Rapid Train on Yokosuka-Sobu line running between Tokyo, Yokohama, Narita Airport, Chiba and Kamakura

Ivory and blue are Yokosuka-Sobu train's color.Narita (NRT)
Ivory and blue are Yokosuka-Sobu train's color.
Ivory and blue are Yokosuka-Sobu train's color.
Ivory and blue are Yokosuka-Sobu train’s color.

Sobu-Yokosuka line (=横須賀総武線) means the operation route of one of the Rapid train network in Greater Tokyo. This train is operated on Sobu line, Tokaido line and Yokosuka line. Most of trains are operated between Chiba (=千葉) and Kurihama (=久里浜)/Yokosuka (=横須賀) via Tokyo (=東京) and Yokohama (=横浜). Some trains are extended to operate to Narita airport (=成田空港) and other stations in Chiba Pref. This train is a sort of commute train. But all trains have two double decker Green cars in the formation. Especially Rapid train to Narita airport may be replacement of Narita Express if you want to save the fare. These trains are fully covered by Japan Rail Pass. Of course if you use Japan Rail Pass Green, you can take Green cars with no extra cost.

Accommodation

Please refer the post of Rapid service network in Greater Tokyo. You can see some images of Green car and intrerior.

Route, schedule and trip time


View Sobu-Yokosuka line in a larger map

Route

This train is operated every 10 to 15 minutes between Chiba and Kurihama. And some trains are extended to operate to these following stations.

Narita airport — One or more trains every hour. 19 round trips a day.
Kimitsu (=君津) on Uchibo line — Mostly one train every hour. 15 round trips a day.
Kazusa-Ichinomiya (=上総一ノ宮) on Sotobo line — One train every hour to two hours. 9 round trips.
Naruto (=成東) on Sobu line — One round trip a day.

The train to Narita airport is called “Rapid Airport Narita” (=快速エアポート成田).

Stations

The trains stop at these following stations on basic route:

Chiba-Inage-Tsudanuma-Funabashi-Ichikawa-Shinkoiwa-Kinshicho-Bakurocho-Shinnihonbashi-Tokyo-Shinbashi-Shinagawa-Nishioi-Musashikosugi-Shinkawasaki-Yokohama-Hodogaya-Higashitotsuka-Totsuka-Ofuna-Kitakamakura-Kamakura-Zushi-Higashizushi-Taura-Yokosuka-Kinugasa-Kurihama

The trains to Narita airport stop at these following stations between Chiba and Narita airport:

Chiba-Tusga-Yokkaido-Monoi-Sakura-Shisui-Narita-Kukodainibiru (=Narita airport terminal 2)-Narita airport (=Narita airport terminal 1)

The trains to Kazusa-Ichinomiya stop at these following stations between Chiba and Kazusa-Ichinomiya:

Chiba-Honchiba-Soga-Kamatori-Honda-Toke-Oami-Mobara-KazusaIchinomiya

The trains to Kimitsu stop at these following stations between Chiba and Kimitsu:

Chiba-Honchiba-Soga-Hamano-Yawatajuku-Goi-Anegasaki-Nagaura-Sodegaura–Kisarazu-Kimitsu

The trains to Narito stop at same stations between Chiba and Narita as train to Narita airport, then stop at all stations after Narita.

Travel time

The travel time among the major stations are as follows:

Narita airport (Terminal 1)-(3min)-Kukodainibiru (Terminal 2)-(8min)-Narita-(13min)-Sakura-(17min)-Chiba
Kimitsu-(7min)-Kisarazu-(34min)-Soga-(6min)-Chiba
KazusaIchinomiya-(16min)-Oami-(19min)-Soga-(6min)-Chiba

Chiba-(14min)-Funabashi-(20min)-Kinshicho-(8min)-Tokyo-(3min)-Shinbashi-(5min)-Shinagawa-(23min)-Yokohama-(22min)-Ofuna-(8min)-Kamakura-(5min)-Zushi-(10min)-Yokosuka-(11min)-Kurihama

If you go to Yokohama, the Tokaido Shinkansen is not a good choice. It takes 19 minutes to Shin-Yokohama from Tokyo. It seems to be the fastest choice. But Shin-Yokohama is a few stations away from Yokohama. You have to take a local train to get Yokohama. You spend at least 20 minutes to transfer the trains at Shin-Yokohama and the travel time by the local train to Yokohama. This Rapid train is faster than the Shinkansen. This train takes you to Yokohama directly from Tokyo in 25 minutes. This is the fastest to get Yokohama.

If you go to Kamakura, This Yokosuka-Sobu Rapid train is most convenient. You can get Kamakura directly from Tokyo and Shinagawa.

At last, I would like to tell you one more thing. Tokyo station is a huge terminal station. Most of trains that include Shinkansen, Tokaido line, Chuo line (to Shinjuku), Yamanote line (circle line in downtown Tokyo) depart from the ground level platform. But Tokyo station has some more platforms underground too. Yokosuka-Sobu line and Narita Express depart from this underground level. Please expect at least 15 minutes to transfer the train when you use the train from underground level.

Comments

  1. Connie G says:

    Dear Takeshi san,

    I am staying near Ryogoku JR station. My plan is to take Rapid Train Sobu-Yokosuka line 横須賀総武線 to Kinshicho JR station and transfer to Ryogoku JR station after my flight arrive 4pm on a weekday. My questions are :

    1) Do the ticket covers the whole trip from Narita T1 to Ryogoku or do I have to get out of Kinshicho gate and re-enter after purchasing another ticket to Ryogoku?
    2) I would like to know the price / type of tickets and how long is the train trip , can you provide a link about the ticket info for Rapid Train Sobu-Yokosuka line 横須賀総武線 ?
    3) Do you think this can be used for Rapid Train Sobu-Yokosuka line 横須賀総武線?
    http://www.jreast.co.jp/e/pdf/tokunaipass_e.pdf

    Thank you.

  2. Daniel says:

    Hey Takeshi!

    I’m not sure if this is the right place to post this, but I have a question about transferring from Haneda to Narita airport.

    I have a trip planned for August 13th in which I arrive at Haneda (Domestic) at 13:40 and leave from Narita(International) at 17:30.

    Do you think this is enough time for a comfortable transfer between the airport and, if so, which is the best route to take to get to Narita International Terminal 1 from Haneda Domestic Terminal 1?

    Thank you!

  3. Jennifer says:

    Hello Takeshi –

    We will be staying in the Minato area (Hamamatsucho), can you advise me on how to get myself, my family and our luggage to our hotel from Narita?

    Thank you so much,

  4. Francis Yau says:

    Dear Takeshi san,
    I will arrive Narita Terminal 2 in the afternoon, around 2.30pm, and will stay around Kinshicho station. Please advise which train I could take and if any transfer required. Could I use JRPass ?
    Thanks,
    Francis.

  5. CLAIRE KONG says:

    Dear Takeshi,
    My flight back from narita airport is on 24th of dec morning, will stay in Nikko narita on 23th first for convience transfer in the morning. kindly advise how to transfer from akihabara station to Narita terminal 2 using JR PASS on 23th dec. will there be additional charge?

    Best regards,
    Claire

  6. Narongrith says:

    Dear Takeshi,

    If I would like to go to Kamakura, will the new JR East-South Hokkaido cover JR Yokosuka line?

    Best regards,

    Ritz

  7. Dario says:

    Dear Takeshi,

    I am scheduled to arrive in Narita Intl Airport on Sunday 15 November at 17:20. From there, I need to travel to Yokosuka. I would appreciate your advice on the most convenient way(s) to get there.

    Best regards,
    Dario (from Buenos Aires, Argentina)

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