From Narita airport
Limousine bus: The airport limousine bus is the easiest and fastest (about 60 min). Unfortunately, since the pandemic, the number of services has been reduced and not completely recovered. There are six services per day from Narita airport to Tsukuba Center. If the waiting time at the airport is less than one hour (unless you are familiar with trains in Japan), we recommend you to take this service.
At the arrival level, you can easily find a bus ticket desk. Get a ticket (2,400 JPY) to Tsukuba and go to the bus stop. They are bound for Tsuchiura and you need to get off at "Tsukuba Center" (Do not stay until the end). Here is the time table, provided by PWRI in Tsukuba. This is the official one provided by the company, but in Japanese only.
Trains: By trains, you need to change twice. The fastest way is shown below (in the left), and it takes about 90 minutes in total. You need to buy a ticket at a vending machine every time you change the train. The machine accepts only cash (Sorry!), and it costs about 2,000 JPY in total. If you have a travel IC card, you can use it all the way. In Narita airport, you may buy the travel IC card for visitors, "Welcome Suica". If you plan to use public transportations in Japan, we strongly recommend you to buy this card. Currently, you can buy it only at the airport.
Another way is to go to Tokyo station either by train or by bus, then connect to a highway bus to Tsukuba Center. The JR Narita Express to Tokyo is operated approximately every 30 minutes, the airport bus to Tokyo every 10 minutes, and the bus from Tokyo to Tsukuba Center every 20-30 minutes.
From Haneda airport
Trains: The fastest access to Tsukuba is by trains and it takes about 90-100 minutes to Tsukuba. In the weekdays (morning/evening), some trains, especially those in the Yamanote Line, may be very crowded. If you want to avoid them, a possible choice will be taking a taxi to Akihabara station, then, take the TX Line to Tsukuba. However, many of you will arrive in the weekend. Trains in the weekend should not be so bad. You need to buy a ticket at a vending machine every time you change the train. The machine accepts only cash and it costs about 2,000 JPY in total. If you have a travel IC card, you can use it all the way. In Haneda airport T3, there is a vending machine to sell the travel IC card for visitors, "Welcome Suica". If you plan to use public transportations in Japan, we strongly recommend you to buy this card. Currently, you can buy it only at the airport.
The following chart is provided by the TX line.
Limousine bus: There are direct limousine buses to Tsukuba, but only two services per day: The one in the morning, departing Haneda airport at 9:20/9:30/9:35 (T3/T2/T1), and the another in the evening at 17:05/17:15/17:20 (T3/T2/T1). It takes about 2 hours.
There are limousine services to Tokyo station, departing Haneda airport T3 at 8:00, 9:30, 10:55, 12:55, 14:15, 16:00. The time table may change. So, check at the bus ticket counter. From Tokyo station, you may take a highway bus to Tsukuba Center (See below).
From Tokyo
Train: From Akihabara station, the Tsukuba Express Line directly takes you to Tsukuba in 45 minutes (Rapid train). Akihabara is conveniently connected to many of major stations in Tokyo, such as Tokyo St., Ueno St., and Shinjuku St. by JR Lines and Metro Lines.
Highway bus: There are also highway buses to Tsukuba Center (bound for University of Tsukuba), approximately every 30 minutes from Tokyo station (Yaesu Bus Terminal), which takes about 70-100 minutes, depending on the traffic condition.
Tsukuba City
You can visit many places in Tsukuba by walking and/or by taking bus. In addition, Tsukuba City operates a bicycle rental business, and bicycles are rented out at the Tourist Information Center on the 1st floor of BiVi Tsukuba in front of Tsukuba Station. Anyone can use it with their ID (passport).
You can bike to many research institutes where you can visit museums of free admission. You can also enjoy cycling in surrounding countryside of Tsukuba city. Check the following sites.
- Japan National Tourism Organization
- Match-jp.com
- Ringring-road.com (Check this, if you want to rent a road bicycle)
