snowglob 0 Posted September 21, 2011 Share Posted September 21, 2011 Hey I was in Niseko a few seasons back and we are considering going to Japan again. I think we want to check out Niseko again but also some other place(s). Looks like Rusutsu can be done from Niseko, but Furano is further right? Using public transportation, what sort of time are we looking at taken from Niseko to Furano? Anyone give me an idea? Cheers Link to post Share on other sites
freshpow 0 Posted September 21, 2011 Share Posted September 21, 2011 Furano is quite a bit further than Rusutsu. There is no direct public transportation route that I am aware of. Public transit could be JR train, which in the best case is about 4 hours from JR Kutchan to JR Furano, requiring change of trains at Otaru, Sapporo, and/or Takikawa. The other option is to take one of the airport express buses back to Chitose Airport and then direct on to Furano. This is much more time consuming due to the connection time of the buses. The bus companies I am aware of which serve both Furano and Niseko are Hokkaido Access Network and Good Sports. You might want to look at breaking up the trip by doing an overnighter in Otaru or Sapporo, particularly if your timing will allow you to see either city's winter festivals. You can express courier ("takkyuubin") them to Furano to avoid lugging them around on your cultural sidetrip - it is reasonably priced, and if sent by 6:00 pm will normally arrive the next day. Link to post Share on other sites
Echizen 0 Posted September 21, 2011 Share Posted September 21, 2011 On my one trip to Hokkaido a few years back we did this. It is a long way from one to the other. Link to post Share on other sites
ippy 66 Posted September 21, 2011 Share Posted September 21, 2011 you can make the trip slightly less nasty by stopping off in sapporo for the day or night. Take a day off and pop down ramen alley or something... or maybe time it so that you can see the yuki matsuri. It made my trip to furano slightly more palatable. Nothing worse than travelling all the way from niseko to rusutsu and realising youre an hour into the journey and barely away from niseko Link to post Share on other sites
nine 1 Posted September 21, 2011 Share Posted September 21, 2011 My friends did this and regretted it. Said they would have rather stayed in the Niseko area and check out more of Rusutsu and Kiroro rather than take the trip over to the other side. Link to post Share on other sites
Slippery Jim 65 Posted September 21, 2011 Share Posted September 21, 2011 Agree with Nine's friends. Furano's good (Kamui, too), but not worth leaving the Niseko/Rusutsu/Kiroro/Kokusai/Teine region once you're there. Link to post Share on other sites
Alexander L 80 Posted September 22, 2011 Share Posted September 22, 2011 why waste a day travelling when you could be skiing? Rusutsu is a resort itself, no reason to leave it. Link to post Share on other sites
millisent 0 Posted September 25, 2011 Share Posted September 25, 2011 We are thinking of doing this actually. The idea of the Sapporo bit in the middle really appeals actually. Link to post Share on other sites
Mick Rich 78 Posted September 26, 2011 Share Posted September 26, 2011 Although it's a good place, Furano's a bit of a trek from Niseko so if you haven't got a lot of time (or a car), you'll probably better off exploring Niseko and all the other places around and about. Rusutsu, for example, is an easy and well worthwhile day trip (I did it in March - see my review for details) and if you fancied a change of scene, then pop up to Sapporo and check out both the city and the local resorts. Link to post Share on other sites
nine 1 Posted October 3, 2011 Share Posted October 3, 2011 Agree with Nine's friends. Furano's good (Kamui, too), but not worth leaving the Niseko/Rusutsu/Kiroro/Kokusai/Teine region once you're there. Not as if they had a bad time of anything they just said that on returning that's what they would have preferred to have done. Link to post Share on other sites
Slippery Jim 65 Posted October 3, 2011 Share Posted October 3, 2011 Kamui is great fun. I'm planning to get up there again this season. Link to post Share on other sites
Mick Rich 78 Posted October 3, 2011 Share Posted October 3, 2011 Yeah, I love Kamui too! Link to post Share on other sites
suzza 0 Posted October 4, 2011 Share Posted October 4, 2011 We have decided on the east side of Sapporo as our destination in February. Not decided where we are staying yet, but places don't seem full at all so we can take our time there. Link to post Share on other sites
nine 1 Posted October 27, 2011 Share Posted October 27, 2011 Yes definitely able to keep choices open until later. Do we think prices might go down if they don't start filling up? Link to post Share on other sites
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