Hakodate Travel: Access, Transportation and Orientation

How to travel between Hakodate and Tokyo

By air

JAL (3 flights/day), ANA (2 flights/day) and Air Do (2 flights/day) offer direct flights between Tokyo's Haneda Airport and Hakodate Airport. The flight duration is about 80 minutes.

The regular one way fare by JAL and ANA is about 27,000 Yen, with discount tickets usually available from around 20,000 Yen.

The regular one way fare by the discount airline Air Do is about 22,000 Yen, with discount tickets usually available from around 17,000 Yen. If you book at least 45 days in advance, you qualify for the Air Do Special, which costs just 10,000 Yen for the one way flight.

Foreign tourists should consider Japan air passes. Note, however, that many discount tickets are not available during travel peak seasons.

Hakodate Airport is a 20 minute bus ride (300 Yen) outside of central Hakodate. For access details to Tokyo's Haneda Airport, click here.

By daytime trains

Take a Hayate train on the JR Tohoku Shinkansen from Tokyo to Shin-Aomori Station (3.5 hours) and transfer to a JR Hakucho limited express train to Hakodate (2 hours). The entire one way trip takes six hours, costs around 19,000 yen and is fully covered by the Japan Rail Pass. Seat reservations are mandatory on Hayate trains between Tokyo and Shin-Aomori.

By night train

One or two night train round trips are operated between Tokyo (Ueno Station) and Sapporo each night, making a stop in Hakodate along the way. Note that northbound trains arrive in Hakodate rather early in the morning. Regular one way fares start around 21,000 yen for the most basic type of berth. Note that Japan Rail Pass holders have to pay a surcharge of at least 12,000 yen (14,500 yen from December 4, 2010) to ride a night train between Tokyo and Sapporo.

Above fees and schedules are subject to change. For the current Yen exchange rate, click here.

Central Hakodate with Hakodate Station, the old Motomachi district and Mount Hakodate are located on the distinctively shaped peninsula. The city is served by two tram lines and a bus network. A ropeway leads to the top of Mount Hakodate, which is also accessible by city bus.

The two tram lines, numbered 2 and 5, share their route between Yunokawa and Jujigai and go separate ways from there towards Yachigashira (line 2) and Hakodate Dock (line 5). The fare is between 200 and 250 yen, depending on the distance traveled. Take a numbered ticket when entering through the rear door and pay into the fare box next to the driver when exiting, as explained on the bus page.

A day pass for unlimited use of trams on one calendar day is available for 600 yen, while a day pass for unlimited use of trams and Hakodate Bus buses (not including the Hakodate Teisan buses to the airport) is available for 1000 yen. A 2-day pass for trams and Hakodate Bus buses costs 1700 yen.

Hakodate Airport is located about five kilometers east of the city center. Airport buses (by Hakodate Teisan Bus) operate every 20 minutes between Hakodate Station and the airport, taking 20 minutes and costing 300 yen for the one way journey, while less frequent city buses (by Hakodate Bus) do the journey in 30 minutes and for 280 yen one way.