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. Boyke says:
    May 15, 2017 at 2:53 am

    Hi,
    If i plan go to hokkaido and then osaka, before i leave japan.
    And i plan to buy 7day JR pass.
    Can i use for travelling hokkaido and also shinkansen to osaka ?
    Or i need to buy another railway ticket ?
    ( New Chitose to Sapporo city also ? )
    Thanks.

  2. Mr. S.K. Tiong says:
    May 14, 2017 at 9:02 pm

    Hi, Takeshi-san,
    1. Is the train from New Chitose Airport to Tomamu still running?
    2. Is the train from Tomamu to Furano restored & running?
    TQ
    Tiong

  3. Julie says:
    May 14, 2017 at 6:59 am

    Hi,

    I would be travelling to Hokkaido (New Chitose Airport) in early-mid Aug 2017 with my family (targeting these areas – Lake Toya – Sapporo – Furano – Hokuryu – Asahikawa).

    Would like to check if it’s more convenient to travel from Asahikawa or Lake Toya to New Chitose Airport by JR rail? I am bit confused as to which places I should start/end my trip first for convenience, or whether it’s worth the inconvenience to go to so many places as Lake Toya & Asahikawa are pretty far apart..

    Thanks for your advice!

    • Takeshi / JPRail.com says:
      May 14, 2017 at 10:37 am

      Hi Julie,

      Actually it’s not a big deal. You can go either Toya or Asahikawa. Trip time is not much different. It takes about 2 hours to go either Asahikawa or Lake Toya. But if you go to Asahikawa, you can get there with one train changes at Sapporo only. If you go to Lake Toya, you need to change trains at Minami-Chitose and then change from train to bus at Toya station. Asahikawa is a bit easier to access.

      Cheers,

      Takeshi / JPRail.com

  4. Angela Ng says:
    April 21, 2017 at 10:59 pm

    Hi, My family is planning a holiday to Hokkaido in Dec 2017, we need adv if the below itinerary is feasible:

    Day 1 – arrive New Chitose airport at 9am > transfer to JR train to Hakodate
    Day 2 – Hakodate
    Day 3 – Hakodate > Noboribetsu
    Day 4 – Noboribetsu > Sapporo
    Day 5 – Sapporo > day trip to Otaru
    Day 6 – Sapporo

    Planning to go direct to Hakodate on day 1, will it be too tiring (Travelling with kid – 7 years)?

    Appreciate any insights.

    • Takeshi / JPRail.com says:
      April 22, 2017 at 7:10 am

      Hi Angela,

      It takes about 4 hours from New Chitose to Hakondate including transfer time in Minami-Chitose. If you are okay with it, you can do it.

      By the way, there is Hokkaido rail pass available. But single fare ticket is cheaper than Hokkaido rail pass for your trip.

      Cheers,

      Takeshi / JPRail.com

  5. Linda says:
    April 18, 2017 at 10:52 pm

    Do you think i can use the baggage space of the U-seats to store my luggages even if I don’t have Hokkaido Rail Pass?

    I intend to travel 1) airport to Sapporo and back 2) sapporo to Noboribetsu and back 3) sapporo to asahikawa and back. When I calculated the fares (all non-reserved), it worked out to be cheaper than if i get a 4-flexible day Pass. Do correct me if I’m wrong.

    Thank you.

  6. lindsy says:
    April 5, 2017 at 1:51 am

    hi i would like to ask what is the best pass to get given the following route:

    new chitose airport – otaru
    otaru- sapporo
    sapporo – niseko
    niseko/ sapporo to new chitose airport.

    will hokkaido rail pass cover?
    thank you so much

  7. chelsea yak says:
    March 5, 2017 at 7:05 pm

    Hi Takeshi / JPRail.com, would you happens to know of any luggage delivery services (within a day) from New Chitose airport to Nakajima keon area? Thank you.

  8. Susanna says:
    March 2, 2017 at 3:02 pm

    I am looking to purchase a JR Rail Southern Hokkaido pass (includes Tokyo to Hakodate). Will it cover the train from Otaru to Chitose Airport?

  9. Jim says:
    February 4, 2017 at 4:33 am

    I tried to reserve seats on an early train (around 6am) from Sapporo to New Chitose Airport using my Hokkaido Rail Pass. The customer service agent said I need to pay extra regardless of if I want Reserved or Non-Reaerved seats. Do you know why? Is there a different train I should be taking? Thanks!

    • Takeshi / JPRail.com says:
      February 4, 2017 at 5:57 pm

      Hi Jim,

      I don’t understand what the agent meant. Hokkaido Rail Pass covers either reserved or non reserved on any trains in Hokkaido. Of course train from Sapporo to New Chitose is fully covered. You should book a seat because it’s completely different from non reserved seat. Non reserved seat is just commute train. But if you reserve a seat, it’s called “U seat” and looks like express train seat. Please try to book once more.

      Cheers,

      Takeshi / JPRail.com

      • SK Tiong says:
        March 6, 2017 at 6:24 pm

        May I know whether the train from New Chitose Airport to Tomamu, then to Furano is now running? (Previously stopped due to typhoon damage.)
        If no, when will that train route resume?
        If yes, what’s the time schedule like?
        TQ

        • Takeshi / JPRail.com says:
          March 6, 2017 at 8:47 pm

          Hi SK Tong,

          You can get Tomamu from New Chitose via Minami-Chitose. Please see the link below to find the timetable.
          http://www2.jrhokkaido.co.jp/global/english/ttable/03.pdf

          But when you go to Furano from Tomamu, you have to go back to Sapporo and take train to Takikawa and then Furano. We used to get Furano via Shintoku from Tomamu. But Shintoku-Furano segment is closed and this segment may be closed permanently because of low demand.

          Cheers,

          Takeshi / JPRail.com

  10. shazlin says:
    January 20, 2017 at 7:03 pm

    how can i travel from sounkyo (or asahikawa) to tomamu? without coming back to sapporo? cheapest way?

1…456789
Copied title and URL