Hakuba Happo Bus Terminal

Last Updated:September 10, 2024

Located at the entrance to the Hakuba Happo-One village, the Hakuba Happo Bus Terminal is conveniently placed within easy walking distance of my hotels and guesthouses, restaurants, cafes and bars. Importantly, the bus terminal is also within 10 minutes-walk of the Hakuba Happo-One ski fields and gondola and main transport hub when moving around the ski resorts of Hakuba Valley. At its busiest during winter, the chances are you will pass through the bus terminal at some point during your stay. On this page you will find the following information:

— Bus Services To & From the Bus Terminal

— Services & Facilities at the Bus Terminal

— Snow Monkey Resorts Tour Pick-up Point

— How to Get to Hakuba

— Accommodation & Ski Packages in Hakuba

— Hakuba Valley Ski Resorts: The Stats & Facts

— Book With Us! Transport & Tours in Nagano

Ten resorts make-up the grouping of Hakuba Valley ski resorts, offering visitors some of Asia’s best skiing and snowboarding, Well-setup to cater to the needs and tastes of international visitors, you’ll have no trouble find accommodation along with some of the best dining and nightlife of any ski fields in Japan. For suggestions of what’s on offer including accommodation listings, see our ’25 Things to Do Around Hakuba & Where to Stay’ page.

The following page outlines the services and facilities available at the bus terminal. It is important to note that the Hakuba Happo Bus Terminal is separate to Hakuba Station – a 5 to 10-minute drive or 30-minute walk in winter (depending on weather and road conditions). As such, Hakuba Station is the nearest station and there are no train services to or from the bus terminal.

BUS SERVICES TO & FROM THE BUS TERMINAL

Several bus services operate to and from the bus terminal including:

1 / Hakuba Express Bus from / to Nagano Station

2 / Hakuba Express Bus from / to the Tokyo Airports

3 / Hakuba Express Bus from / to Shinjuku Station, Tokyo

4 / Local Bus Services including the Hakuba Shuttle Bus

Services are easy to use. We hope the following information is of assistance:

HAKUBA EXPRESS BUS FROM / TO NAGANO STATION

Many visitors to Hakuba will make the journey from and to Nagano Station. As a convenient stop on the Hokuriku Shinkansen Line, Nagano is readily accessible from Tokyo and its airports. Once at Nagano Station, the Hakuba Express Bus service runs to and from the Hakuba Happo Bus Terminal. Regular services – with an increased timetable in winter – run between the Hakuba and the station. The journey takes 75 to 80 minutes and costs JPY2200 per adult (12+), JPY1100 per child (6-11) and children under 6 are free of charge. For full details, please refer to our ‘ALPICO Hakuba Express Bus’ page. These are large buses with room for up to 44 passengers and plenty of luggage space underneath for suitcases along with ski and snowboard gear. To check the bus schedule, please refer to our ‘ALPICO Hakuba Express Bus Timetable’ page.

HAKUBA EXPRESS BUS FROM / TO THE TOKYO AIRPORTS

From mid-December until mid-March, Alpico operates express buses from both Tokyo airports – Narita and Haneda – to Hakuba. One service per day takes around 6 hours to make the journey and cost:

From Narita Airport – pickup is available at Terminals 1 to 3 with drop-off available at Hakuba Goryu, Hakuba Station and the Hakuba Happo Bus Terminal. A one-way journey costs: JPY9800 per adult (12+), JPY7800 per child (6-11) and children under 6 are free of charge. For full details, please refer to Alpico’s timetables and fares page.

From Haneda Airport – pickup is available at airport’s International Terminal with drop-off available at Hakuba Goryu, Hakuba Station and the Hakuba Happo Bus Terminal. A one-way journey costs: JPY9300 per adult (12+), JPY7300 per child (6-11) and children under 6 are free of charge. For full details, please refer to Alpico’s timetables and fares page.

