New Chitose Airport access guide. How to get Sapporo, Otaru and other cities in Hokkaido.

Hokkaido Area
New Chitose airport station ticket gate (C) JP Rail
2012.06.02
New Chitose airport station is located at the underground of the terminal building. (C) JP Rail

New Chitose airport (新千歳空港) is the biggest airport in Hokkaido and the primary gateway for the trip to Hokkaido by flights. Some of you start your trip from this airport.

In this post, I would like to share the guide of the access between this airport and Sapporo and Otaru. I will also show you how to take the trains to most of major cities in Hokkaido.

Access between the terminal building and the station

There are lots of signages between the terminal building and the station.

This station is directly connected to the terminal building. You can get the station from the terminal building easily just inside the building. You can move without any outer jacket even in the freezing weather.

As you have seen the picture above, the station is located at the underground level. You can simply take the stairs, escalators or elevators from the arrival level. There are lots of signage. You cannot miss it. Please see the following links to get the maps and more information.

Platform and ticket gate of New Chitose Airport station

New Chitose airport station ticket gate (C) JP Rail

New Chitose airport station is quite small. There is only one ticket gate and one platform. If you want to exchange Japan Rail Pass, Hokkaido Rail Pass, and/or JR East South Hokkaido Rail Pass, you can do it at JR Hokkaido information desk. It is located by the ticket gate.

Rapid Airport which is the train between New Chitose Airport, Sapporo and Otaru

Rapid Airport at Sapporo station

Rapid Airport train runs between New Chitose airport and Sapporo, Otaru. Please see the link below to find more information:

Rapid Airport train for New Chitose Airport to/from Sapporo and Otaru

Find your hotels in 500 cities throughout Japan!!!

Hotels in New Chitose Airport
Hotels in Otaru
Hotels in Sapporo

Please see the timetable at JR Hokkaido website to get the full timetable of Rapid Airport.

Transfer to the trains to other major cities in Hokkaido

All trains stop at Minami-Chitose station. It is very easy to transfer. (C) JP Rail

You can access to Sapporo and Otaru from New Chitose Airport directly. But if you go to other cities, you have to change trains. There are several transfer points.

First of all, Minami-Chitose station is the transfer point for the following places:

  • Hakodate
  • Noboribetsu
  • Toya (Lake Toya)
  • Hakodate
  • Tomamu
  • Obihiro
  • Kushiro
  • Nemuro (via Kushiro)

Sapporo station is the second transfer points if you visit these following cities:

  • Asahikawa
  • Furano(via Asahikawa or Takikawa)
  • Biei (via Asahikawa)
  • Abashiri
  • Wakkanai
  • Shiretoko-Shari(via Abashiri)

And Otaru station is the last transfer point for Niseko, Kutchan and Yoichi.

The airport shuttle bus

If you are looking for the direct access to your accommodation, airport buses may be better. You can find the detailed information at New Chitose Airport Buses information page.

I hope this airport guide make your trip planning be easier.

Comments

  1. ALVIN E says:
    April 6, 2016 at 2:54 am

    Hi Takeshi! Please help me for I am a bit confused. We will be going to Asahikawa via Chitose Airport on August 1, 2016. Is there a direct train from the Chitose Airport to Asahikawa Station? We will arrive after 7PM, is there still a train going to Asahikawa Station by that time? Is there a express train to Asahikawa Station?
    Thank you very much in advance Takeshi!

  2. Anne says:
    March 29, 2016 at 5:55 am

    Dear takeshi San, I will be reaching otaru on 14 May, than 15 May going to Sapporo city and going to Tokyo by plane on 18 May, plan to go Kyoto by bullet train from there For a day than go back to Tokyo by train also n sightseeing at Tokyo for few days. Do you suggest I purchase a JR. pass for my itinerary? Please advise, thank you.
    Anne

  3. Elaine from malaysia says:
    March 11, 2016 at 11:00 pm

    Hi Takeshi San,

    My returning flight is at 9am. Thus, I don’t want to rush to buy the rapid airport ticket on the day of departure . My question is, can I purchase a return ticket in advance when I reach chitose airport on the day of arrival. Is a return ticket available?

