How to get to Takayama by a train and a bus

TakayamaChubu Area
Preserved path in Takayama. It is very popular tourist district in Takayama.
Takayama Old Town is very popular tourist district.

Takayama is one of the most popular destinations for overseas travelers. Especially spring and fall seasons are very popular since the festivals are held. This city is also known as the gateway to UNESCO World Heritage Site, Shirakawago.
I would like to tell you about the access to Takayama in this post.

Overview

Takayama access map. Click to enlarge. (C) JP Rail
Takayama access map. Click to view large. (C) JP Rail

Takayama is a small town but it is one of most popular tourist places in Japan in these days. The old preserved district is busy in all season. Please watch the movie below about this charming old town:

This town is located in the middle of Nagoya, Toyama, Kanazawa and Matsumoto.

Nagoya is most common gateway station to get Takayama. But there are some more ways to access to Takayama, such as Kanazawa, Toyama and Matsumoto. I would like to show you the ways to get Takayama.

Access from Tokyo, Nagoya and many other cities by the limited express Wide View Hida

Limited Express Wide View Hida at Takayama station
Limited Express Wide View Hida at Takayama station

Nagoya can be reached by the Shinkansen from Tokyo, Shin-Yokohama, Kyoto, Shin-Osaka and many more stations on the Tokaido Shinkansen easily and directly. This route is fully covered by JR Pass.

Most of travellers take the limited express Wide View Hida from Nagoya to Takayama. Travel time is 2.5 hours to get Takayama from Nagoya. This train departs from Nagoya almost every one hour. Please see the post, below to find more information about the limited express Wide Veiw Hida:

And you can get more information about Nagoya station in the link below:

Access from Osaka by the limited express Wide View Hida

There is only one round trip to Takayama from Osaka directly. Please find the timetable in the link below:

Due to COVID-19, it may be operated on a schedule different from the normal timetable. Check the train schedule on Hyperdia.
Hyperdia perfect guide, train timetable and route search engine

If you can catch this train, it is convenient. But it is only one round trip a day. Most of travelers take the Shinkansen to Nagoya and transfer to the limited express Wide View Hida.

Access from Toyama by the limited express Wide View Hida

Gassho style housing in Shirakawago.

If you travel in Hokuriku region, you may get on the limited express Wide View Hida from Toyama. Travel time is 1.5 hours. However there are only 4 round trips a day. There are local trains too. But there is no local trains that connects Toyama and Takayama directly, And also it is very slow. Please check the timetable in the link below:

Due to COVID-19, it may be operated on a schedule different from the normal timetable. Check the train schedule on Hyperdia.
Hyperdia perfect guide, train timetable and route search engine

Access from Kanazawa or Toyama via Shirakawago by Nohi bus

Nohi bus has the biggest network in this area.
Nohi bus has the biggest network in this area.

This route is not a train trip and is not covered by JR Pass. But Takayama Hokuriku Area Tourist Pass covers this bus service. This is very popular route because Shirakawago is located on the way. If you have a plan to go to Shirakawago, you may consider about visiting Shirakawago and Kanazawa. Please see the link below to find the timetable and the fare of Nohi bus:

Nohi Bus official site

The following posts also may help you to build your trip plan:

How to access to Shirakawago from Takayama, Kanazawa, Takaoka and Toyama.
How to access Kanazawa from Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto, Nagoya, Yokohama, Hiroshima, Hakata and many more places. Which route is the fastest and the cheapest?

Access from Matsumoto by bus

This route is not a train trip and is not covered by JR Pass either. But if you want to access to Takayama from Nagano or Matsumoto, you may use this route. This bus service is also operated by Nohi bus:

Nohi Bus official site

This route is not covered by Takayama Hokuriku Area Tourist Pass either.

I traveled from Matsumoto to Takayama via Shin-Hotaka by this bus. Please find my trip report in the movie below. You can find the interior of the bus, the scenery and the bus stops on the way.

Takayama station and Takayama bus terminal

Both the station and the bus terminal are located side by side.

Takayama station and Nohi bus Takayama Bust Terminal (behind the staiton building)

Takayama station is very small. It has only two platforms and three tracks. The station building is very small and it has only one ticket gate.

Please watch the movie below to see whole Takayama station and the bus terminal:

Overview of Takayama station
Overview of Takayama station

There are many bus services from Nohi Bus Takayama bus terminal. You can catch the bus to Shirakawago, Kanazawa, Matsumoto, Shin-Hotaka at this bus terminal.

Takayama bus terminal
Takayama bus terminal
Bus stops are located in front of bus terminal.
Bus stops are located in front of bus terminal.
Ticket window in bus terminal
Ticket window in bus terminal
Convenience store is in the terminal building.
Convenience store is in the terminal building.

I hope this post helped you to build your trip plan to Takayama.

Comments

  1. Amy B. says:

    Hey,

    I will be travelling from Matsumoto to Takayama to Kanazawa in Early December (between 6 – 19th). If possible, could you please confirm that 1) one or more buses between these towns are operational during this time; 2) Is it necessary to book a ticket a couple of days in advance or just on the day? 3) As I do not speak Japanese, should I provide a note in Japanese to assist in buying a bus ticket?

    Thanks so much!

