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.
Bus from Nagano to Hakuba
The majority of travellers get the bus from Nagano Station to Hakuba. Estimated time and cost: 1 hour, ¥2000 for adults, ¥1000 for children aged 6 to 11 with children 5 and younger free if they do not use a seat.
- From the east exit of Nagano Station, take the elevator on the left down to the ground floor, then buy your tickets from the shop closest to the elevator (they only accept cash) and go to bus stop #26. Here you will find the Alpico bus bound for Hakuba destinations.
- Please remember that the last departing bus to Hakuba from Nagano Station is at 21:10 in the winter.
- Most buses cannot be reserved, and usually, if the bus is full, they can put another one 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 18, 2021 ~ Mar 31, 2022) (Will be updated November 2022)
| Metropolitan Hotel | **7:50 | **13:45 | ||||||||||
| Nagano Station | *7:55 | 8:05 | 8:25 | 9:10 | 11:20 | 13:00 | 14:00 | 14:50 | 17:10 | 18:10 | 20:10 | ***21:15 |
| ⬇ | ⬇ | ⬇ | ⬇ | ⬇ | ⬇ | ⬇ | ⬇ | ⬇ | ⬇ | ⬇ | ⬇ | |
| Escal Plaza | 9:15 | 15:10 | 22:20 | |||||||||
| Base Camp | 9:30 | 15:25 | 22:35 | |||||||||
| Goryu | 9:00 | 9:30 | 10:15 | 12:25 | 14:05 | 15:55 | 18:15 | 19:15 | 21:15 | |||
| Hakuba Station | 9:10 | 9:40 | 10:25 | 12:35 | 14:15 | 16:05 | 18:25 | 19:25 | 21:20 | |||
| Happo Bus Terminal | 9:15 | 9:35 | 9:45 | 10:30 | 12:40 | 14:20 | 15:30 | 16:10 | 18:30 | 19:30 | 21:25 | 22:40 |
* Runs on holidays and weekends only.
** Can be reserved.
*** Can be reserved on Dec 24, 30; Jan 7, 14, 21, 28; Feb 4, 10, 18, 22, 25 and March 4, 11, 18, 25.
Hakuba to Nagano Bus Timetable (Dec 18, 2021 ~ Mar 31, 2022) (Will be updated November 2022)
| Happo Bus Terminal | 6:10 | 9:00 | 10:45 | 11:30 | 14:45 | 15:35 | 16:25 | 16:50 | 17:15 | *17:55 |
| Base Camp | 10:50 | 16:55 | ||||||||
| Escal Plaza | 11:05 | 17:10 | ||||||||
| Hakuba Station | 6:15 | 9:05 | 11:35 | 14:50 | 15:40 | 16:30 | 17:20 | 18:00 | ||
| Goryu | 6:20 | 9:10 | 11:40 | 14:55 | 15:45 | 16:35 | 17:25 | 18:05 | ||
| ⬇ | ⬇ | ⬇ | ⬇ | ⬇ | ⬇ | ⬇ | ⬇ | ⬇ | ⬇ | |
| Nagano Station | 7:50 | 10:20 | 12:50 | 16:05 | 16:55 | 17:55 | 18:30 | 19:15 | ||
| Metropolitan Hotel | 12:15 | 18:30 |
* Runs on holidays and weekends only.
Chartered Taxi from Nagano to Hakuba
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
- To reserve this service, you must know your exact arrival time at Nagano Station.
- You should reserve this service in advance - especially around the holidays.
| Company | Up to 7 Passengers | Payment | Phone |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alpico Taxi | ¥27,000 | Credit Card or Cash | +81 261 232 347 |
| Chuo Taxi | ¥18,310 | Credit Card or Cash | +81 26 282 7777 |
| Nagano Kanko Taxi | ¥15,360 | 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.
