Taxi Nagano - Chuba Sangaku National Park

Hi there - we are first time travellers to Japan! We are staying in Nagano and wanting to travel to the Chuba-Sangaku National Park in Kamikochi but have seen public transport takes around 2.5h each way compared to driving directly which seems to be 1h.

Can I check if anyone knows about taxi availability and prices for this route? We have seen a few tour companies but are keen to have the flexibility to explore the area more freely.

Many thanks in advance,

Nathan

Do not go directly to Kamikochi by private car or taxi.
You need to transfer at Sawando or Hirayu Onsen.
https://www.kamikochi.or.jp/access/taxi/
There is also a shuttle bus from Sawando.
https://www.alpico.co.jp/traffic/local/kamikochi/sawando/

By the way, the route search on Google Maps says it takes 1 hour and 50 minutes, but only the route to Sawando is written, so it's almost the same time as the bus from Nagano.
The reason that normal cars and taxis cannot go further than Sawando is to protect the natural environment.
If you take the bus from Nagano, there is no need to transfer at Sawando.
However, it does not operate in November.
http://sawayaka.alpico.co.jp/route/kamikochi/nagano/

Thank you both - so if we were trying to take the quickest route from the Nagano bus terminal - and hoping to get to see the Kamikochi area and Kappa Bridge, what would that be?

Could we make it quicker by using a taxi for part of the journey? Google maps is unclear which bit is restricted to anything other than public transport�c

From nagano ,you need 70 minutes,52 km
Get off at Chikuniotsu

Base city for going to Kamikochi is Matsumoto, not Nagano. Honestly I was surprised to know there is a direct bus from Nagano to Kamikochi.

http://sawayaka.alpico.co.jp/route/kamikochi/nagano/

As you see one round trip per day.

Nagano 8:15 11:10 Kamikochi
Kamikochi 15:30 18:35 Nagano

4100 yen/one way.

From Matsumoto, there are number of buses.

https://www.alpico.co.jp/traffic/local/kamikochi/shinshimashima/1
1:45-2:00, 2710 yen/one way.

From Nagano to Matsumoto, you can take JR Limited Express. Probably this is the fastest transportation between the two cities. About 1 hour, 2900 yen.

As for Taxi, it will be quite expensive (40000-50000 yen).

You may consider taxi from Matsumoto, fixed rate of 18000 yen.

https://nagano-luxury-taxi.com/kamikochi.html

If you take earliest Shinano express

Nagano 6:09 7:03 Matsumoto

then taxi, you will be in Kamikochi before 9:00.

I was mistaken.
If you don't mind the taxi price, you probably won't need to transfer from Nagano.
Private cars and sightseeing buses (some days) need to change at Sawando.
Previously, it was common to take a bus from Matsumoto Station to Shinshimashima Station and from there to Kamikochi.
https://www.alpico.co.jp/traffic/datas/files/2022/08/22/6d6ede13e69f58...
However, there are now two buses that go directly to Kamikochi from Matsumoto Station.
https://www.alpico.co.jp/traffic/local/kamikochi/national/
It seems that on the way back, you will have to change trains at Shinshimashima Station on this route, so the fastest way to travel would be to take a direct bus (or taxi) from Nagano Station or a fixed-price taxi from Matsumoto Station written by frog1954. .
By the way, about 30 years ago, we tried to head from Matsumoto to Kamikochi the day after heavy rain, but there was a landslide the day before, and the buses were closed, so we took a taxi round trip with my mother to Kamikochi. (via Nomai Pass)
I tried to cancel because the taxi fare was expensive, but since I had booked a hotel, I was hesitant but decided to go.
It was my second visit to Kamikochi, but I was impressed by the scenery. However, I didn't have time to drink coffee at the Gosenjaku Hotel, which is now just a memory.
There are no ATMs in Kamikochi, so if you're taking a taxi from Nagano, it's best to bring plenty of cash. Taxis from Nagano do not have a fixed price.
Now, electronic money such as SUICA and PASMO can be used at Gosenjaku Hotel and Nishiitoya Sanso.
https://www.hokurikushinkansen-navi.jp/pc/news/article.php?id=NEWS0000...

Looking at NAVITIME, the taxi fare (one way) from Kamikochi to the east exit of Nagano Station was written as about 46840 yen. Prices may increase depending on road conditions.
https://www.navitime.co.jp/taxi/result/?start=%7B%22name%22%3A%22%E4%B...

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The link above failed.
https://www.navitime.co.jp/taxi/?fromlink=pcnavi.header
If you use the link above and set the departure point to Kamikochi�i�ã�‚’n�j and the destination to the Nagano Station East Exit�i’·–ì‰w“ŒŒû,Nagano eki higashi-guchi), you should be able to search.
The time required was approximately 2 hours and 38 minutes.
NAVITAIME also has an English version of the app.
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.navitime.local.navit...

They changed the url recently. New url is

https://www.alpico.co.jp/traffic/datas/files/2023/02/28/e9e2088153d499...

All in all, your options should be:

Take direct bus from Nagano bus terminal. Convenient, cheap (3 hours, 4100 yen). You will have 4:20 in Kamikochi.

Take taxi from Nagano. Expensive (40000-50000 yen one way) but fast (maybe 2.5 hrs one way). You can decide the time of departure.

JR to Matsumoto (1 hour, 2900 yen) and then take bus. You will arrive Kamikochi at 9:45 if you start early (6:09 at Nagano station). Actually you will take train to/from Shinshimasima and transfer to/from bus).

JR to Matsumoto and then take private taxi (1.5 hrs, 18000 yen one way).

In any case, in your first post, you supposed you can go to Kamikochi from Nagano in 1 hour when taking taxi, but this is quite misunderstanding. Actually it will take 2.5 hours. Honestly I would take direct bus (3 hours one way) but it depends on one's preference.

I checked again and found that many hotels in Kamikochi accept credit cards.
There is an ATM at Kamikochi Post Office, but you cannot withdraw cash. There are no banks or convenience stores such as 7-Eleven in Kamikochi.
Taxis these days seem to accept credit card payments, so even if you don't have a lot of cash, you may be fine.
https://naganokanko.co.jp/taxi/payment/
http://www.alpico.co.jp/taxi/usageguidance/credit.php
https://www.nagano-taxi.co.jp/faq/index.html
https://www.nagadentaxi.co.jp/2023/01/post-30.html

Also, I got it wrong.
I was searching for a taxi only on public roads.
Using the expressway cost 46,520 yen (including 1,680 yen expressway toll).
The required time is approximately 2 hours and 2 minutes.

On google map, if you set Nagano bus terminarl for the start and Kamikochi for the destination, it takes 98.1 km and 1h 47 min which includes express way (56.1 km 42 min). However Kamikochi is set actually Akandana from where you must ride additional 15 km (maybe, googlemap doesn't show the exact mileage) to Kamikochi busterminal (center of Kamikochi). The shuttle bus timetable shows it takes 30 min. In total it is more than 100 km drive and more than half is in the city and the mountain road (maybe 30-40 km/hour on average).

Sorry, in the previous post, Akandana is wrong. It should be Sawando.