Project
The whole line is operated by Keisei Electric Railway, while some parts of the line are operated by other companies as well, such as Hokuso Railway. The new line is used by Skyliner services operating at up to 160 km/h using new Keisei AE series EMUs.
The project involved the refurbishment of 32.3 km of existing track on the Hokusō Line, as well as the construction of 19.1 km of new track to Narita Airport, partly using disused rights-of-way originally planned for the cancelled Narita Shinkansen project. The total cost, according to the Narita Rapid Rail Access website, was estimated to be ¥126 billion, or about US$1.3 billion.
Trains also utilize the Keisei Electric Railway's Main Line between Keisei Ueno and Keisei-Takasago. Trains run at a maximum speed of 160 km/h, thus completing the run from Nippori to Airport Terminal 2 in a minimum of 36 minutes, 15 minutes faster than the previous Skyliner route, which took 51 minutes. The reserved-seat Keisei Skyliner fare for the route between Narita airport and either Nippori or Ueno stations is ¥2,400 and takes 36-41 min., but the Access Express commuter fast train costs ¥1,200 and takes about 78 min. Express trains also run towards Haneda Airport from Narita Airport via Keisei-Takasago and Aoto then via the Keisei Oshiage Line to Oshiage, and on the Toei Asakusa Line via Shimbashi to Sengakuji, the Keikyu Main Line and via Shinagawa to the Keikyu Airport Line. This makes it possible to connect the two airports in a minimum of around 65 minutes, as opposed to the previous minimum of 106 minutes. Many Express trains split (or connect) at Aoto station and continue to the Keikyu Haneda International Airport station (¥1,630, about 76 min.) or you can transfer at Shinagawa (on the way to Haneda) to stay on the Keikyu Main Line for Yokohama (¥1,630, about 101 min.).
Service on this line commenced on July 17, 2010.
There are also plans to build a spur from the Toei Asakusa Line to Tōkyō Station, opening a (potentially) faster route to the airport via the Keisei Oshiage Line.
Read more about this topic: Keisei Narita Airport Line
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