large suitcase, the bus is the better choice.

Seats

The bus is first come, first served. You cannot reserve a seat unless you book online in advance through the Keikyu Bus website. During peak periods like cherry blossom season and autumn foliage, online reservation is essential. The train runs every 10 to 20 minutes and you will find a seat or stand. The bus runs every 15 to 30 minutes. If the bus is full, you wait for the next one.

Late Night

The last bus from the airport to YCAT departs around 23:30. The last train departs around the same time but frequency drops significantly after midnight. Between midnight and 05:00, neither the bus nor the train runs at useful intervals. A taxi is your only option. Budget for it if your flight arrives late.

Where to Catch the Bus at Haneda and YCAT

The bus stops at all three Haneda terminals. At Terminal 3, the stop is on the Arrivals level (1F) at Bus Stop No. 5 outside the central exit. At Terminal 2, it is Bus Stop No. 6 on the Arrivals level. At Terminal 1, it is Bus Stop No. 6 on the Arrivals level in the North Wing. The bus visits Terminal 3 first, then Terminal 2, then Terminal 1, then YCAT. If you board at Terminal 3, the bus will pick up passengers at the other two terminals before heading to Yokohama. The journey time quoted from the airport to YCAT includes those stops.

At YCAT, the stop is on the 1F bus terminal. The bay varies so check the departure board. YCAT is at 2-1-1 Takashima in the Sky Building. It is on the east side of Yokohama Station and connected by a pedestrian walkway from the East Exit. The walk takes about three minutes.

Tickets

You can buy tickets from machines at the airport and YCAT, from the counters, or by tapping your IC card (PASMO or Suica) on board. You can also book online in advance. The bus runs on a fixed timetable. It does not wait for delayed flights. If your flight is late, you take the next bus.

Who Should Take the Bus and Who Should Skip it

Take the bus if you are staying at a hotel on the bus route, especially in Minato Mirai or near Kannai. Take it if you have two large suitcases or a heavy bag. Take it if you prefer a guaranteed seat and do not want to change trains. Take it if you arrive during off-peak hours when the bus runs on time.

Skip the bus if you are on a budget. The train is half the price. Skip it if you are in a hurry. The train is faster and runs more frequently. Skip it if you are staying near Yokohama Station itself. The train drops you directly at the station. Skip it if you arrive during a holiday or weekend afternoon. The bus can get stuck in expressway congestion for over an hour while the train moves normally. Skip it if you have a tight connection to another train. The bus delay risk is real.

The single thing that most often goes wrong on this route is underestimating holiday traffic. The bus from Haneda to YCAT can take two hours on a Sunday afternoon in November. The train takes 25 minutes. Check the calendar before you choose.

YCAT Yokohama bus terminal
Kattin at Japanese Wikipedia , CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Bus Versus Keikyu Line at a Glance
FactorLimousine BusKeikyu Line
Adult one way fare¥1,000¥480 (IC) / ¥490 (paper)
Typical journey time30 45 min25 35 min
Rush hour journey time60 90 min25 35 min
Holiday weekend journey time60 120 min25 35 min
FrequencyEvery 15 30 minEvery 10 20 min
First departure airport to YCATApprox 05:30Earlier than bus
Last departure airport to YCATApprox 23:30Later than bus
Luggage allowance2 pieces per passenger, ≤200 cm total, ≤30 kg eachNo dedicated luggage space
Seat guaranteeFirst come first served; online reservation availableNo guarantee; stand if crowded
Hotel stopsYes, multiple hotels in Minato Mirai and KannaiNo; drop at Yokohama Station only
Ticket purchaseMachine, counter, IC card on board, online advanceIC card or ticket machine