How to get to Furano
By air
The closest airport is Asahikawa Airport with direct flights to Tokyo's Haneda Airport, Osaka's Kansai Airport, Nagoya's Central Japan Airport, Hakodate, Kushiro and Seoul. Asahikawa Airport is located 15 minutes outside of Biei and one hour outside of Furano by bus.
By train
From Sapporo, take a limited express train in direction of Asahikawa, get off at Takikawa and transfer to a local train to Furano (2 hours, 3520 Yen by unreserved seat). Note, that service between Takikawa and Furano is somewhat infrequent.
During the lavender season there are also several direct limited express trains between Sapporo and Furano in the morning (4170 Yen one way), returning from Furano to Sapporo in the evening.
From Asahikawa, there is about one train per hour to Biei (30 minutes, 530 Yen). About every second train continues from Biei to Furano (1 hour, 1040 Yen from Asahikawa).
By bus
Chuo Bus operates ten direct buses per day from Sapporo Station to Furano, taking two and a half hours and costing 2,100 Yen for the one way journey.
By car
The fastest way to access Furano from Sapporo by car is by taking the Doo Expressway to Takikawa (about 80 kilometers, 2,250 Yen tolls for normal car) and Route 38 from Takikawa to Furano (about 55 kilometers, no tolls).
Orientation
Four municipalities, namely Furano City, Nakafurano Town, Kamifurano Town and Biei Town, make up the area commonly referred to simply as "Furano".
Because attractions are spread over the region and public transportation does not provide convenient access to many of them, a rental car is the recommended means of transportation to explore Furano and Biei.
Cycling is also an attractive way of getting around, but note that distances between the towns are not to be underestimated (e.g. over 30 kilometers from central Furano to Biei) and traffic quite heavy during the high season.
