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Sign inCompare flights, Shinkansen, highway buses and more by travel time, price and ease.
You either fly to Osaka or take the Shinkansen from Shinagawa. If you are already at the airport, flying is quicker: about 3 to 3.5 hours door to door. The Shinkansen takes about 4 hours, but runs far more often and is less affected by weather.
Fly from Narita to New Chitose Airport, then continue by bus or JR train. With good connections it takes about 6 to 7 hours from Narita. Snow often causes delays in winter, so leave slack in your plans for that day.
For most people the Tokaido Shinkansen is the quickest and easiest way. The Nozomi takes about 2 hr 15 min with no transfers. If you want to keep costs down, overnight highway buses are the alternative.
The Shinkansen and flights compete closely here, both taking roughly 2.5 to 3 hours. City centre to city centre, the Shinkansen is more convenient. If you start or finish near an airport, flying works well. Highway buses are the cheapest.
Two options need no transfers: the JR Haruka limited express (about 80 minutes) and the airport bus (about 90 minutes). Either is the easy choice with suitcases. To save money, take JR rapid trains with a change in Osaka.
The Nozomi takes about 4 hours from Tokyo to Hiroshima. Flying takes about the same once you add the trip from the airport into the city. Miyajima is roughly another hour from Hiroshima Station by JR train and ferry.
Flying is the practical choice. Haneda to New Chitose Airport takes about 1 hr 35 min, and the JR rapid train from the airport to Sapporo Station takes about 40 minutes: roughly 3.5 to 4 hours in total. By rail alone it takes 8 hours or more.
The Hokuriku Shinkansen runs direct, and the fast Kagayaki takes about 2.5 hours. You can also fly to Komatsu Airport, but once you add the trip into Kanazawa the Shinkansen almost always arrives sooner.
The Shinkansen takes about 2.5 hours from Shin-Osaka to Hakata. It runs direct and arrives in the middle of the city, which makes it the convenient choice for most people. To travel overnight, there are highway buses and a ferry.
The highway bus and the direct Fuji Excursion limited express both take about 2 hours. Buses are frequent and cheap, while the train is not affected by road traffic. Booking ahead is the safe choice for either.
Travel times, fares and crowd levels are estimates. This is not a timetable, so please check each operator's official site for actual departure times and fares.