Traveling Between Sapporo and New Chitose Airport

Traveling between New Chitose Airport and Sapporo is easily done by train, bus, private transfer, taxi, or rental car.

JR Hokkaido’s Rapid Airport and Special Rapid Airport train services provide the fastest regular public transport, with the fastest services taking roughly 33-37 minutes.

Airport limousine buses cost more than the ordinary JR fare, but they run directly to and from some Sapporo hotel-area stops. If you want more freedom to explore the Hokkaido countryside, then you may prefer to rent a car and this is also easily done either at New Chitose Airport or in the area around Sapporo Station. In this article we will look at each of these travel options.

The Rapid Airport Service at New Chitose Airport Station

By Train

JR Hokkaido runs fast, reliable and regular Rapid Airport and Special Rapid Airport services between New Chitose Airport and Sapporo Station. During the daytime, Airport services run up to six times an hour, with departures from New Chitose Airport generally about every 10-12 minutes. The fastest services take roughly 33-37 minutes to cover the distance between those two destinations. This is the fastest way to travel between the airport and Sapporo and costs only 1,230 yen.

New Chitose Airport Railway Station

The Rapid Airport is a 6-car train and non-smoking throughout. Five cars have non-reserved seating which requires no extra fare, and Car 4 has reserved seating.

A reserved seat requires the basic fare plus a reserved-seat charge; JR Hokkaido lists this at 1,000 yen for a paper reserved-seat ticket, or 800 yen for the ticketless reserved-seat product. This may be worthwhile if you are carrying large suitcases as Car 4 has large baggage storage areas. Car 4’s seating also consists of spacious “u-seats” which are reclinable.

For more detailed information on the railway link between New Chitose Airport and Sapporo, please see our full article on the Rapid Airport service.

The ticket gates at New Chitose Airport Station

The railway station at New Chitose Airport is located in the basement of the domestic terminal building.

Ticket machines at New Chitose Airport Station

Tickets can be bought from automatic ticket machines which are located beside the ticket gates at New Chitose Airport Station. These machines are operated by a touch screen, have English guidance and are very easy to use. There is also a fare chart above the machines showing destinations and fares in both English and Japanese.

A ticket machine touch screen at New Chitose Airport

This station also has a ticket office where you can buy tickets and an information counter with multilingual staff who can help you with your travel enquiries in English, Chinese and Korean. At the ticket office you can buy tickets with major international bank cards such as VISA, MASTER CARD, American Express, and DINERS.

A tour counter, ticket office and information counter at New Chitose Airport Station

Travelers can also pass straight through the ticket gates using prepaid IC cards such as JR Hokkaido’s Kitaca card. Kitaca cards can be bought from ticket machines or ticket counters at any JR Hokkaido Station and can be used on any JR network in Japan. However, all the major regional cards such as JR East’s Suica card or JR West’s ICOCA card are compatible with each other and can also be used on JR Hokkaido railway lines. For more information, see our comprehensive guide to Japan’s IC card system.

Looking for a perfect place to stay? Read our guide: Where to stay in Sapporo

By Private Airport Transfer

Enjoy the convenience of a private driver from New Chitose Airport to Sapporo and save yourself the hassle of self driving, public transport, or catching a taxi.

Your driver will be waiting with a sign with your name on it so you can identify them easily. Relax in comfort in transit without worrying about missing your stop or directing your driver to your destination.

By Bus

There are regular airport limousine bus services that run between New Chitose Airport and various locations in Sapporo including Sapporo Station, Sapporo Beer Garden, Nakajima Park, and selected hotel-area stops. These services are run by the Hokuto Kotsu and Hokkaido Chuo Bus companies. For central Sapporo stops, the adult fare is generally 1,500 yen, and the trip usually takes around 70-90 minutes depending on the route, stop, traffic and weather conditions. The bus costs more than the ordinary JR fare, but it can be easier if it stops near your hotel. At New Chitose Airport bus ticket counters are located on the 1st floor of both the international and domestic terminals and bus stops are located outside both these terminals.

