How to Get to Hakuba from Tokyo in the Winter: The Snow Shuttle Guide
Skip the train transfers and get to Hakuba's ski resorts in comfort in the winter: Your guide to the direct airport shuttle service from Haneda Airport in Tokyo to your hotel in Hakuba.
After an overnight flight into Haneda, exhausted and loaded with snowboard gear, the thought of navigating multiple train transfers would’ve made me want to collapse. Instead, we opted for the Nagano Snow Shuttle, which is a direct bus from the Haneda or Narita airport to Hakuba. While a shinkansen + bus combination would’ve been faster, I chose to prioritize a zero-hassle direct route that guaranteed luggage space.
Pricing and logistics as of January 2026:
Route: Haneda Airport -> Hakuba
Season: Winter
Duration: ~5.5 hours, with 2 rest stops
Cost: ¥12,750 per person
Nagano Snow Shuttle Booking FAQ’s:
What size luggage can I bring? Can I bring my snowboard or skis on the Nagano Snow Shuttle?
Double-check the website for luggage size requirements. Our ticket came with 1 bag per person. Yes, you can bring your snowboard or skis, but it will count as a bag.
How much time should I plan for between snow shuttle boarding and arrival?
Give yourself a few hours between arrival at the airport and bus departure. The suggested transfer time on the Nagano Snow Shuttle website said 60-75 minutes, but I like to take my time and opted for 2-3 hours. This gives us time to meander and leisurely do the following:
Clear customs and obtain luggage (1 hour - 1.5 hours).
If you are bringing snowboards or skis, you will need to pick them up in the oversized area. Look for the carousel covered in stickers that is along the wall near baggage claim F.
Oversized baggage claim at Hakuba airport
Grab a snack (20-40 minutes)
Transfer to Haneda Airport Terminal 3 if needed (15-20 minutes)
If your flight lands at Terminal 1 or 2, you can take the free terminal shuttle outside the arrival lobby. They run every 4-8 minutes.
International flights usually land in Terminal 3
Clearing customs and grabbing bags took us about an hour, with most of the wait due to oversized bags. We also had to pre-fill out an electronic customs declaration and disembarking form online at the Visit Japan Web.
What is there to do while waiting at Haneda Airport?
Since we had extra time, we also explored the other floors at Terminal 3. On Floor 4 were many restaurants with outside decor in an Edo-period resemblance. On Floor 5, there was an observation deck overlooking part of the airfield and with the bay in the back.
Is riding the snow shuttle cheaper than the shinkansen?
No. However, it is hassle-free without worrying about lugging your luggage through multiple train transfers and will get you directly from the airport to the hotel.
On The Road: The Nagano Snow Shuttle Experience
Check-in for the Nagano Snow Shuttle opens 1 hour before departure and up to 15 minutes before departure. The check-in should be in the arrival lobby at Counter No. 9.
Look for the staff in purple “Nagano Snow Shuttle” jackets in front of the “Meeting Service” counters. Here’s a link to the map and instructions that were provided on the Nagano Snow Shuttle website.
We checked in the minute it opened so that we could leave the snowboard and luggage with the staff. They told us to meet back 20 minutes before the bus leaves, giving us some time to buy snacks or relieve ourselves before boarding the bus. Once it was time, we assembled at the counter to take our tagged luggage back, and were escorted by the staff downstairs to the charter bus area.
Low-key, I had expected a purple bus, but our ride today was a white Highland Express bus with the Alpico Group’s name on it. I am guessing they rent other charter buses as needed. The bus had comfortable seats and overhead space that could accommodate a small carry-on or backpacks that weren’t stowed away in the bus’s luggage compartment. There was WiFi and a small food tray. No charging ports on this one, though.
During our travel on the road, we were given two rest stops, one of which was at Kamisato Rest stop and the other at Oyaki Farm for some sampling.
Kamisato Rest Stop
Our bus driver wasn’t clear on how long the stop was. There were multiple people confused about when we had to report back, so most came back by 20 minutes in, but we didn’t leave until 30 minutes later.
Rest stop-wise, it was a big one with many buses rolling through. There were plenty of bathrooms, vending machines, and a lot of food options inside the rest stop. There were also a couple of food trucks outside. We helped ourselves to the free hot tea station inside the rest stop.
Oyaki Farm Stop
If you travel during the daytime on the Nagano Snow Shuttle and if the Oyaki Farm is open, you will get to experience a sampling of Oyaki, a popular cuisine in the Nagano prefecture. Oyaki is a stuffed bun made with a wide variety of fillings, and traditionally, they are cooked on a hot iron pan and then steamed on an open hearth to add a bit of smoky aroma.
We all received a free Oyaki coupon which we exchanged directly with shuttle staff. Our free Oyaki was a mixed vegetable flavor, and it was tasty! We bought more later on and our favorite flavors were the mushroom and salted potato.
Arriving in Hakuba
We opted for the “drop off service,” so a shuttle dropped us off at Hakuba Base Camp, and we transferred to a smaller bus to get closer to our hotel, which is usually anywhere between 15 and 30 minutes. While it took about 5.5 hours to get to the Hakuba region, it took us another 15-20 minutes to actually get dropped off closer to our hotel (Hotel Moegi), which was located in the Happo One area.
Overall, after seeing the long shinkansen lines at Nagano Station full of riders in the winter, I probably would take a shuttle bus to Hakuba again for convenience. There may be other shuttle companies worth checking out, though!
Related Posts
Things To Do in Hakuba in the Winter (Besides Snowboarding and Skiing)
As someone who is a nervous wreck trying to get off the snow lift, I had to look into other wintertime activities while my travelling partner hit the slopes. Even for those not chasing the “Japow”, Hakuba’s tranquility and winter beauty made it an enjoyable part of my Japan trip.
I’m planning to write more posts - is there a specific part of the trip that you’re most curious about? Let me know in the comments!