It took me this long to have this post written out because I have to really figure out where I went wrong. This incident has slipped my mind, but however I think it will be good for me to share with you guys the very expensive experience ( aka another SGD$600+ just for the 1 way flight back to Singapore) of missing out my flight back from Tokyo, Japan to Singapore.

( If there's any mistake or things you wish to share with me that's not highlighted here in this post, please email me and let me know! Appreciate it. )

Anyways~~ 

So it was last year Spring 2014 and the return plan was simply for me to catch the Narita Access Express back from central Tokyo to Narita Airport. However due to some mistakes on my part, things didn't plan out my way. Not to mention I know Zero Japanese.

I changed from Kurame to Aoto (subway stations). At Aoto I had wanted to catch the Narita Access Express (NAE) -Orange linebut alas~ NAE only comes by in the evening! 

So, I was at Aoto station:

 1. thinking that Narita Sky Access Express ( Orange line) would come.

2.Not knowing that NAE does not function in the morning.

{{ Upon really analysing ( for weeks after my trip), I found out that:

- NAE only starts in the evening from Ueno to Narita Airport's direction. Note the Nartia Access Express timing  ( Under the orange tab, first time slot 1739 ( if you disregard the first departure time way early at 0518) and thereafter. 

- NAE only picks up at Nippori and Ueno Station! ( no other stops) and thereafter straight to Narita Airport.}}

So in the end THANKFULLY, unknowingly to me, there is one line other line that heads to Narita at Aoto station and that's the KEISEI MAIN LINE ( Red Line  )

Pls recognise the japanese characters, because whatever it is there's this 特急 characters in both lines though the English names are named differently.

So In my dazed state, I boarded the Red Line which very confusingly on the English version of the page is known as KEISEI MAIN LINE and is also known as LEX= LIMITED EXPRESS. Why 2 different names??? I had such a hard time figuring out what matches what exactly. They should just stick to 1 name seriously.

So if you see the timetable page, you should look out for all timing under LEX colored in red. http://www.keisei.co.jp/keisei/tetudou/skyliner/us/timetable/index.html#narita2_kml

This Line has more frequencies and functions from morning till evening but also stops more often. 

Another weird point. The English page only puts out departure time from Nippori and Ueno Station which is all fine for the orange or blue line. But what other the red line aka LEX? I had no idea what time it will reach other stations along the red line eg: Aoto, Yawata etc. But I believe the Japanese site has the timing at these stations, just that I can't read Japanese.  ( http://www.keisei.co.jp/keisei/tetudou/skyliner/jp/timetable/index.html) 

Recap:

2. Narita Access Express ( orange line) ( board from Ueno, Nippori, Aoto, Higashi-Matsudo, Shin-Kamagaya)
3. Limited Express ( red line) ( board from Ueno, Nippori, Aoto, Yawata, Funbashi etc.)

You see, here come's another confusion. It was not stated on the web, the direction flow for the lines.

http://www.keisei.co.jp/keisei/tetudou/skyliner/us/fares/index.html

For e.g.:Sky Acess Express (see below)

You see the split at Aoto below? It's only the direction from airport that splits into 2 destinations (Ueno/ Hanada)

If you are heading back to the Narita Airport, there's only train in 1 direction and that's from Ueno. There's no train from Haneda Airport's direction  towards Narita Airport.  (O.M.G)

CONFUSING? Yes + it's not clearly indicated in the web and the only way you can understand is though the timetable interpretation and the destination stated. (http://www.keisei.co.jp/keisei/tetudou/skyliner/us/timetable/index.html#narita2)

This same rule applies for Limited Express (red line) too.

4. I was too complacent and thought my journey would be fast. In fact I had woke up at 6 plus but thought I had ample time and went around exploring places round my hostel instead of leaving to catch the Sky Access Express. I should have known better.

My flight was scheduled 1210 and I reached Narita at 1110. Yes the check-in has closed, unfortunately and despite me pleading I wasn't allowed in anymore.

