Hokkaido Shinkansen – Traveling from Tokyo to Sapporo

One of Japan’s most famous symbols is the Shinkansen bullet train, a masterful piece of engineering and technology designed to link the capital to Japan’s major cities, with travel times of only a few hours.

However, one major city, Sapporo, Hokkaido’s largest city and one of Japan’s biggest urban centers, was long awkward to reach from Tokyo by rail. Trips to Hokkaido once meant a full-day train ride or an overnight sleeping car.

Since March 26, 2016, direct Hayabusa shinkansen services have linked Tokyo Station with Shin-Hakodate-Hokuto Station in southern Hokkaido in just under four hours at the fastest.

Hokkaido Shinkansen – Traveling from Tokyo to Sapporo

Hokkaido Shinkansen travel routes and times

Current route:

JR Tokyo – JR Shin-Hakodate-Hokuto by Hayabusa shinkansen;
change to a Ltd. Exp. Hokuto train bound for JR Sapporo

Note: The Hokkaido Shinkansen terminates at JR Shin-Hakodate-Hokuto Station. From there, Ltd. Exp. Hokuto trains connect to JR Sapporo in about 3 hours 30-40 minutes. The transfer gives travelers one rail route from Tokyo to Sapporo with a single change, but it is a long rail journey and schedules should be checked before departure.

Tokyo to Shin-Hakodate-Hokuto

Shin-Hakodate-Hokuto to Sapporo

via Ltd. Exp. Hokuto

Total from Tokyo to Sapporo

From Shin-Hakodate-Hokuto to Hakodate

The Hakodate Liner connects JR Shin-Hakodate-Hokuto Station with JR Hakodate on the Hakodate Main Line and is timed for Shinkansen connections.

Using Japan Rail Pass on Hokkaido Shinkansen

The Japan Rail Pass is valid on the Hokkaido Shinkansen route. Ordinary Japan Rail Pass holders can use ordinary reserved seats, and Green Japan Rail Pass holders can use Green Car seats according to the pass type. Seat reservations are required on Hayabusa and Hayate shinkansen services and on JR Hokkaido limited express trains. GranClass is not fully covered: the pass covers only the basic fare, so GranClass passengers must pay the limited express charge and GranClass surcharge separately.

New Hokkaido Shinkansen Gran Class – the ultimate luxury

Hokkaido Shinkansen Green Class (business class seats)

Hokkaido Shinkansen ordinary class seats – comfortable travel from Tokyo to Hokkaido

The Hokkaido Shinkansen is a major development for Japan’s already world-class rail system. Travelers can head north under the Tsugaru Strait separating Honshu from Hokkaido via the 53.85 km Seikan Tunnel, the world’s longest undersea railway tunnel.

Construction continues on the extension from Shin-Hakodate-Hokuto to Sapporo. Official project materials place completion and opening around the end of fiscal 2038, with the final date subject to construction risk. Once the line reaches Sapporo, the planned Shinkansen running time between Shin-Hakodate and Sapporo is about 1 hour 5 minutes for faster services and about 1 hour 13 minutes for stopping services. Until then, travelers continue from Shin-Hakodate-Hokuto to Sapporo by Ltd. Exp. Hokuto, which takes about 3 hours 30-40 minutes. See Hakodate Main Line article.

The economics of a full Tokyo-Sapporo Shinkansen route will continue to be debated until the Sapporo extension opens and fares are published. The competing air route is formidable: Tokyo Haneda-Sapporo New Chitose remains one of the world’s busiest domestic air corridors, with frequent flights and an airborne time of about 1 hour and 40 minutes. The rail journey has different advantages, including city-center station access, more space on board, and the appeal of watching northern Japan pass by the window, but it remains much longer than flying while the Shinkansen terminates at Shin-Hakodate-Hokuto.

Nevertheless, the prospect of linking Honshu and Hokkaido more directly by bullet train has been very appealing in terms of national pride and public works. Plus, Honshu residents (particularly those on corporate expense accounts) are more accustomed to jumping on the next train than to planning airfares weeks in advance and dealing with airport security. And one should never discount the palpable appeal of sitting back in a reclining train seat, with ample legroom, a book, and a box lunch, and watching northern Japan whoosh by the window. Especially compared to being strapped into an airplane seat, then braving a runway takeoff and a white-knuckle landing in inclement weather.

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Article by Dr. Debito Arudou. All rights reserved. Last updated 18-Aug-2026.