  2. Smile says:

    Hi Takeshi,

    I will be arriving in Nagoya in Oct, staying for 3 nights then going to Takayama (staying for 2 nights), then do a day trip to Shiragawago, and then travel to Kanazawa staying for 2 nights, and then going to Kyoto. I am thinking to buy the 5 days Takayama-Hokuriku pass, which I will activate it when I reach Takayama. This pass will allow me to use the Nohi bus to go to Shiragawago, and also to Takayama, and also covers the JR tain to Kyoto? I believe this should be more worth it then going by regular JR train? I understand that the JR Takayama line is suspended from Takayama to Toyama to Kanazawa. Therefore I can only ride the bus from Takayama to Kanazawa.

    • Hi Smile,

      I think you can start using Takayama Hokuriku area pass when you leave Nagoya. You can take Limited Express Wide View Hida from Nagoya to Takayama. It covers Nohi bus and Limited Express Thunderbird from Kanazawa to Kyoto. Of course you can use this pass and you can get the worth of it easily.

      Cheers,

      Takeshi / JPRail.com

      • Smile says:

        Thank you Takeshi!
        How do I reserve seats for Nohi bus? I will need to buy the Takayama-Hokuriku pass first? Then call Nohi bus?

        Also, from what I read online, the JR Takayama line is suspended from Takayama to Toyama to Kanazawa until late November 2018. That was what I can see from the English website. Can you please double confirm to me if that’s the case?
        Thank you very much again!

        • Hi Smile,

          Actually I’m not sure that you have to prove the pass holder or not when you make a reservation for Nohi bus over the phone. But you can book within one month. You cannot book a seat for Nohi bus for later than one month. So you may get the pass first.

          Train does not run a part of the segment between Toyama and Takayama. You have to take a substitute bus. You may take Nohi bus to Kanazawa too if you like. Please see the link below to find the info about the substitute bus.
          https://jprail.com/train-operation-status

          Cheers,

          Takeshi / JPRail.com

          • Smile says:

            Hi Takeshi,

            Using the Takayama Hokuriku pass, which will allow me to take the JR Thunderbird limited express from Kanazawa to Kyoto, how do I reserve a seat? By calling well in advance? Or I can only reserve at the JR station?

            Thanks for your help!

            • Hi Smile,

              Unfortunately you cannot book a seat on any JR trains online and making a call before you arrive in Japan. Please book it when you exchange the pass after arrival in Japan.

              Cheers,

              Takeshi / JPRail.com

  3. Stephen Gosden says:

    In October, we are travelling by bus from Nagoya to Takayama on the 13th, then to Gujo Hachiman on the 14th and back to Nagoya on the 15th.

    Can we use a return bus ticket to Takayama (valid for 4 days) breaking our journey in Gujo Hachiman for a day, or do we need a 4-coupon ticket, which is more expensive?

  4. Robert says:

    Hi Takeshi San,

    Very usefull web page – Congrats! I’d like to ask one question. I will be in Japan in August and for >3 weeks. I’ve already bought JPRail Passes. And now I try to plan my full itinerary and logistic of train travelling using hyperdia.com. The question is – how to recognize which train is covered by JPRail Pass and which is not? Very often you receive the combination of few trains (like this query for a trip Kyoto-Takayama: http://www.hyperdia.com/en/cgi/en/search.html?dep_node=KYOTO&arv_node=TAKAYAMA&via_node01=&via_node02=&via_node03=&year=2018&month=08&day=19&hour=10&minute=00&search_type=0&search_way=&transtime=undefined&sort=0&max_route=5&faretype=0&ship=off&lmlimit=null&search_target=route&facility=reserved&sum_target=7) and there is no chance to verify this. Do you have any way to resolve it? Maybe is there another web system covering this kind of information? Or should I check any single train? Best, Robert

  5. joyce says:

    Hello,

    We are arriving at chubu int’l airport at 830pm, is there a way to go straight to toyama for the kurobe alpine route? and also from Toyama to Takayama

  6. Ely says:

    Hi Takeshi.
    We are a family of 5 arriving Nagoya on May 12 and will like to go directly to Takayama for the Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Tour the following day.
    Can you please tell me the best way to get to Takayama from Nagoya?
    Thanks.

  7. Mega says:

    Hi
    I will go to Takayama from Tokyo
    When i search the route via Hyperdia, it said took the Shinkansen Kagayaki 503 from Tokyo to Toyama, from Toyama use the Ltd exp wida no. 8 to Takayama

    My questions are: s it cover by JR Pass to use the Ltd exp wida train? How to book the train from Toyama to Takayama?

    Please advice

    Thx

    • Hi Mega,

      Both trains are covered. You can book Wide View Hida at any JR stations which have the reservation window. In Tokyo, most of stations have the window. You can book both Kagayaki and Wide View Hida at same time.

      Cheers,

      Takeshi / JPRail.com

  8. Anna says:

    Is it possible to catch a direct train from Takayama to Osaka Kansai to arrive on time to catch a flight the same afternoon at 4.40 pm for Kuala Lumpur?

  9. Amy says:

    Hello, I will be travelling from Matsumoto to Hirayu Onsen, where I will spend one night. The next day I will travel from Hirayu Onsen to Takayama. Please could you tell me how to buy bus tickets for these two journeys? Thanks, Amy

  10. Teri Yum says:

    Hello Takeshi,
    Need advise on which JR Pass to purchase if would like to travel from Osaka to Takayama , Takayama to Shirakawago and return back to Osaka. Should I just get a return Shinkansen ticket or JR Pass, which would be cheaper ?

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