Bus ticket counters at New Chitose Airport

One advantage of taking an airport limousine bus is that there is plenty of storage space for your luggage. Another important point that could make your journey much easier is that many bus services run directly to certain designated Sapporo hotels. It is a good idea to check if your hotel is on the route of such a service. Operator timetables list stops such as Keio Plaza Hotel Sapporo, Grand Mercure Sapporo Odori Park, Sapporo Prince Hotel, ANA Crowne Plaza Hotel Sapporo, Sapporo Grand Hotel, Hotel Resol Trinity Sapporo, Hotel Abest Sapporo, and Premier Hotel Tsubaki, but stop patterns vary by route and direction. Check your hotel name and direction on the operator timetable before choosing the bus. For more details on bus stops and timetables please check the bus service information page on the New Chitose Airport website.

The rental car reception counters at New Chitose Airport

By Rental Car

Traveling by car is a good option if you plan to explore some of the more rural areas in Hokkaido that may be harder to access by train. By expressway, Sapporo is about 45 km from New Chitose Airport and the drive usually takes around 1 hour, depending on traffic and weather conditions. Expressway tolls depend on the route and interchange used, so treat them as something to check with your route planner rather than as a fixed add-on. There are rental car reception counters at New Chitose Airport on the first floor of the domestic and international terminals, but cars are generally picked up at nearby company offices reached by shuttle bus; cars are not handed over at the terminal curb. Several reputable car rental companies are represented. These include Nippon, Times, Nissan and Toyota; all of which have English websites that you can check in advance.

You can compare the rates and book a car rental online through our Car Rental in Sapporo search engine, it’s easy and fast to use!

Remember that most short-term visitors need a valid International Driving Permit issued under the 1949 Geneva Convention, together with their home license, in order to rent and drive a car in Japan. Drivers from certain countries or regions may instead be able to drive with their foreign license and an official Japanese translation, so check the National Police Agency or JAF rules before renting. If you are driving in winter, confirm winter tires and winter-driving equipment with the rental company before you set off. The simplest route from New Chitose Airport is to take the Hokkaido Expressway (also called the Do-O Expressway) from Chitose Interchange, change to the Sasson Expressway at Sapporo Junction, and leave the highway at Sapporo-Kita Interchange. However, once you have put your destination’s address into the rental car’s GPS satellite navigation system, it will show you the way.

By Taxi

It is possible to take a taxi between New Chitose Airport and Sapporo, but because of the distance most people would consider taking a taxi to be far too expensive. A regular taxi between New Chitose Airport and JR Sapporo Station usually takes around 60 minutes by expressway. For JR Sapporo Station, expect roughly 10,000-13,000 yen for the taxi fare, with expressway tolls charged separately. The exact fare, toll fares and the journey time will differ according to the destination, route, time of the journey, traffic conditions and weather conditions.

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It is possible to save some money by booking a fixed-fare taxi service in advance with MK Taxi. Fixed-fare airport taxis can be cheaper and calmer than a metered ride, but the fare depends on the Sapporo area and vehicle class. MK Taxi prices New Chitose Airport trips by Sapporo area, with tolls charged separately and an additional airport pickup parking charge. MK accepts web reservations until 17:00 the previous day; same-day phone bookings are listed as at least 1 hour before Sapporo-to-airport trips and 2 hours before airport-to-Sapporo trips. Before booking, check the company’s fare table, baggage table, and booking language options. You can make the booking by telephone (011-777-5058) or find further details on MK Taxi’s Japanese language website.

At New Chitose Airport the taxi ranks are located outside the 1st floor of the domestic and international terminals.

Staying Overnight at New Chitose Airport

If your plane arrives late at New Chitose Airport or you have an early departing flight you may need to stay overnight.

There are two hotels directly connected to New Chitose Airport: Portom International Hokkaido in the International Terminal Building, and Air Terminal Hotel on the domestic-terminal side. Use the official hotel websites for room availability and operating notices. Domestic and International terminals are connected by an indoor corridor, and both hotels are accessible landside.