Matsumoto: Getting there and around

How to travel between Matsumoto and Tokyo

By direct JR limited express train

JR "Azusa" limited express trains require just over 2.5 hours for the journey between Tokyo's Shinjuku Station and Matsumoto. The one way trip costs 6620 yen and is covered by the Japan Rail Pass and JR East Nagano Niigata Area Pass. There are one or two trains per hour.

By shinkansen and limited express train via Nagano

Take the Hokuriku Shinkansen from Tokyo to Nagano (80 minutes, multiple trains/hour) and transfer to a JR "Shinano" limited express to Matsumoto (50 minutes, one train/hour). With a good connection, the entire one way trip takes around 2.5 hours, costs around 10,000 yen and is covered by the Japan Rail Pass and JR East Nagano Niigata Area Pass.

By local trains

By local trains, the one way journey between Tokyo (Shinjuku Station) and Matsumoto along the JR Chuo and Shinanoi Lines takes about five hours, typically requires about three transfers of trains and costs 4070 yen. With a Seishun 18 Kippu you could do the trip for as little as 2410 yen.

By highway bus

Highway buses operate hourly between Tokyo (Shinjuku Bus Terminal) and Matsumoto (Matsumoto Bus Terminal near Matsumoto Station). The one way trip takes just over three hours and costs 3800 yen. A round trip ticket is available for 6900 yen. Discounts apply when tickets are purchased online. Online reservations can be made through Willer.

How to travel between Matsumoto and Kyoto

By train

Take the JR Tokaido Shinkansen from Kyoto to Nagoya (35 minutes, multiple trains per hour) and transfer to the JR Shinano limited express to Matsumoto (2 hours, one train per hour). The one way fare is 9,350 yen for non-reserved seats or about 10,000 yen for reserved seats. The Japan Rail Pass fully covers the trip if a Hikari or Kodama train is used between Kyoto and Nagoya.

By highway bus

There are two daytime and one overnight highway buses per day between Kyoto and Matsumoto. While the overnight bus stops at Kyoto Station, the daytime buses serve only the Kyoto Fukakusa bus stop along the Meishin Expressway south of the city center. The one way journey takes about 8 hours and costs approximately 5000 yen. Online reservations can be made through Japan Bus Online.

How to travel between Matsumoto and Osaka

By train

Take the JR Tokaido Shinkansen from Osaka (Shin-Osaka Station) to Nagoya (50 minutes, multiple trains per hour) and transfer to the JR Shinano limited express to Matsumoto (2 hours, one train per hour). The one way fare is 10,010 yen for non-reserved seats or about 11,000 yen for reserved seats. The Japan Rail Pass fully covers the trip if a Hikari or Kodama train is used between Shin-Osaka and Nagoya.

By highway bus

Daytime and overnight highway buses operate between Osaka (Hankyu Sanbangai Bus Terminal near Osaka Station, Shin-Osaka Station) and Matsumoto (Matsumoto Bus Terminal near Matsumoto Station). The one way ride takes 6-9 hours and costs between around 5000 to 6000 yen. Online reservations can be made through Japan Bus Online.

How to travel between Matsumoto and Takayama

By highway bus

There are multiple highway bus round trips per day between Matsumoto and Takayama, taking 2.5 hours and costing 3500 yen one way. A round trip ticket costs 5800 yen, and the return trip has to be made within seven days of the outward journey. Note that JR East Nagano Niigata Area Pass holders can purchase a round trip ticket for only 4500 yen at Narita Airport, Haneda Airport, Tokyo Station or Matsumoto Bus Terminal.

By JR trains

Take the JR Shinano limited express from Matsumoto to Nagoya (2 hours, one train per hour) and transfer to the JR Hida limited express to Takayama (140 minutes, one train per hour). The one way fare is around 11,000 yen.