NISEKO TRANSPORT

Niseko Transport - How to get to Niseko, airport connections and best internal airports.

Niseko Getting There

Simplest Route from Overseas
If you are planning to only go to Niseko and its surrounds on your trip, then the simplest route is via Chubu Centrair International Airport (Nagoya) then take an internal (domestic) flight to New Chitose Airport, the main airport feeding Sapporo. It is the simplest and possibly the cheapest option as you fly into and out of the one airport. Chubu Centrair International Airport is an integrated airport, that is it handles domestic and international flights out of the same airport. Australian's can fly using the low cost carrier, Jetstar, into Chubu Centrair International Airport (Nagoya).

Via Tokyo
A common, but much more complicated route is to fly into Narita International Airport (Tokyo) and then transfer to the domestic airport, Tokyo Haneda Airport. This is not a simple transfer as the airports are some 80Km apart. While there are buses which go between the two airports, these take around 90 minutes and can get caught in traffic jams. There is the alternative of the train, but this requires changing trains and is definitely NOT recommended if you would be doing this during either of the peak times.

Transfers from New Chitose Airport
Niseko is located near Kutchan-cho town west of  New Chitose Airport is two and a half hours away by bus. There are several bus services that provide the transfer to Niseko including the Skybus, which takes you to your hotel.

In theory you can catch a train from New Chitose Airport to Niseko, however it is not a direct route and it will require you to make minimum of one transfer going via Sapporo. More information on the Hokkaido train system can be found on the Hokkaido Railway Company web site.

Niseko to Sapporo

While in Niseko you will want to get out and explore more of Japan. Sapporo is the closest major city to Niseko. You can catch the train there from Niseko Station. You can find the timetable here.

Niseko Grand-Hirafu Alpen course. Photo by Oga.

(Map from Wikipedia article and used under the GNU Free Documentation License)