Perils of the Narita Express

The Narita Express runs from Tokyo Station to Narita Airport in just over an hour. It's cheap, by Japanese standards at least (about $25 each way), runs frequently and lets you avoid the parking lots that the Japanese call "highways".

I'm on the train on my way to catch a plane to Germany. I was supposed to take the 7:15 train, but missed it and ended up on the 7:30, despite the fact that I was at the platform at 7am.

Problem was, I plunked my butt down in the first seat I could find on the platform, took out my laptop and started IMing, checking email and hacking code. At 7:15am, there was still no train in front of me. I figured it must be running late. Then, at 7:17am, I catch, out of the corner of my eye, a red blur: my 7:15am Narita Express!

Turns out, the 7:15am is only a 6 car train and I was sitting where car 9, had this train had one, would have pulled up. Not one of my brighter moments. Luckily, a ticket for the Narita Express is good all day, although seats are reserved, so you may end up standing if there are no open seats.