This Airport Guide introduces the airside departures zone – covering the restricted area after security and immigration – at Terminal 3 (T3) of Narita International Airport (NRT). This dedicated budget terminal houses some, but not all, of the low-cost carriers that serve NRT.
NOTE: This article offers general guidance and is not intended to be a definitive resource. The facilities and procedures discussed here are subject to change without prior notice.
This post features the airside area at Terminal 3 (T3) of Narita International Airport (IATA code: NRT) – one of the two major airports serving the city of Tōkyō, Japan. For our purposes, “airside” includes border control and outbound security as well as the restricted, passengers-only area beyond them (up to the boarding gates).
Click here to learn more about the landside area of T3, which includes the check-in hall and other publicly accessible areas before outbound security.
CONTENTS
SECURITY
From the check-in hall, head past the food court and keep going until you reach the following black-and-white sign. Turn right towards the black side to enter the international departures zone.
The first step involves scanning your boarding pass at a set of turnstiles. After being admitted, you will undergo a standard airport screening with the usual gauntlet of bag and body scanners.
IMMIGRATION
Having successfully hurdled the security gauntlet, you’ll then head upstairs for outbound border control.
Unless special circumstances warrant the use of a manned counter, most departing short-term visitors will undergo a fully automatic exit process. This involves scanning your passport at a special set of turnstiles, which will open to the departures area if everything is in order. Exit stamps are no longer routinely given at outbound immigration.
A summary of the departure process for NRT T3 can be found here.
RETAIL AND DINING
Shops
NRT T3 may be smaller than either T1 or T2, but it has several specialised duty free shops with a wide range of goods on offer. Unless you’re searching for ultra-high-end luxury merchandise, you’ll likely find the product selection essentially similar to that of the larger terminals.
Food and beverages
As of this writing, there’s only one dedicated shop for meals and drinks once you’ve passed border control – namely the café in the picture below.
There are beverage vending machines close to the boarding gates.
If you’d like more substantial menu options, sit down for a proper meal in T3’s food court before proceeding through security and immigration.
BOARDING GATES
There are two types of gates at T3. Those of the first kind (Gates 151-155) are located next to boarding piers similar to those you’d see in conventional airport terminals – except that there are no aerobridges connected to them.
Instead, passengers walk down a set of stairs to the tarmac and cross over to their waiting aircraft inside an accordion-like tube. They’ll then climb aboard using mobile stairs.
Boarding gates of the second kind (Gates 150A-E, 160A-D) are bus gates, so named because passengers are transported from the terminal to their aeroplane in shuttle vehicles. As an example for this guide, we’ll take a look at Gates 160A-D.
From the general departures concourse at 3F, take a lift or stairs down to the bus gate waiting area on 2F.
The waiting area is fitted with rows of seats and other basic airport amenities (including washrooms).
Each gate sits within a metal cage that houses a stairwell leading down to tarmac level. Access is guarded by a service desk where passengers’ boarding passes are checked.
When boarding time arrives, passengers make their way down the stairs and board a bus waiting on the apron just outside.
The bus takes them to the remote parking stand where their aircraft is berthed. Passengers then board the aircraft using mobile stairs.
And that’s it. Easy as pie.
All we need to do now is settle down, buckle up, and relax whilst waiting for departure.
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