The closest international airport to the Niseko Resort Area is New Chitose International Airport (CTS) also referred to as Sapporo Chitose (CTS). The airport is located in Chitose city which is 36km south east of Sapporo city and 115km east of the Niseko Resort Area. Information for New Chitose airport can be found here Chitose airport
What is the closet international and domestic airport to the Niseko Resort Area?
Which international airlines fly direct to Sapporo Chitose (CTS)?
- All Nippon Airways (excludes Australia and New Zealand)
- Cathay Pacific Airways
- Continental Micronesia
- EVA Air (Taiwan)
- Japan Airlines
- Korean Air
- Air China
I can’t get a direct flight to Sapporo Chitose (CTS), what other options are there?
Most people arrive in Japan via one of the two main international airports, Tokyo Narita (NRT) or Osaka Kansai (KIX). Most major airlines such as Qantas, Singapore Airlines etc and budget carriers such as Jetstar have regular flights to Tokyo and Osaka.
How do I get to Sapporo Chitose (CTS) from Tokyo Narita (NRT)?
Both ANA and JAL have a limited number of flights to Sapporo from Narita. If your international flight lands in Narita you will probably have to transfer to Tokyo Haneda Airport (HND).
How do I get to Tokyo Haneda (HND) from Tokyo Narita (NRT)?
There are direct shuttle buses that link Narita and Haneda airports. The cost is 3,000yen and the journey takes approximately 75 minutes depending on traffic. No need for prior reservations. More information can be found here: www.limousinebus.co.jp
How do I get to Sapporo Chitose (CTS) from Tokyo Haneda (HND)?
The Chitose-Tokyo route is the busiest domestic air route in Japan and one of the world’s busiest handling over 8 million passengers annually. The two major Japanese airlines ANA and JAL plus discount carriers Skymark, and AirDO operate on this route.
How do I get to Sapporo Chitose (CTS) from Osaka Kansai (KIX)?
The two major Japanese airlines ANA and JAL operate domestic flights daily from Osaka Kansai(KIX). Osaka has another airport that is also used for domestic flights called Itami Airport (ITM).
I arrive at Tokyo Narita (NRT) at 6pm can I make it to the Niseko Resort Area that night?
The last domestic flight from Narita (NRT)to Sapporo Chitose is 19:00.
The last flight from Haneda (HND) airport to Sapporo Chitose (CTS) is 23:30 which lands after the last train to Sapporo (22:50) and the last bus to the Niseko Resort Area (21:30 Skybus). Arriving in Chitose after the last train and bus your options are limited to staying in Chitose or a private shuttle to Niseko which needs to be arranged in advance.
The best option would be to spend a night in Tokyo near Haneda (HND) airport and catch a morning flight to Sapporo Chitose (CTS).
We need to fly out of Tokyo's Narita International airport at about 8pm. Can I get to Narita by 6:00pm from Niseko on the same day?
Yes you can get to Narita airport by 6pm from Niseko on the same day comfortably.
The earliest scheduled bus leaves for Chitose airport from Niseko at 8:20 and arrives Chitose 11:00am.
Flights from Chitose to Tokyo's domestic Haneda airport are very frequent. Departing every hour. The flight time is 90 minutes. They also have flights from Chitose to Tokyo's International Narita airport but are much less frequent.
From Haneda to Narita airport it's a 90 minute bus transfer which costs 3,000yen per-person. No reservations required. These buses (called Airport limousine) also leave very frequently.
If you manage to get a flight departing from Chitose to Haneda at 12:00, you will be able to get to Narita by 4:00pm comfortably. So a 6pm International departure from Nartia would be the earliest if you were to fly into Haneda from Chitose.
Lastly there is an alternative to the coach transfers from Niseko to Chitose airport which can get you to Chitose when ever you wish. Private transfers are 35,000yen one way for up to 5 passengers. And 45,000yen one way for up to 9 passengers.
Can you recommend any hotels near Haneda airport, Kansai airport, Chitose airport or Sapporo city?
Rakuten Travel has an English hotel finder that offers discounts for hotels throughout Japan. ANA has hotels near most major airports and there is a hotel inside Chitose airport.
How do I get to the Niseko Resort Area from Sapporo Chitose (CTS) Airport?
The most convenient way is via bus transfer. The journey will take between 2.5 hours and 3.5 hours depending on road conditions. If staying in Hirafu village please get off at the Hirafu Welcome Center (Hirafu #1 Parking lot)
The Hokkaido Access Network Resort Liner operates in winter from 9:30am to 21:30. Holiday Niseko is a booking agent for the Resort Liner and we can arrange your transfers with them.
Skybus offers direct shuttles and private charters between 12pm and 21:00 to the Niseko Resort Area and has an online English booking service.