    • Takeshi / JPRail.com says:
      March 12, 2016 at 7:44 am

      Hi Elaine,

      No, you can’t. Because this is short distance ticket and can be purchased at the vending machine.

      Cheers,

      Takeshi / JPRail.com

      • Elaine says:
        March 19, 2016 at 12:25 am

        Thanks Takeshi San,

        So that will mean that I will have to purchase the ticket to airport from the vending machine at Sapporo station right? Any English instructions to buy from the machines? If I were to be there by 5.30 am, will there be any staff there just in case I need some assistance? (I’m traveling solo, so I need to check everything in advance so I won’t miss my flight) . Sorry for asking too many questions 😛 Thank you so much !

  4. Les says:
    January 26, 2016 at 9:02 am

    Hi Takeshi San,
    My wife and I are planning to travel from Sapporo to Sendai [Miyagi] on 13th April. I understand that the new Hokkaido Shinkansen from Hakodate to Aomori will be in service from 26th March which, hopefully, will shorten our journey. Do you know when the timetable for the new train will be published?
    With Greetings from the UK and thanks for any advice – Les Stevens.

  5. Les says:
    January 25, 2016 at 12:20 pm

    Aloha from Hawaii!
    I am confused with the difference between the Hokkaido rail pass and the Japan rail pass. We will be in Sapporo for one week in February (Nest Hotel) and will like to explore not only Sapporo but venture farther out. What pass should we get and are there any one week passes?
    Mahalo Takeshi!

  6. Joy says:
    January 21, 2016 at 12:03 am

    I would like to make sure I have the correct information. I will need to get from JR Inn Asahikawa to Shin-Chitose airport on February 10, 2016. Can I take Super Kamui from JR Asahikawa all the way to Chitose airport? Or is there a limousine bus that I can take because I have a suitcase? Thank you for your information

  7. Lisa says:
    January 18, 2016 at 3:10 pm

    Thank you for this informative article in English.

    I am traveling from Niseko to New Chitose Airport. I noticed there is a 6:43am train from Niseko putting me in to New Chitose slightly before 10am. My questions are as follow

    1) time table on your link doesn’t indicate whether the schedule applies all seven days of the week. I travel Saturday

    2) is it possible to buy the tickets beforehand? Is it advisable to do so?

    3) lastly, separate from the above question, is the last train from New Chitose airport at 10:53pm for the Rapid? Does JR offer any other option?

    Thank you in advance for your help

    Lisa

  8. Leong says:
    January 4, 2016 at 9:07 am

    Hi, thank you for the train information.

    I will arrived at Sapporo 14th of April and depart from Sapporo by 20th April.

    My flight is on 8:55am (AirAsia). I like to check with you, what is the early train depart from the Sapporo? I need to reach the air port 2 hours before the flight if not mistaken.

    This is my first time travel to Sapporo. Hope you can give me some guides.

    Thank you.

  9. shiina says:
    December 13, 2015 at 7:03 am

    Hi Takeshi san,

    Thank you for the wonderful and helpful article. I would am travelling to Hokkaido next January and i would like to check with you, if we were to take the train from new chitsose airport to sapporo station, is the Rapid airport recommended? And if the Rapid airport is recommended, is it a must to get the U seat so as to put our baggage?

    Thank you in advance for your help.

    • Takeshi / JPRail.com says:
      December 13, 2015 at 11:10 am

      Hi Shiina san,

      In my opinion, it’s worth paying 300 yen to get U seat. It’s much more comfortable.
      Rapid airport is the easiest way to get Sapporo and very solid way.

      Cheers,

      Takeshi / JPRail.com

  10. Zaza says:
    November 22, 2015 at 12:09 am

    Hi Takeshi san,

    Your article is very helpful. I am going to sapporo this month and I need to know whether I can use the Hokkaido rail pass for subway?

12345…9
Copied title and URL