Chubu Centrair International Airport

In the Skytown mall above the departures area Chubu Centrair International Airport [1] (中部国際空港 Chūbu Kokusai Kūkō) is located on an artificial island 30 minutes south from Nagoya. Understand Japan's third major international gateway after Narita and Kansai, Centrair prides itself on offering seamless interchange between international and domestic flights, making this a good option if you are heading elsewhere in Japan. Centrair opened in 2005, and this airport replaces the existing Nagoya airport, also taking over its IATA code NGO. Get in Meitetsu Limited Express and μSKY trains operate to and from Chubu Centrair. Travel times and fares by train Otagawa (Tokai) 19 min ¥570 Kanayama 25 min ¥790 Nagoya 28 min ¥850 Konomiya (Inazawa) 41 min ¥1,040 Ichinomiya 45 min ¥1,100 Gifu 55 min ¥1,310 Iwakura 41 min ¥1,040 Inuyama 55 min ¥1,310 Chiryu 56 min ¥1,040 Higashi-Okazaki 65 min ¥1,210 Shin-Kani 77 min ¥1,460 Toyohashi 86 min ¥1,590 For most visitors the train is the fastest, cheapest and most convenient method of access. All transportation means are available from the Access Plaza next to the main terminal. You can take your luggage cart all the way from the arrival or departure lobby to the train and bus platforms. By train The Meitetsu Airport Line (名鉄空港線) connects the airport via Jingumae and Kanayama to Nagoya station. From here, you can transfer to the Tokaido Shinkansen line, as well as a multitude of other train lines for connections throughout the Chubu region. Some trains continue directly onward to Gifu and Inuyama. Note that trains to Toyohashi (one per hour) run east from the airport and do not pass through Nagoya! μSKY (μ pronounced myuu) rapid limited expresses (快速特急 kaisoku-tokkyu) run twice per hour and do the trip in just 28 minutes, while other services (total 4 per hour) stop more and take longer. The price of all services is the same, except that reserved seats cost an extra ¥350, and μSKY trains have only reserved seats. The only stops between Nagoya and airport are Kanayama and Jingumae. If you are traveling with children, more than one small overhead compartment suitcase, or passengers who need special assistance (wheelchair), it's worth it to pay the small premium for the μSKY rather than the Meitetsu limited express line. On the normal trains, there isn't much room for baggage and the inside of the train compartments tend to become very congested the closer you get to Nagoya, and even more so during the morning and afternoon commutes from work and school. If you are planning to use the Japan Rail Pass, you must note that Meitetsu, as a private railway, is not covered, nor can you exchange your rail pass voucher at the airport. You must wait until you reach Nagoya station to exchange your voucher for the pass. The exchange can be made at the Japan Rail Pass Exchange Corner from 10:00 to 19:00, or at the regular ticket counter at other times. By bus The bus may also be an option, particularly if you have heavy luggage and don't want to deal with train transfers. Platform 1 - to Shizuoka, Gifu and Nagano buses to Chino, Hamamatsu, Minowa, Matsumoto, Nagano, Nakatsugawa, Numazu Platform 2 - to Mie and Fukui buses to Kuwana, Fukui, Nabari, Toba (via ferry), Yokkaichi Platform 3 - to Nagoya Station buses to JR Nagoya Station (Shinkansen side), Nagoya Marriott Hotel Platform 4 - to Sakae district and other in Nagoya buses to Nagoya Tokyu Hotel, Hilton Nagoya, Westin Nagoya Castle, Nagoya Kanko Hotel, Fujigaoka Platform 5 - for eastern Aichi (Mikawa) buses to Akaike, Ishigami, Okazaki, Toyohashi, Toyota, Ueta Platform 6 - for eastern Aichi (Mikawa/Chita) buses to Chita Handa, Chiryu, Kariya, Kowa, Mikawa-Anjo, Nishio By boat Tsu Airport Line ferries connect directly from the airport to Tsu, and at 40 minutes one-way (¥2400) are your fastest option for going towards Ise and Wakayama. Ise-Bay Ferry shuttles between nearby Tokoname Port (transfer by bus) and the pearl town of Toba, further down the coast. By taxi The taxi