How To Get To Hakuba from Tokyo Narita Airport

Direct Services

Hakubus from Tokyo Narita Airport to Hakuba

One way to get from Tokyo Narita Airport to Hakuba is to catch the Hakubus service.
The bus fare is 9900 yen for an adult fare one way and 7500 yen for children 12 years and younger. Children under 4 years are at no charge with no seat assignment.
The bus trip duration is 5 hours, including two comfort stops along the route at highway service areas.
There is one departure from Tokyo Narita airport each day to Hakuba Happo Bus Terminal and one departure from Hakuba Happo Bus Terminal each day to Tokyo Narita airport.

Depart Tokyo Narita Airport 8:00pm and arrive Hakuba Happo Bus Terminal 1.00am. We understand that in 2010-2011 Hakubus will offer a service dropping you off at the front of Hakuba Luna Hotel.

Depart Hakuba Happo Bus Terminal 11.00am and arrive Tokyo Narita Airport approximately 5.00pm For reservations, maps and directions to get to the departure point at Narita airport, go to the following website:
http://www.hakubus.com/

Chuo Taxi from Tokyo Narita Airport to Hakuba

Chuo Taxi Chuo Taxi is a taxi service that is based in the Nagano Prefecture and offers a door to door service from Tokyo Narita Airport to Hakuba. The taxi vehicles are passenger vans with seating capacity for up to 10 guests. You will need to advise your flight details in advance to Chuo Taxi and then you will be met at the airport arrivals gate by a Chuo Taxi representative holding a Chuo Taxi sign with your name on it. The fares for the journey from Narita to Hakuba one way are approximately 12000 yen per adult, 8400 yen for children and 3600 yen for infants. There will be 1 comfort stop along the route at a highway service area.

For more information about Chuo Taxi and reservations, go to the following website:
http://www.chuotaxi.co.jp/index.php?id=8

Tokyo Narita Airport to Hakuba via Tokyo City
Narita Express Train to Tokyo Station, Shinkansen Bullet Train to Nagano and then Bus Service to Hakuba

This route is popular with guests who are keen to try the famous bullet train in Japan. You can catch the Narita Express Train from Tokyo Narita Airport to Tokyo Station (1 hour and cost of 3300 yen) and then connect to a Shinkansen Bullet Train service to Nagano Station (approx 1 and a half hours and cost of 7500 yen). At Nagano Station you can then catch the bus to Hakuba Station (just over 1 hour and cost of 1500 yen). The total time for this journey will be around 3 and a half to 4 hours depending on the connections. The total cost for this itinerary should be 12300 yen.

For information about the Narita Express train service to Tokyo Station, go to the following website:
http://www.jreast.co.jp/e/nex/index.html

For information about schedules for the Shinkansen Bullet Train, go to the following website: Nagano Bus Stop
http://www.hyperdia.com/cgi-english/hyperWeb.cgi

Alternative to Narita Express service from Tokyo Narita Airport to Tokyo City

There is an express train service into Tokyo city that takes a little longer than the Narita Express service and requires a change of trains to get to Tokyo station, but its cost is lower than the Narita Express service. This is the Kesei Railways service or Skyliner to Nippori Station, where you would then transfer to the JR Yamanote Line which will take 10 minutes to get to Tokyo station. The JR Yamanote Line is a normal commuter train so it is not advisable to take large amounts of luggage on this service. However, the cost of this alternative may be worth the effort for those who are conscious of their budget.

For more information on the Skyliner service from Tokyo Narita Airport to downtown Tokyo, go to the following website:
http://www.keisei.co.jp/keisei/tetudou/skyliner/us/index.html

Airport Limobus from Tokyo Narita Airport to Shinjuku Station, and then Highway Bus to Hakuba

This route will take longer than travelling by bullet train but will cost significantly less. The airport Limobuses are shuttle buses that leave regularly from Tokyo Narita Airport (every 20 mins or so) and for which you can purchase a ticket in the airport terminal to the destination of Shinjuku Bus Station. This journey should take just over one hour depending on traffic conditions. The cost of the Limobus is 3000 yen per person. Then you can connect to the Keio Highway Bus service to Hakuba which will cost 4700 yen and take 4 and a half hours – details of this service are below. The total travel time for the journey including the Limobus and the Highway Bus should be just over 5 and a half hours depending on connections. The total cost for this itinerary should be 7700 yen.

For information on the Airport Limobus from Tokyo Narita Airport, go the following website:
http://www.limousinebus.co.jp/en/

How To Get To Hakuba from Tokyo City

The Keio Highway Bus from Shinjuku Tokyo to Hakuba This is considered to be the easiest way to do the trip from central Tokyo to Hakuba as it does not involve any transfers in Nagano, so less carting of luggage around with you. It is also one of the cheapest ways to make the trip. The cost of the bus ticket from Shinjuku Tokyo to Hakuba is 4700 yen per person one way (rates for 2010-11 season). The scheduled trip duration is 4 and a half hours. The directions to the Shinjuku Bus Terminal are signposted and it is recommended that you go to the west exit of Shinjuku rail station and then follow the signs.

The 2010-11 ski season timetable had 2 morning departures and 2 afternoon departures from Shinjuku:

Depart Shinjuku 8.00am and arrive Hakuba Happo Bus Station 12.30pm
Depart Shinjuku 9.00am and arrive Hakuba Happo Bus Station 1.30pm
Depart Shinjuku 3.30pm and arrive Hakuba Happo Bus Station 8.00pm
Depart Shinjuku 6.00pm and arrive Hakuba Happo Bus Station 10.30pm

Returning from Hakuba Happo to Shinjuku Tokyo, the 2009 ski season timetable also had 2 morning departures and 2 afternoon departures:

Depart Hakuba Happo Bus Station 7.00am and arrive Shinjuku 11.30pm
Depart Hakuba Happo Bus Station 9.00am and arrive Shinjuku 1.30pm
Depart Hakuba Happo Bus Station 3.30pm and arrive Shinjuku 8.00pm
Depart Hakuba Happo Bus Station 4.30pm and arrive Shinjuku 9.00pm

For information on bus schedules for the Keio Highway Bus to Hakuba (in Japanese – you will need to use a translation website such as Babelfish), you should go to the following website:
http://www.alpico.co.jp/access/express/hakuba_shinjuku/index.html

Japan-guide.com also provides good information on Japanese bus services. This information can be found at http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2366.html

Below are some telephone numbers for the reservation centres for the Highway bus or you can make the reservations through a travel agency.
M.R.C Hakuba Reservation Centre: +81 (0)261 72 8255 (6.30am – 8pm)
Keio Telephone Reservation Centre: +81 (0)3 5376 2222 (9am – 6pm)