Chuo and Donan bus companies operate between 8:45am and 15:30. Their schedules and bus counter information can be found here.
What options are available for late flight arrivals or early flight departures?
If your plane arrives after 8:40pm Skybus operates a late bus departing at 22:30. Other choices are private transfer, car rental or to stay in Sapporo city or Chitose city for the night.
If your plane departs before 11:45am it is possible to catch a train to the airport. The earliest train departs Kutchan station at 5:22am and arrives at the airport around 8:30am. (You will have to take a taxi from the Niseko Resort Area to Kutchan Station.)
Skybus has a private transfer option to the airport.
Staying a night in Sapporo city or Chitose city and taking the train to the airport in the morning is also an option. From downtown Sapporo city to Chitose airport the fastest and least expensive way to get there is by train. The cost is 1,040yen for adults. The earliest train departing Sapporo station to Chitose airport is at 6:00 am, arriving at the airport ay 6:48am. This will leave you enough time to check in comfortably for domestic flights departing as early as 7:30am.
What about driving a rental car to the Niseko Resort Area?
If you have a recognized valid international driver’s license then there are a large number of car rental firms at the airport to choose from. Toyota rent a car and Nippon rent a car have English online booking services. More information about driving in Japan can be found here. Japan Guide
I have a Japan Rail (JR) Pass. How do I get to the Niseko Resort Area?
Use this link to help plan: JR Planner. The main train station that services the Niseko Resort Area is Kutchan (8km from the resort). Please do not use Niseko or Hirafu station as the train rarely stops at Hirafu and Niseko station is further away from Hirafu Niseko than Kutchan.
I have a JR Pass can I activate it in the Niseko Resort Area?
No. You can turn in the exchange order any time after arrival in Japan at any of Japan Rail’s exchange offices and you can specify any date on which you wish the pass to start.
I need to know the difference between Skybus Transfers and the Hokkaido Access Resort Liner other than the price. Is the travel time the same? i.e. app 2.5hrs and what is the pick up time?
Skybus most of the time use smaller buses and do not stop halfway between the trip for a refreshment stop. Because of this Skybus is a little faster than the Resort Liner coach service. Resort Liner use full size coaches and take about 3 hours, Skybus about 15 to 30 minutes less.
The Resort Liner departs for Niseko from Chitose airport 10 times a day between 09:30 and 21:30. Skybus departs for Niseko from Chitose airport 6 times a day between 12:00 and 21:30.
When Skybus arrives into Niseko they transfer you into a smaller vehicle that then goes to your accommodation. For the Resort Liner coach, it stops at the main bus stop (Hirafu parking lot#1) and we meet you there and take you down to your accommodation free of charge.
Is Hirafu parking lot #1 the closest to our apartment? If so about how far? Can we walk it?
Yes the Hirafu parking lot#1 bus stop is the closest to all our accommodation. It is the main bus stop in Niseko Hirafu and is within 1km from most all our peoperties in the main village of Hirafu. We pick all our guests up there free of charge. We'll be holding a sign with your name on it and driving white vans with green Holiday Niseko logos.
Often the bus is not on time due to road conditions. If we aren't there when you arrive, please go into the building the bus stops at (called the Welcome Center) tell the staff you booked with Holiday Niseko and they'll call us and we'll be up within 5 minutes. We also drop our guests off there as well when they depart.
Our flights are looking like we would land at 10:05 pm Sat Night into Chitose airprt. So it doesn’t look like we would have many transfer options. And it seems expensive for late night transport. Do you have any suggestions?
Yes late night transfers are expensive, the latest one is 10:30 with Skybus at 7,000yen per-person one way. Or you can do a private charter for your group which will leave anytime you wish for 35,000yen for up to 5 people and 45,000yen for up to 9 people one way.
If you'd rather not take the private transfer we suggest spending a night in Chitose or Sapporo city then coming to Niseko in the morning. If you want to get to Niseko as early as possible staying at Sapporo would be the go as trains depart from Sapporo for Niseko as early as 06:51 getting to Niseko (Kutchan station) at 07:50. From Chitose airport it takes 36 minutes to get to Sapporo station. If you stay at Chitose the only direct transfer option to Niseko is the bus, the earliest bus departs for Niseko at 9:30 arriving at 12:00. If you choose to stay in Sapporo then we suggest staying near Sapporo station. If you choose to stay in Chitose then stay near the airport or Chitose train station in Chitose city, a ten minute train/taxi ride from the airport.
Do you need a car to access the 3 resorts included on the lift pass?
You do not need a car to access all areas of the Niseko united ski area. The ski areas are interlinked by lifts at the top of the mountain, so you can access all areas on skis by going to the top lifts, then traversing over to the next door resort. Also at the bottom of each resort there is a free bus that interlinks the resorts at the bottom.