Train between Sapporo station and Hirafu, Niseko?

[m-chan 0]

Does anyone recommend travelling from Sapporo station (not the airport) to Hirafu, Niseko by train? Or is bus preferable? Thank you for any feedback.

[tsondaboy 0]

I ve been to Niseko only 3 times but all of them I ve taken the train there. There are several express trains connecting Saporo station to Kuchan station every day. Getting on the express train means that you wont have to change trains at Otaru station. The fare is 4560 yen one way and takes 1 hour 30 mins to get to Kuchan.

If you dont get the express train and change once at Otaru station the fare is 2100 yen one way and takes 2 hours 20 mins.

 

[Mike Pow 52]

Bus is door to door.

 

Neither Hirafu station nor Kutchan is as convenient as the bus.

[Ezorisu 0]

I'd only recommend it if:

 

1) you're not in a rush to get to the Niseko pow

2) you want to take the scenic route

3) you are a railway fan

4) you have a JR rail pass and want to get your money's worth

 

Going from Sapporo to Niseko/Hirafu/Kutchan by train is not particularly fast. You will end up going Northwest to Otaru, then transfer to a small, slow diesel train that will make stops at nearly every small station along the way. It is fairly easy to get on an express or limited express train between Sapporo and Otaru, so that leg will go fairly quickly. Insofar as scenery goes, there will be urban/industrial and coastal between Sapporo and Otaru, then rural/agricultural as you head out of Otaru, then finally snowy wilderness as you approach Niseko. Make sure you get off at the correct station, and have some means to get from the station to whatever hotel/hostel/inn/pension you'll be staying at.

 

The bus is significantly quicker (and you get most of the same scenery).

 

FYI, the "rapid" trains heading toward Otaru are the "airport rapid" trains that originate at Chitose Airport, so if you will be catching one of those from the airport to Sapporo station, you will get the general idea what you will be dealing with if you elect to go by train.

[thursday 1]

I vote bus also. Hirafu carpark to Stellar Place door to door.

[spook 0]

i've taken both but recommend the bus. you can put all your gear underneath and sit in a seat and enjoy the scenery. you get dropped off right in hirafu. easy and hassle free.

on the train you have to lug all your gear around, look out for station names and transfers, wait for your connection at otaru and then get from kutchan to niseko. it's not a huge drama, but the bus is definitely easier

[Yuki's Passion 1]

I've done both as well and recommend bus if time's a factor, if not the train ride really is sweet. Slow, but a nice relaxing ride IMO. Especially that one stretch along the ocean - watching snow falling on the sand/oceanside is cool. But if you have lots of gear and then have to transfer at Kutchan to get a taxi or bus is a bit of a pain but not that big a deal.

[Fattwins 0]

IS this because the person asking is buying a rail pass??? maybe???

[Ezorisu 0]

That would be my guess.

[tsondaboy 0]

Guys, why do you have to change at Otaru? I always took the express train from Shinchitose straight to Kuchan. It runs only during the winter though, I remember that.

[thursday 1]

He's going from Sapporo, not the airport.

[tsondaboy 0]

It passes trough Sapporo and Otaru.

[thursday 1]

a triangular route?

[Go Native 70]

Just make sure you get off at Kutchan and not Hirafu or Niseko.

[tsondaboy 0]

 Originally Posted By: thursday

a triangular route?

It seems so

Its the second root on the list, ex: for the 29th of Jan.
http://transit.yahoo.co.jp/search?val_ht...ch=%C3%B5%BA%F7
Its called "JR limited Niseko express #2" and the fare is actualy 3600 from Sapporo. Leaves Sapporo station every morning @ 08:05 and makes it to Kutchan @ 09:43.
And a correction, it leaves from Sapporo station, NOT straight from the airport.

[m-chan 0]

Thank you everyone for your comments. Yes, we will have a JR pass and plenty of time, but we will have lots of luggage, so the most important thing is the convenience. If we take the express train, does that only go to Kutchan and if so is there anyway of getting from Kutchan to our accommodation in Hirafu? Thanks.

[Fattwins 0]

Takyubin your stuff to your hotel.

[tsondaboy 0]

It stops only at Kutchan and Niseko stations, Hirafu is in between.

Cant you ask for pick up at the station?

[thursday 1]

Accomdation in Hirafu, (I take it you mean where the lifts are) would not be anywhere near Hirafu station. Be careful, sounds like a stranding.

[SnowJapan 178]

You can see the region here:

 

http://www.snowjapan.com/e/japan-ski-town-maps/niseko/niseko.html

 

[Ezorisu 0]

Ask your hotel/inn/pension if they can send someone around to pick you up at Kutchan, otherwise there are taxis.

 

Tsondaboy - I didn't know there was an express! Good to know. And here I was taking the slow train...