Overview
Tokyo is the primary gateway in and out of Japan. To the outsider, Tokyo's myriad sights and sounds are as compelling as they are exotic.
The contrast of its preserved past found in the Imperial Palace & its gardens, the Asakusa district & Ueno park with its techno future in Akihabara (the electric city) and the neon lights of Shibuya and Shinjuku, make it one of life's glorious contradictions.
The scale and the pace of life can be a little disorientating at first but the buzz quickly gets under the skin. It's a city to return to again and again and experience something new every time.
The transfer time from Tokyo to Niseko is between 7 and 9 hours depending on your choice of transfer.
Trains or flight & overland transfer are both possible options for transport from Tokyo to Niseko.
Getting Around Tokyo
Getting around Tokyo by rail is usually the quickest and best-priced option regardless of where you are staying in the city.
Taxis in Japan are usually significantly more expensive than taking the train.
The majority of the Tokyo transit system is made up of 2x rail networks - the overground state-run Japan Rail (JR) system and the underground metro system.
Taking them together, these networks are one of the most extensive urban rail networks in the world. There is nothing you would want to see in Tokyo that you can't get to by using these rail networks.
In addition, there are a number of privately owned rail lines that have their own lines and stations. These can be useful to take for certain routes but are almost never the only transit option and are not covered by the JR Rail Pass.
Looking at the maps, the system can be pretty intimidating at first glance but the system is very well run and the staff at stations are super helpful.
Tokyo JR Rail Map
Tokyo Metro Map
Flight to Chitose Airport & overland transfer to Niseko
- Price: Varies
- Transfer Time: Approx 7 to 8.5 hours (0.5 to 1 hour to Haneda Airport or Narita Airport + 1.5 hours flight + 2.5 to 3 hours overland transfer + 2.5 to 3 hours total waiting time)
There is no shortage of domestic flights from both Tokyo Narita Airport and Tokyo Haneda Airport up to Chitose Airport.
Haneda is a smaller airport than Narita but is located much closer to the center of the city.
The combined Narita Airport and Haneda Airport to Chitose Airport routes actually offer the most plentiful flight departure options of any route in Japan!
Stage 1A: Tokyo to Haneda Airport
Tokyo Haneda Airport Terminals 1 and 2 have a shared Train Station located between the terminal buildings internally connected to each terminal building. Terminal 3 has its own train station.
There are two route options from central Tokyo to Haneda Airport:
- Option 1: Tokyo Monorail: Hamamatsucho Station -> Haneda Airport Terminal 1-2 Station OR Haneda Airport Terminal 3 Station (17 to 24 minutes)
- Option 2: Keikyu Line from Shinagawa Station -> Haneda Airport Terminal 1-2 Station OR Haneda Airport Terminal 3 Station (15 minutes)
Both options take about the same amount of time but the Keiku line has not been integrated into the JR Network and so the JR Rail Pass is not valid on this service.
Tickets can be purchased on the day of travel at the train station from ticket machines or the staffed sales counter.
Tokyo to Haneda Airport Map
Tokyo Monorail Map
Stage 1B: Tokyo to Narita Airport
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.
There are two rail options from central Tokyo to Haneda Airport:
- Option 1: Narita Express (JR Rail system) from Tokyo -> Narita Airport Terminal 1 Station OR Narita Airport Terminal Station 2-3 (54 minutes)
- Option 2: Keikyu Skyliner from Nippori -> Narita Airport Terminal 1 Station OR Narita Airport Terminal 2-3 Station (37 minutes)
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.
Tickets can be purchased on the day of travel at the train station from ticket machines or the staffed sales counter.
Tokyo to Narita Airport Map
Stage 2: Narita Airport or Haneda Airport to Chitose Airport
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 is 1.5 hours
Stage 3: Chitose Airport to Niseko
Sapporo Chitose Airport (CTS) is Hokkaido’s largest airport.
The transfer time from Chitose to Niseko is between 2.5 and 3 hours depending on your choice of transfer.
Pros
- Slightly faster than the Shinkansen (bullet train)
- Usually lower priced
- Plenty of flight departures each day
Cons
- Not as comfortable as the Shinkansen
- Can't use JR Rail Pass
Train from Tokyo to Niseko
- Price: Approximately ¥26,000 per person
- Transfer Time: Approx 9 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 to Niseko by train.
Tickets can be purchased on the day of travel at the train station from ticket machines or the staffed sales counter.
Tokyo Station is centrally located and is easy to get to regardless of where you are staying in the city.
The simplest route from Tokyo to Niseko by train takes place in stages:
- Stage 1: Shinkansen Hayabusa Express: Tokyo Station -> Shin-Hakodate-Hokuto Station (4.25 hours)
- Stage 2: Limited Express Hokuto Line: Shin-Hakodate-Hokuto Station -> Oshamambe Station (68 minutes)
- Stage 3: 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 little complex if not familiar with trains in Japan
- Not ideal for passengers with ski / snowboard bags
- Slightly longer total transfer time
You might also like
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.