Tokyo Monorail: The Elevated Ride Between Haneda and Hamamatsucho

A practical guide to Tokyo's airport monorail: its 11 stations, local, rapid and express services, the transfer at Hamamatsucho and the logic of straddle-type rail.

Published October 20, 2026 at 10:23 AM JST | By Tokyo Paul

Quick answer: The Tokyo Monorail is a 17.8 km elevated line with 11 stations linking Hamamatsucho, near central Tokyo, with Haneda Airport's three terminal stations. Express trains reach the airport in roughly 13 to 18 minutes, rapid and local trains take about 21 to 24 minutes, and Hamamatsucho connects to JR lines.

The line at a glance

The Tokyo Monorail Haneda Airport Line runs from Hamamatsucho Station in the north to Haneda Airport Terminal 2 in the south, over a distance of 17.8 km. It has 11 stations and runs mostly on elevated track along the western edge of Tokyo Bay. The route passes through Minato, Shinagawa and Ota wards.

Trains are formed of six cars, and a train arrives every few minutes during the day. The operator, Tokyo Monorail Co., Ltd., is majority-owned by a major railway group. The line is used by commuters in the bayside districts as well as by airport passengers, which explains why trains run frequently even outside travel peaks.

Reported figures show roughly 108,000 passengers per day in the Japanese fiscal year 2023. The trains have an average speed of about 45 km/h and a top speed of about 80 km/h, which suits a line with many stops and short gaps between stations.

Stations from north to south

The stations are Hamamatsucho, Tennozu Isle, Oi Keibajo Mae, Ryutsu Center, Showajima, Seibijo, Tenkubashi, Haneda Airport Terminal 3, Shin Seibijo, Haneda Airport Terminal 1 and Haneda Airport Terminal 2. Several of them, such as Tennozu Isle, have a link to another line, in that case the Rinkai Line, and several of the airport-side stations connect with the Keikyu Airport Line, the other railway serving Haneda.

The three airport stations run in this order from the north: Terminal 3, Terminal 1 and Terminal 2. Terminal 3 handles international flights, while the others serve domestic flights. The correct station depends on your airline, and the operator publishes a list of boarding stations by airline, so check your ticket before heading out.

Local, rapid and express trains

Three kinds of service operate. Local trains stop at every station and take about 24 minutes from end to end. Rapid trains, of which only a small number run each day, skip four stations in the middle, Showajima, Seibijo, Tenkubashi and Shin Seibijo, and take about 21 minutes. Haneda Express trains run non-stop from Hamamatsucho, reaching Terminal 3 in around 13 minutes, Terminal 1 in about 16 and Terminal 2 in about 18.

The operator's access page lists a time of about 13 minutes from Haneda Airport to Hamamatsucho and says trains run on average every five minutes. Exact times vary by train and day, so the timetable search on the official site is the dependable reference.

Changing at Hamamatsucho

Hamamatsucho is the city end of the line. An overpass leads from the monorail platforms to the JR Keihin-Tohoku and Yamanote lines, which open the way to Shimbashi, Tokyo Station, Akihabara, Ueno and Shinagawa. The Toei Asakusa and Oedo subway lines are reachable by a short walk to nearby Daimon Station.

Because the stations are close together and signposted, the change takes a few minutes for most travelers. Signs and routes inside a busy interchange can change over time, so follow the current signage. Staff can direct travelers to the right platform, and IC cards work on the monorail as on other Tokyo railways.

Why a straddle-type monorail

This line is a straddle-type monorail of the Alweg design: the train sits on top of one narrow concrete beam and wraps around it, with rubber tires running on the top and sides. A single beam takes up little ground space, and the system can handle fairly tight curves, which is useful when a route has to follow canals, roads and the shoreline.

The line opened on 17 September 1964, about three weeks before the Tokyo Olympics began, as a route of about 13 km running directly between Hamamatsucho and the original airport terminal, with no stations in between. It was extended to Terminal 2 in 2004, and a station at what is now Terminal 3 was added in 2010. That long history makes it one of the older monorail lines still in daily use.

The line opened ahead of the 1964 Games and has remained a popular route to the airport ever since. The fleet includes more than one train series, as older cars have been joined by newer designs over the decades. For visitors, the practical point is simply that the ride is frequent, short and easy to understand.

Seats, views and luggage

Because the track is elevated, the windows look out over rooftops, canals, harbor areas and the bay rather than into a tunnel wall. Seats by the windows and the front or rear of a car, where available, give a wider view. What is visible depends on the side of the train, the weather and the time of day, so it is best to treat the ride as a chance to look around.

Many passengers carry suitcases, so it helps to board at the doors, move toward the middle of the car, and keep bags out of the aisle. Priority seats are for passengers who need them. Staff at the airport stations can help with ticket and IC card questions, and fares are listed on the official site.

Fares, passes and practical tips

Fares depend on the distance and are shown on the operator's fare table, and reduced-fare tickets exist for children and certain passengers. Day passes and combination tickets are sometimes offered, but the available options change, so confirm them on the official page. This guide shares general information; rules change, so confirm details with the official agency or provider before you act.

For flights, a good habit is to plan to arrive at the airport station with extra time, since walking from the station to check-in can take several minutes. For a late-night arrival, check the last train times, because services do not run all night. The operator's timetable search tool shows the first and last trains for each station. When flights are early or late, comparing the monorail with other airport links in advance makes planning easier, since each option has its own timetable and its own stations.

Travelers heading beyond the city center can combine the monorail with JR lines at Hamamatsucho, using an IC card, which the monorail accepts, for both parts of the trip. Checking the fare and the route on the operator's page before leaving helps avoid surprises on arrival.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does the Tokyo Monorail take from Haneda to Hamamatsucho?

It depends on the service. According to the operator, the trip from Haneda Airport to Hamamatsucho takes about 13 minutes by the fastest train, while rapid and local trains take longer, roughly 21 to 24 minutes for the full line. Check the timetable search for exact times.

Which monorail station is for my flight?

It depends on the airline and whether the flight is domestic or international. Terminal 3 serves international flights; Terminals 1 and 2 serve domestic flights. The operator publishes a guide to boarding stations by airline, so look up your carrier before traveling.

Where do I change to the JR lines?

At Hamamatsucho Station, the northern end of the line. From there, signs lead to the JR Keihin-Tohoku and Yamanote lines. The Toei subway is available from nearby Daimon Station. Allow a few minutes for the walk and the change, and follow the English signs.

Want to go deeper? Tokyo Paul's book Tokyo, Made Simple is available on Amazon.

Keep Exploring

More guides from Tokyo Paul: Enoden: The Little Seaside Railway of Kamakura and Enoshima, Women-Only Train Cars in Japan: Where, When and Who Can Ride and Haneda Airport to Central Tokyo: Every Easy Route.

Going through Haneda? For the full insider version, with terminal-by-terminal food, rest spots and things to do before you leave the airport, read my book, A Tokyo Airport Mania's Guide to Haneda.