Tips · Japan
Getting to Hakodate from CTS or HKD Airport
Three ways into Hakodate: change at Minami-Chitose from New Chitose (CTS), go via Sapporo, or bus from Hakodate Airport (HKD), plus the tram on arrival.
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Flights to New Chitose Airport (CTS)
Three ways into Hakodate
Your first day in Hakodate depends a lot on which airport you land at. From New Chitose Airport (CTS) there are two ways by train: change to the Limited Express Hokuto at Minami-Chitose, one stop away, or go to Sapporo Station first and take the Limited Express Hokuto from there. From Hakodate Airport (HKD), you take a bus to Hakodate Station.
So start by checking which arrival airport is on your ticket. Getting from New Chitose Airport to Hakodate takes much of a day by train, so if you come in that way, keep day one mostly for travel. Below, each route in turn: where to change, how long it takes and what it costs.
New Chitose Airport → Minami-Chitose → Hakodate Station
At New Chitose Airport's station, board the Rapid Airport train and ride one stop to Minami-Chitose. Change there to the Limited Express Hokuto for Hakodate Station.
Time on the trains alone is about 3 hours 10 minutes or more, and the wait for your connection at Minami-Chitose comes on top. JR Hokkaido limited expresses are all reserved seats, so you need a reserved-seat ticket. Check the fare for this route in JR Hokkaido's official information before you go. For reference, a reserved seat from Sapporo Station to Hakodate Station is about ¥9,800.
- Board the Rapid Airport train at the airport station and ride one stop
- Get off at Minami-Chitose and change to the Limited Express Hokuto (reserved-seat ticket needed)
- Arrive at Hakodate Station: about 3 hours 10 minutes or more on trains, plus the transfer wait
Via Sapporo, if you're combining both cities
If you're pairing Hakodate with Sapporo, take the Rapid Airport train from New Chitose Airport to Sapporo Station, about 40 minutes from the airport. Then take the Limited Express Hokuto from Sapporo Station down to Hakodate.
A reserved seat from Sapporo Station to Hakodate Station is about ¥9,800. Check the JR timetable for the Sapporo-Hakodate travel time. This limited express is all reserved seats too, so check your seat before you ride.
Hakodate Airport (HKD) → Hakodate Station by bus
There's no railway to Hakodate Airport. To reach Hakodate Station or downtown, take a bus; it's about 20 minutes to Hakodate Station.
Check the bus fare in official information before you go. In Hakodate, buses are what you use for places the tram doesn't reach, such as the airport and Mt. Hakodate, so check routes and times in official information as well.
Around Hakodate Station, tram and bus stops are close by, so it's easy to carry on by tram toward your hotel once you arrive.
At a glance
Here are the three routes side by side. Check times and fares again in official information before you travel.
- New Chitose Airport → Minami-Chitose → Hakodate Station: Rapid Airport + Limited Express Hokuto, about 3 hours 10 minutes or more on trains (plus transfer wait), check official fares (for reference, Sapporo-Hakodate reserved seat about ¥9,800)
- New Chitose Airport → Sapporo → Hakodate: Rapid Airport to Sapporo in about 40 minutes, then the Limited Express Hokuto (check the JR timetable for travel time), reserved seat about ¥9,800
- Hakodate Airport → Hakodate Station: bus, about 20 minutes, check official fares
- For all train routes: JR Hokkaido limited expresses are all reserved seats, so you need a reserved-seat ticket
From Hakodate Station to your area
The backbone for getting around is the Hakodate City Tram (streetcar), linking Hakodate Station, Jujigai, Goryokaku and Yunokawa Onsen. Fares are about ¥210-260 by distance, and a one-day pass is available.
Staying around Hakodate Station is the most convenient on arrival, close to the morning market and tram and bus stops. Around Goryokaku is a busy district of restaurants and shops linked by tram to the station, and Yunokawa Onsen is a hot spring town with a free footbath in front of its tram stop. The Bay Area and Motomachi have red brick warehouses, sloping streets and the ropeway nearby; the slopes are steep, so wear comfortable shoes.
Arrival-day checklist
Your travel day into Hakodate can be long, so sort these out in advance.
For how to spend your days once you're there, see the day-by-day route post.
- The arrival airport on your ticket (New Chitose Airport or Hakodate Airport)
- Reserved-seat tickets for the Limited Express Hokuto, plus JR Hokkaido timetables and fares
- Hakodate Airport bus fares and times (check official information)
- Nationwide IC cards such as Suica and Kitaca: they work on the tram; tap when boarding and when getting off. Some perks, such as transfer discounts, apply only to the local cards
- Japan's entry procedures (such as online registration): check official Japanese government information before you travel
Plan your Hakodate trip
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FAQ
Where do I change trains from New Chitose Airport to Hakodate?
Ride the Rapid Airport train one stop to Minami-Chitose and change to the Limited Express Hokuto. Train time alone is about 3 hours 10 minutes or more, plus the transfer wait.
Do I need a reserved-seat ticket for the Limited Express Hokuto?
Yes. JR Hokkaido limited expresses are all reserved seats, so you need a reserved-seat ticket. Check timetables and fares in JR Hokkaido's official information.
How do I get from Hakodate Airport to the city?
There's no railway to the airport, so take a bus to Hakodate Station or downtown. It's about 20 minutes to Hakodate Station; check the fare in official information before you go.
Can I stop in Sapporo first and go on to Hakodate?
Yes. The Rapid Airport train reaches Sapporo Station in about 40 minutes, and the Limited Express Hokuto runs from Sapporo Station to Hakodate. A reserved seat from Sapporo Station to Hakodate Station is about ¥9,800; check the JR timetable for the travel time.
Related reading
ⓘ Photo credits
- Goryokaku Park · MIKI Yoshihito / CC BY 2.0