Beginning in fiscal year 2009, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, and Transport (MLIT) will formally begin investigations into the possibility of constructing a new rail line in central Tokyo linking Narita and Haneda Airports in less than one hour. The goal is to improve connections between Narita, Japan's gateway to the world, and Haneda, the hub of Japan's domestic air network, and develop a synthetic transport network. The construction costs are expected to reach at least ¥300 billion, and many obstacles have yet to be overcome before the plan is realized.

Currently, it takes 1 hour, 46 minutes to travel between the airpots on direct-service trains via the Keisei Electric Railway, the Toei Subway Asakusa Line, and the Keihin Electric Express Railway. It takes 1 hour and 15 minutes by limousine bus, but because the bus can get stuck in traffic, travel time can vary considerably.

The Narita Rapid Railway (to be operated by Keisei), which would serve as a bypass to the Keisei Main Line, is scheduled for completion in 2010, reducing travel time between Narita (Airport Terminal 2) and central Tokyo (Nippori) by 15 minutes to 36 minutes. With the opening of the new line, the MLIT hopes to construct a bypass route to the Toei Subway Asakusa Line, which runs north-south through central Tokyo, between Oshiage and Sengakuji, connecting both airports in less than one hour. The MLIT will also evaluate the possibility of locating a station nearby Tokyo Station.

http://www.asahi.com/national/update/0906/TKY200809060225.html