◘◘◘◘

Stranded Officially 

In the end I was stranded in Narita Airport for 1 day before I could take the next flight out. Reasons being Scoot Airline  only has 1 flight out of Narita per day ( DAH).For any other airlines, buying the airline tickets was even messier, more expensive and involved transfers even on the fastest flight out and for which I was need to use my smartphone to book and rekeyed-in all my information.( no computers with internet kiosks available around Narita's departure area).  No way, better to book back with Scoot since all my details are in the database already.  By then I was totally clueless and stoned. Anyway....

How To Rebook Your Flight

So then in my frantic mode (I had not missed a flight before), I had to book my tickets. How?

The fastest way was to book via phone and call your airline. By that, I mean public phone. Not going to use my handphone and chalked up another heap of bill.

The 100Yen-Swallowing Phone

This was the phone booth which ate up 100 Yen faster than you can chew your sweets. Of course first of all you had to have a dozen of those 100 Yen coins with you. For which, NOTE: the information counters and whatnot will not let you exchange them for with your notes ( no matter how desperate you looked or how much you plead. READ: Information Counter. Yes even the counter that's supposed to render help and services. What kind of SOS counter is that? ). 

What then?

What you have to do is to head to all those vending machines and get yourself some stuff to so that you can get 100 Yen coins. Awesome.

So, after you got hold of the helpline from the airline, conversing across the phoneline wasn't easy either. The agony and anxiety of  waiting and the swallowing up of 100 yen every split minute aside, there was all the talking, verifications and the operator's checking if the next day's flight has empty seats etc.? That was enough to set your heart pumping. Imagine if the next day's only Scoot flight out to Singapore is full? Then, you have to be put on hold till the following day? (Sleeping in the airport for 1 night is bad enough. More about that later). Anyway, after a long hoot, the flight was finally booked and I had to pay  additional SGD $579.42 with 15 Kg check-in. 

Expensive but what to do?

Service In Narita Airport

Staff here in the Narita Airport are nonchalant and rather unsympathetic about you missing your flights. Aren't Japanese supposed to be top notch in customer services? Or perhaps they have seen so many millions of such cases every day, it's nothing to them. 

So what do you need most when you are stranded? 

Powerpoints to charge up your phone! In the end I was staring at the the departure board at the departure area. After roaming the first level, from one end to the other, I could not even spot a single power point. By the assistance of my fellow instagrammer, I went to the 2nd level viewing gallery and found some. -_-||

Sleeping Overnight At Nartia

Come night time, this was how it was (below ). There's a holding area where stranded tourists like me can sleep- for free. To my surprise and comfort, there were many people spread across the lounge. DO you know they lock the airport's main entrances past midnight? Apparently Narita Airport is not opened 24/7. Around 1 to 2am, the airport doors are locked and no one can leave or enter. The airport cease all services by that time. 

I don't remember Changi Airport ever closing its doors after midnight, right? Yes, Changi Airport opens for 24/7. So imagine my surprise when I saw Narita airport closing and operations stopping. Isn't Narita one of the busiest airport in the world? 

Strangely no inbound or outbound flights from Narita after 1am or so.
No staff, no operations. The airport becomes a building of silence and still air lingers.

All travellers ( stranded ones) are gathered to this part of the airport where you can rest and sleep.

The escalators stopped chuckling eventually and the lights went off. 

Amazing.

At 0239, snores prevailed. 

So morning came at 6am+ and Narita Airport awakened again.
The airport came alive, lights went on and operations started once again.

I wished you would never be in my shoes ever in missing a flight. Especially in Tokyo whereby the train system is madness complicating.

My next plan: take direct airport transfer limousine bus services instead. At least you won't get lost transferring lines. That has got to be the most direct idiot proof way right? Now, I just have to find the right bustop to board on.

It was one heck of an experience but not something I would not wanna encounter again. So be safe and travel well people!

Share with me your comments and experiences! Email me !