Overview
Tokyo Narita Airport is one of two international airports serving the Greater Tokyo Area, the other one being Haneda Airport, which together forms the main gateway in and out of Japan.
Located 60 kilometers east of central Tokyo, Narita Airport was built to meet the increasing demands of flight traffic placed on Haneda Airport, which did not have enough physical space to expand.
Narita is a larger airport than Haneda and is located further away from the center of the city but is well connected to the city via rapid train services.
The transfer time from Tokyo Narita Airport to Niseko is between 6.5 and 10.5 hours depending on your chosen method of travel
Trains or flight & overland transfer are both possible options for transport from Tokyo Narita Airport to Niseko.
Flights to Tokyo Narita Airport
Tokyo Narita Airport (NRT) handles a mix of international flights from all over the world and domestic flights from within Japan.
If you plan to arrive at Narita Airport later than 19:30, you will need to stay at a hotel close to the airport and travel the next morning. There is one basic capsule hotel in the Terminal building called First Cabin.
Many additional hotel options can be found just in the area adjacent to the airport, each offering free shuttle bus services from the terminal building.
Travel between Tokyo Narita Airport and Tokyo Haneda Airport
These days there are usually enough flight options that you shouldn't need to transfer between Narita and Haneda airports. However, if you do have to, you can do this using the "Limousine" Bus Service (a bus, not an actual Limousine...) (80 mins) or by train:
- Stage 1: Keisei Skyliner: Narita Airport Terminal Station -> Nippori Station (37 minutes)
- Stage 2: JR Yamanote Line: Nippori Station to Hamamatsucho Station (16 mins)
- Stage 3: Tokyo Monorail Express: Hamamatsucho Station to Haneda Airport Station (22 mins)
The bus service is arguably more convenient and takes roughly the same amount of time.
Flight to Chitose Airport & overland transfer to Niseko
- Price: Varies
- Transfer Time: Approx 6.5 to 7.5 hours (1.5 hours flight + 2.5 to 3 hours overland transfer + 2.5 to 3 hours total waiting time)
When flying into Narita Airport from your home country, there is no shortage of domestic flights up to Chitose Airport.
The combined Narita Airport and Haneda Airport to Chitose Airport routes actually offer the most flight departures of any route in Japan!
Flight time from Narita Airport to Chitose Airport is 1.5 hours and the transfer time from Chitose Airport to Niseko is between 2.5 and 3 hours depending on your choice of transfer.
Pros
- Fastest option
- Usually lowest priced
- Dozens of flight departures each day
Cons
- Not as comfortable as the Shinkansen
- Can't use JR Rail Pass
Train from Tokyo Narita Airport to Niseko
- Price: Approximately ¥28,500 per person
- Transfer Time: Approx 10.5 hours (including waiting time between trains)
If you don't like to fly or really want to experience the Shinkansen (bullet train), you can get all the way from Tokyo Narita Airport to Niseko by train.
Tokyo Narita Airport Terminals 2 and 3 have a shared Train Station located at Terminal 2. Terminal buildings 2 and 3 are internally connected. Terminal 1 has its own train station.
Tickets can be purchased on the day of travel from ticket machines or a sales counter.
There are two main rail options for getting from Tokyo Narita Airport into Tokyo:
- Skyliner - a Keisei Private Rail Train
- Narita Express (NEX) - part of the JR Rail Network
The Skyliner is the faster option but is not part of the JR Rail Network and so the JR Rail Pass is not valid on this service.
Narita Airport to Tokyo Map
The route from Tokyo Narita Airport to Niseko differs, depending on whether you prefer to start with the Skyliner or the Narita Express:
Option 1: Skyliner + Shinkansen
The route takes place in five stages:
- Stage 1: Keisei Skyliner: Narita Airport Terminal Station -> Nippori Station (37 minutes)
- Stage 2: JR Yamanote Line: Nippori Station -> Ueno Station (4 minutes)
- Stage 3: Shinkansen Hakutaka: Ueno Station -> Shin-Hakodate-Hokuto Station (4.25 hours)
- Stage 4: Limited Express Hokuto Line: Shin-Hakodate-Hokuto Station -> Oshamambe Station (68 minutes)
- Stage 5: JR Hakodate Line: Oshamambe Station -> Kutchan Station (100 minutes) OR Oshamambe Station -> Niseko Station (81 minutes)
Option 2: Narita Express + Shinkansen
The route takes place in four stages:
- Stage 1: Narita Express: Narita Airport Terminal Station -> Tokyo Station (65 minutes)
- Stage 2: Shinkansen Hayabusa Express: Tokyo Station -> Shin-Hakodate-Hokuto Station (4.25 hours)
- Stage 3: Limited Express Hokuto Line: Shin-Hakodate-Hokuto Station -> Oshamambe Station (68 minutes)
- Stage 4: JR Hakodate Line: Oshamambe Station -> Kutchan Station (100 minutes) OR Oshamambe Station -> Niseko Station (81 minutes)
If you are staying in Hirafu & Hanazono villages, Kutchan Station is the closest station and is a 15 minutes drive away.
If you are staying in Niseko Village or the Annupuri area, Niseko Station is the closest station and is 10 minutes drive away.
If you plan which train you plan to get in advance, most accommodations in Niseko will provide a pick up and drop service between Kutchan Station or Niseko Station and your accommodation, if you book it with them in advance with a couple of weeks’ notice.
Alternatively, you can take a local taxi for approximately ¥2,500 for the 15 minutes drive. Please ensure you have your destination written out in Japanese as most taxi drivers in Japan do not speak conversational level English.
Japan Rail Pass: For guests visiting Niseko as part of a longer itinerary of travel elsewhere in Japan, either side of their ski experience, a Japan Rail Pass can be a fantastic investment, allowing unlimited train travel on most Japan Rail trains, for periods of 7, 14 or 21 days to suit your travel schedule.
- Look up winter season train timetables on JR East and JR Hokkaido OR Search Japan's train schedules using the Japan Transit Planner.
Pros
- Free if you hold a JR Rail Pass
- More comfortable than flying
Cons
- A complex trip requiring multiple changes of train
- Not ideal for passengers with ski / snowboard bags
- Longer total transfer time than flying
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Niseko Transfers
Whether you are coming from Chitose Airport, Sapporo, Otaru, Hakodate or one of the other Hokkaido Ski Resorts, there are numerous options for the transfer to Niseko.
Book now through our Pre-Trip Concierge Service.
Available for guests that have booked accommodation with us.
Getting Around Niseko
Whether you prefer to jump on a shuttle bus, book a taxi or hire a car and drive yourself, there are plenty of options to get around the Niseko area.
Niseko Accommodation
With the healthy mix of visitors from East and West, there is a variety of styles to suit everyone.
All information is correct to the best of our knowledge at the time of writing.