Long layover at Haneda

[ferntree]

I'm thinking of doing a return flight, Sydney to Helsinki with JAL. The outbound flight has a 17 hour layover at Haneda.

My question is, am I able to leave teh airport and, say, book a hotel at thsi time? Do I need any special visa or other arrangements? Should I arrange this at check-in? I am Australian national and will be travelling on Australian passport.

Any assistance much appreciated, thanks!

 

[Dr Ralph]

I'm thinking of doing a return flight, Sydney to Helsinki with JAL. The outbound flight has a 17 hour layover at Haneda.

My question is, am I able to leave teh airport and, say, book a hotel at thsi time? Do I need any special visa or other arrangements? Should I arrange this at check-in? I am Australian national and will be travelling on Australian passport.

Any assistance much appreciated, thanks!

90 day visa free entry (temporary visa) to Japan for Australian citizens as far as I am aware.

Not sure, though, about whether you need 6 months validity on your passport.

 

[ferntree]

90 day visa free entry (temporary visa) to Japan for Australian citizens as far as I am aware.

Not sure, though, about whether you need 6 months validity on your passport.

Thanks. Passport is valid until 2025, so no problem there!
Presumably I'd need to ask check-in at Sydney not to check luggage thru, or, if I dion't need it overnight, could I check it thru anyway? Thanks.

 

[V Singh]

I'm thinking of doing a return flight, Sydney to Helsinki with JAL. The outbound flight has a 17 hour layover at Haneda.

My question is, am I able to leave teh airport and, say, book a hotel at thsi time? Do I need any special visa or other arrangements? Should I arrange this at check-in? I am Australian national and will be travelling on Australian passport.

Any assistance much appreciated, thanks!

Did transit @ Haneda on one of my trips from HEL to SYD. Valid Aus PPT for tourism < 90days no visa required. Stayed at a ApartHotel closeby. Took a coach ride into Tokyo & enjoyed visiting Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden.

 

[ferntree]

Did transit @ Haneda on one of my trips from HEL to SYD. Valid Aus PPT for tourism < 90days no visa required. Stayed at a ApartHotel closeby. Took a coach ride into Tokyo & enjoyed visiting Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden.

Thanks V Singh, do you remember was your main lugage checked all the way thru to SYD, or did you have to collect it and drag it out with you? thanks!

 

[Maca44]

If you have a transit in HND on your trip home, you might consider using JP yen and buy a Suica Card at the airport from one of the vending machines. There is a 500yen deposit, but as Japan is mostly a cash society, you could use the Suica card for the monorail and all trains during your first 17hr layover. Use the monorail, then connect to the JR Yamnote Line you could be in the heart of Tokyo in less then 45mins. You could spend hours just walking around the various levels of the Tokyo station, but the Suica card is identical to any transport card meaning no need for cash, just tap and go on entering the turnstile at any station. The monorail runs from about 5am to 11.30pm. Just a thought, and then you would have the Suica card for your return transit, if time permitted. They last for 10 years, so if even you only have small balance you could keep it as a souvenir, or cash it in back at HND for a refund (less a small fee) Hyperdia is a great app to download and gives you trains, times, platforms, anything to do with catching a train and even the price for those without a Suica. Just a thought

 

[V Singh]

Thanks V Singh, do you remember was your main luggage checked all the way thru to SYD, or did you have to collect it and drag it out with you? thanks!

Had collected my luggage for my planned overnight stay(<24hrs). You may be able to check-in your luggage to final destination if you so choose. However, your travel agent/airline should be able to clarify.

 

[ferntree]

Thanks V Singh!

Great tip Maca44, thanks: probably wouldn't work on this occasion though, as it's essentially an overnight layover (17:05 to 10:50 next day!)

 

[mrs.dr.ron]

We have stayed twice at the Royal Park hotel at Haneda airport. It is on the shopping concourse/check-in level. Plenty of restaurants there as well.

But we have seen a lot of Japan, so staying at the airport is perfect for us.

 

[V Singh]

If you have a transit in HND on your trip home, you might consider using JP yen and buy a Suica Card at the airport from one of the vending machines. There is a 500yen deposit, but as Japan is mostly a cash society, you could use the Suica card for the monorail and all trains during your first 17hr layover. Use the monorail, then connect to the JR Yamnote Line you could be in the heart of Tokyo in less then 45mins. You could spend hours just walking around the various levels of the Tokyo station, but the Suica card is identical to any transport card meaning no need for cash, just tap and go on entering the turnstile at any station. The monorail runs from about 5am to 11.30pm. Just a thought, and then you would have the Suica card for your return transit, if time permitted. They last for 10 years, so if even you only have small balance you could keep it as a souvenir, or cash it in back at HND for a refund (less a small fee) Hyperdia is a great app to download and gives you trains, times, platforms, anything to do with catching a train and even the price for those without a Suica. Just a thought

Great Tip Maca44. Intend to use the option on my next trip to Japan

 

[Kinnibari]

Just a quick note that Japan has restrictions on what medications can be brought into the country, so if you have any medications you're planning to bring, double check first. Many just need a free permit from the govt to bring in, but a few are completely forbidden. Bringing Medicine to Japan - Accessible Japan | アクセシブルジャパン

 

[ferntree]

Ah, thanks very much for this, Kinnibari. Yes, I do have several meds, will surely check ...

