Hakodate by train · Hakodate by train  TodayTourism All Destinations | Europe | Asia | North America | Africa | South America | Oceania | Hotels

Hakodate by train


Hakodate by train

Travel Warning

WARNING: Train services from the Japanese mainland to Hokkaido were disrupted following the March 11th Tohoku Earthquake and Tsunami.

The Casiopea and Hokutosei overnight trains from Tokyo, which run over mainline tracks that have been damaged, are cancelled until the middle of May. The Hamanasu between Hokkaido and Aomori has resumed operation. Hakucho/Super Hakucho services from Aomori to Hakodate are running on reduced schedules. The entire Tohoku Shinkansen (between Tokyo and Aomori) will reopen on April 29, but you should allow an extra hour or so to make that journey since the trains have to slow down around areas still under repair.

JR trains run from Honshu to Hokkaido via the Seikan Tunnel. With a total length of 53.85 km (33.49 mi), the Seikan Tunnel is currently the world's longest railway tunnel - although in 2018 the Gotthard Base Tunnel, under construction in Switzerland, will surpass it by about 5 km. The Seikan Tunnel also claims the title of the world's longest undersea tunnel, with a 23.3 km (14.5 mi) section under the waters of the Tsugaru Strait. Currently, the fastest way to reach Hakodate by train from Tokyo is by taking two trains, the Hayate or Hayabusa shinkansen service and a Limited Express train, transferring between the two at Shin-Aomori station. The one-way trip lasts about 6 hours and costs �19,200. For foreign tourists making the trip from Tokyo, the better deal is to purchase the national Japan Rail Pass. Travel times between Tokyo and Hakodate will be reduced over the next few years as train speeds are increased and construction of the Shinkansen continues under the Seikan Tunnel to the new Shin-Hakodate station, north of the city center. It is expected that Tokyo-Hakodate travel times will average 4 hours when the new segment to Shin-Hakodate opens in 2015. A popular way to reach Hakodate is by overnight sleeper train. The Hokutosei (北斗星) sleeper train departs daily from Ueno Station in Tokyo. The ride to Hakodate takes 11 1/2 hours. The Cassiopeia (カシオペア) sleeper train also runs from Ueno to Hakodate a few times a week, but its cabins are more expensive than the Hokutosei. Both trains eventually continue to Sapporo. The Nihonkai (日本海) overnight train from Osaka and Kyoto in Kansai runs as far as Aomori, from which you can connect to a limited express train for the run to Hakodate (Journey time from Osaka is 17 hours). Note that the more expensive Twilight Express (トワイライトエクスプレス) overnight service does not stop in Hakodate. Hakodate can also be reached using the Seishun 18 Ticket, as the ticket is valid on limited expresses between Kikonai and Kanita across the Seikan Tunnel. See Seishun 18 Ticket for a sample itinerary. Trains to areas outside of Hakodate leave infrequently (compared to areas like Tokyo where trains come every few minutes) so plan ahead.

The Most Frequently Asked Travel Questions about Hakodate


Where To Stay & Best Hotels in Hakodate - updated Apr 2024

SAVE up to 75% on Last Minute deals! Search for discount Hakodate hotels, motels, apartments, hostels, guest accommodations and vacation resorts. Book now and pay at the hotel. Instant email confirmation!


>>> SEARCH FOR DEALS <<<

WHERE TO TRAVEL NEXT IN 2020


Hakodate Travel Guide from Wikitravel. Many thanks to all Wikitravel contributors. Text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0, images are available under various licenses, see each image for details.

Europe | Asia | North America | Africa | South America | Oceania | All Destinations