stand is on the 1st floor of Access Plaza. A taxi to central Nagoya, 40 km away, will cost over ¥12,000. By car Car rental is available on the 1st floor of the Access Plaza, past the bus stops. A toll road links Centrair and the mainland, and the airport has 4000 parking spaces. Parking is free for 30 min but costs ¥300/hour for 5 hours, or ¥1500 per day (¥1000/day after the 5th day). See, Do, Buy If you've got time to kill, head up to the 4th floor Skytown, designed specifically for this purpose. There are plenty of cafes, restaurants, boutiques and even a spa. Note that the Skytown is landside before security/immigration, and the facilities on the airside are rather limited. Hu no Yu (風の湯　Fu no Yu), [2]. 4F Skytown. If naked planespotting sounds like your idea of a good time, check out this Japanese-style spa with views of a strip of the tarmac. Jacuzzi, jet bath, sauna and washing facilities are provided, the only lack is that there's no place to cool off (except a cold shower). Entrance ¥900 plus optional purchase of a towel for ¥250, open 8 AM to 10 PM daily. Eat and Drink Food and drink prices at the airport are very expensive - even by Japanese standards. Expect single meals (such as curry and rice with a side order of thinly sliced cabbage) to cost you at least ¥1300. It's worth it to drop into a convenience store before arrival and pick up a few sandwiches, bento box lunches, drinks, and beer. Sleep The Yumeya "sleep shop" regrettably went out of business in 2008, but there are two full-service hotels on the airport grounds. Centrair Hotel. Tel. 0569-38-1111, [3]. Located directly outside arrivals/departures. Rack rate for singles from ¥9700, including breakfast, but the "Duo Plan" offers a 6-hour/overnight stay for a couple for only ¥6000/10000. Comfort Hotel Centrair International Airport 4-2-3 Centrair, Tokoname, Tel 0569-38-7211, Fax 0569-38-7161, [4]. Connected to the airport by walkway. Free wireless internet and continental breakfast. Book early. One bed ¥8500-10000, Twin Room ¥10000-16000. Cope Cash There is a currency exchange office in the international arrivals area right after Customs (open 6 AM to 10 PM) and a single somewhat picky Citibank ATM that accepts foreign cards (Visa/MC only) in the Access Plaza. Japan Postal Savings ATMs accept foreign cash cards with the PLUS symbol on it and VISA/MC etc. On the touch screen press ( ENGLISH > OTHERS > COOPERATION ). Clinic / Health Care If minor medical attention is needed, a clinic open during airport hours is available on the second floor of the airport. Contact Wi-fi access to the Internet is available on the first three floors of the airport; however, it is not complimentary. Wi-fi access which is offered is contracted by the following Internet providers: Flet's Spot, Hotspot, Mobile Point, and Mzone. Rates can vary from ¥10.5 per minute (Mobile Point) to ¥525 a day (Mzone) or more. There are only a few locations within the airport to plug-in your laptop device to recharge your batteries, the main exception being a few "business corners" and "computer desks" after international security check in. NTT DOCOMO is located on the third floor of the airport (international departures) for those needing to rent a cell phone on a short term basis. There's two service counters: one for customers who made reservations from overseas via the Internet [5](located near the escalator at the DOCOMO World counter), and the other counter (located nearby the luggage delivery service) is for renters applying upon their arrival in Japan. Daily rental rates generally are better if reservations are made in advance ¥525 verses ¥735. This price does not include the cost of calls or text messages, which is approximately ¥100 per minute for calls made domestically. Hours of operation are from 0730 to 2100 hours daily.PIE This is a usable article. It has information for getting in as well as some complete entries for restaurants and hotels. An adventurous person could use this article, but please plunge forward and help it grow!