 

[Himeno]

You can't get a Suica at HND as JR East doesn't operate there. You can get Pasmo (the other Tokyo area IC card issued by the private rail companies). Both are interchangeable. There are close to 20 transport payment "IC Cards" issued by different companies in Japan. The majority can be used in place of another. eg, an ICOCA, issued by JR West (Osaka area) can be used in place of a pasmo on the Tokyo subway. It's like using a Canberra MyWay in Melbourne instead of a Myki. IC cards last for 10 years from last use.

Google Maps have a good public transport look up for trains and buses in Japan.

Is the connection overnight, or early morning arrival, evening departure?

What sorts of medications do you have? I've entered Japan a number of times with medication, both over the counter meds sourced in AU, UK and US and prescription meds from AU. Some of them have had ingredients that are "banned" in Japan. Customs has seen the meds (kept in a ziplock bag in my carry on) a number of times. Never had an issue.

If you are overnighting on this long connection, you'll need a hotel booked and will need to write the hotel name on the immigration and customs forms. If you are departing the same day, you write Transit in that place and may need to show the immigration and customs agents that you are departing that day.

When traveling around Japan (even walking around the city), keep your passport with you. You can use the entry stamp to get tax free shopping at stores with the tax free signage (5000 yen before tax min) and police can ask to see it. If you don't have the passport with you and police ask to see it, they can and will detain you. A traveler from Thailand was arrested and later deported a few months ago because she didn't have her passport on her when questioned in Ueno.
Japanese police have been known to stop international visitors for "ID Checks" in order to practice their English skills (I've been stopped once before).

 

[ferntree]

Is the connection overnight, or early morning arrival, evening departure?

What sorts of medications do you have? I've entered Japan a number of times with medication, both over the counter meds sourced in AU, UK and US and prescription meds from AU. Some of them have had ingredients that are "banned" in Japan. Customs has seen the meds (kept in a ziplock bag in my carry on) a number of times. Never had an issue.

If you are overnighting on this long connection, you'll need a hotel booked and will need to write the hotel name on the immigration and customs forms. If you are departing the same day, you write Transit in that place and may need to show the immigration and customs agents that you are departing that day.

This reply is pure gold, thank you so much!

It's an overnight - from about 5:00 pm to about 10:00 am next day. The tip about the immiigration form is especially helpful.

 

[Himeno]

For overnight connections between HND flights, I've normally stayed at the Shinagawa Prince Shinagawa Prince Hotel - Official website Rooms in the East tower are the cheapest (but are also the smallest).
It is across the road from Shingawa Station, which has direct trains to HND on the Keikyu Line.

 

[ferntree]

For overnight connections between HND flights, I've normally stayed at the Shinagawa Prince Shinagawa Prince Hotel - Official website Rooms in the East tower are the cheapest (but are also the smallest).
It is across the road from Shingawa Station, which has direct trains to HND on the Keikyu Line.

Thank you!

 

[offshore171]

You can't get a Suica at HND as JR East doesn't operate there.

You can absolutely buy and/or top up Suica cards at Haneda. The Suica machines are near the Monorail entrance.

Almost opposite the Pasmo machines which are near the Keikyu line entrance.

 

[Noel Mugavin]

You can absolutely buy and/or top up Suica cards at Haneda. The Suica machines are near the Monorail entrance.

Almost opposite the Pasmo machines which are near the Keikyu line entrance.

Yep, where I picked mine up from

 

[zenyattamondatta]

When traveling around Japan (even walking around the city), keep your passport with you. [....] police can ask to see it. If you don't have the passport with you and police ask to see it, they can and will detain you. A traveler from Thailand was arrested and later deported a few months ago because she didn't have her passport on her when questioned in Ueno.
Japanese police have been known to stop international visitors for "ID Checks" in order to practice their English skills (I've been stopped once before).

Having spent around 6,000 days in Japan I'd say this is pretty much a non-issue. If really worried, carry a photocopy.

@ferntree A lot of Himeno's advice is out of date or out of whack, no need to worry about a lot of these technicalities.

 

[offshore171]

A lot of Himeno's advice is out of date or out of whack, no need to worry about a lot of these technicalities.

I think her advice about the Suica cards at Haneda may have been somewhat correct prior to 2015. Around then, JR East came to some sort of alliance with the Monorail company, and they have since been selling a monorail branded Suica card out of regular Suica machines at Haneda. Even pre 2015 I think you could buy them over the counter at the JR ticket office however.

Incidentally, the monorail branded cards are popular with Suica card collectors. Yes, that's a thing, and there's a bunch of special limited edition suica cards out there!

On the passport thing, I normally leave it in the hotel safe, particularly if it's at risk of damage (eg: when skiing), but have a photo of the information page on my phone.