Nagano to Hakuba
Choose from one of three ways to get to Hakuba from Nagano. If you know your arrival time at Nagano Station, we recommend the chartered taxi for larger groups, as it will save you around 30 mins and take you to your accommodation directly. For smaller groups, the bus from Nagano to Hakuba is best.
Nagano to Hakuba Bus
The majority of travellers get the bus from Nagano Station to Hakuba. Estimated time and cost: 1 hour, ¥2200 for adults, ¥1100 for children aged 6 to 11, with children five and younger free if they do not use a seat.
- Once you exit the bullet train gates, turn to your right to find the JR Ticket Office. Inside the office, you will find a vending machine selling bus tickets to Hakuba. Have cash prepared as the vending machine only accepts cash.
- From the east exit of Nagano Station, take the elevator on the left down to the ground floor and walk to bus stop #26. Here you will find the Alpico bus bound for Hakuba.
- Please remember that the last departing bus to Hakuba from Nagano Station is at 20:10 in the winter; however, regular metered taxis are still available. Chartered jumbo taxis are most likely not available on short notice.
- Most buses cannot be reserved; if the bus is full, they can usually put another into service on short notice.
- It is best to get off the bus at the Happo Bus Terminal (also called the Happo Information Centre). This bus stop is centrally located and has an English-speaking help desk, international ATM, free Wifi, coffee shop, bathrooms and an indoor waiting area.
Nagano to Hakuba Bus Timetable (Dec 17, 2022 ~ Mar 31, 2023)
| Nagano Station | 7:55* | 8:25 | 9:10 | 9:45 | 10:20 | 11:20 | 12:00** | 12:20 | 13:00 | 14:00** | 15:10 | 17:10 | 15:30** | 18:10 | 20:10 |
| ⬇ | ⬇ | ⬇ | ⬇ | ⬇ | ⬇ | ⬇ | ⬇ | ⬇ | ⬇ | ⬇ | ⬇ | ⬇ | ⬇ | ⬇ | |
| Base Camp | 13:00 | 16:30 | |||||||||||||
| Goryu | 9:00 | 9:30 | 10:15 | 10:50 | 11:25 | 12:25 | 13:25 | 14:05 | 16:15 | 18:15 | 19:15 | 21:15 | |||
| Hakuba Station | 9:05 | 9:40 | 10:25 | 10:55 | 11:30 | 12:35 | 13:30 | 14:10 | 16:20 | 18:25 | 19:25 | 21:20 | |||
| Happo Bus Terminal | 9:10 | 9:45 | 10:30 | 11:00 | 11:35 | 12:40 | 13:35 | 14:15 | 15:30 | 16:25 | 18:30 | 19:30 | 21:25 |
* Operates on holidays and weekends only.
** Can be reserved on the Nagano Snow Shuttle website.
Hakuba to Nagano Bus Timetable (Dec 17, 2022 ~ Mar 31, 2023)
| Happo Bus Terminal | 6:30 | 8:20 | 9:20 | 10:20 | 11:30 | 13:45 | 14:45 | 15:35 | 16:25 | 17:15* | 17:55 | |||
| Base Camp | 8:45** | 10:30** | 14:00** | |||||||||||
| Hakuba Station | 6:35 | 8:25 | 9:25 | 10:25 | 11:35 | 13:50 | 14:50 | 15:40 | 16:30 | 17:20 | 18:00 | |||
| Goryu | 6:40 | 8:30 | 9:30 | 10:30 | 11:40 | 13:55 | 14:55 | 15:45 | 16:35 | 17:25 | 18:05 | |||
| ⬇ | ⬇ | ⬇ | ⬇ | ⬇ | ⬇ | ⬇ | ⬇ | ⬇ | ⬇ | ⬇ | ⬇ | ⬇ | ⬇ | |
| Nagano Station | 7:50 | 9:35 | 9:45 | 10:35 | 11:35 | 11:30 | 12:45 | 15:00 | 15:00 | 16:00 | 16:50 | 17:40 | 18:30 | 19:10 |
* Operates on holidays and weekends only.
** Can be reserved on the Nagano Snow Shuttle website.
Nagano to Hakuba Taxi
Four different companies are offering a chartered jumbo taxi service from Nagano Station. Please be aware that you must know your exact bullet train arrival time to book this service. Otherwise, they will not take your booking. Estimated time: 1 hour
- Due to the potential lack of availability and slow response times from the taxi companies, we strongly recommend reserving this service weeks in advance using the booking buttons below, particularly during peak times such as the holidays and weekends.
- To reserve this service, you must know your bullet train number or arrival time at Nagano Station.
| Company | Up to 7 Passengers | Payment | Phone |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alpico Taxi | ¥28,510 | Credit Card or Cash | +81 261 232 347 |
| Chuo Taxi | ¥18,310 | Credit Card or Cash | +81 26 282 7777 |
| Nagano Kanko Taxi | ¥16,800 | Cash only | +81 26 222 1234 |
| Sakura Kanko Taxi | ¥24,400 | Credit Card or Cash | +81 26 243 3663 |
Rent a Car in Nagano
Rent a car at Nagano Station and drive to Hakuba. This is a great way to skip the wait for the bus to Hakuba and have a quality vehicle to get around the Hakuba Valley during your stay. Estimated time and cost: 1 hour, the cost depends on car size, but a Toyota Noah will run you around ¥18,000 per day from Toyota Rent a Car.
Please remember that if you are coming to Hakuba in the wintertime, you will need to reserve a 4WD with winter tyres as an extra option with availability, depending on the pick-up location.
We try our best to keep this information up to date, but if you see something wrong, please let us know. Thank you.