HAKUBA EXPRESS BUS FROM / TO SHINJUKU STATION

Alpico operates daily services to and from the Shinjuku Expressway Bus Terminal (adjoining Shinjuku Station) in Tokyo. From the Hakuba Happo Bus Terminal, the earliest service departs at 07:00 and the latest departs at 18:00. Buses take just under 5.5 hours to make the journey and cost JPY5200 per adult (12+), JPY2600 per child (6-11) and children under 6 are free of charge. These are large buses with room for up to 44 passengers and plenty of luggage space underneath for suitcases along with ski and snowboard gear. Tickets are bought at the ticket desk inside the bus terminal from 06:00 to 18:00. For full details, please refer to Alpico’s timetables and fares page.

LOCAL BUS SERVICES INC. THE HAKUBA SHUTTLE BUS

Several local bus services operate to and from the bus terminal. For visitors in winter, the Hakuba Shuttle Bus runs between the main ski resorts of the Hakuba Valley, with almost all services stopping at the bus terminal.

A one-way fare costs JPY510 for adults and JPY260 for children however holders of the common ‘Hakuba Valley Ticket’ – which covers all ski resorts in the valley, can use the shuttle bus free of charge during the day. For an overview of the most popular resorts in Hakuba , including information about the Hakuba Valley Ticket, see our ‘Hakuba Valley Ski Resorts’ page. Expect the following travel times from the bus terminal:

Hakuba Happo One Snow Resort is located within walking distance of the bus terminal. The bottom slopes and gondola of Happo One can be reached on-foot in between 5 to 10-minutes or a short taxi-ride.

ABLE Hakuba Goryu Snow Resort is located around 6km to the south of the bus terminal. The shuttle bus takes around 35-minutes to reach Hakuba Goryu with taxis be a faster option, taking around 15 to 20-minutes.

Hakuba 47 Winter Sports Park is also to the south of the bus terminal. The shuttle bus takes around 25-minutes to reach Hakuba 47. A taxi-ride to 47 from the bus terminal takes around 10 to 15-minutes.

Hakuba Iwatake Snow Field is only 3.5km from the bus terminal. The shuttle bus takes under 20-minutes to reach Hakuba Iwatake, alternatively a taxi takes around around 10-minutes.

Hakuba Tsugaike Kogen Ski Resort takes between 20 to 35-minutes to reach using the shuttle bus (depending on the number of stops included in the specific service you choose) or around 15 to 20-minutes by taxi.

Hakuba Norikura Onsen Snow Resort is around 25 to 30-minutes from the bus terminal, when using the shuttle bus. Taxis are likely to take a similar amount of time, between 20 to 25-minutes.

Hakuba Cortina Snow Resort is the most northern resort in Hakuba Valley, taking around 40-minutes to reach using the shuttle bus. A taxi-ride from the bus terminal to the resort is likely to take around 25 to 30-minutes – a good option if you are traveling as a group.

Click the image above or see our ‘Hakuba Shuttle Bus’ page for details of available services from December to March, including timetables. For an overview of the most popular resorts in Hakuba, please see our ‘Hakuba Valley Ski Resorts’ page.

SERVICES & FACILITIES AT THE BUS TERMINAL

The Hakuba Happo Bus Terminal is split over two levels and includes/provides the following on the first/ground floor: Free Wi-Fi / ATM / Coin lockers / Public toilets / Foreign currency exchange / Ticket desk (see below) / Small souvenir shop / Café open 08:30 to 16:30 from mid-Dec. until late-Mar. On the second floor, a Montbell Shop sells outdoor clothing and gear. In green season – from May until October – rental bicycles are also available and can be arranged at the ticket and tour desk inside the terminal. Taxis are available immediately outside the bus terminal.

TICKET DESK & TOURIST INFORMATION

In winter, the ticket desk opens at 06:00 and remains open until 18:00 to sell bus tickets. The general ticket desk operates from 08:00 and 17:00 and sells lift passes, season passes and more. English-speaking staff are always on-hand through winter and usually available in green season. Please note that at this time, our tours cannot be booked at the bus terminal but are instead booked via this/the Snow Monkey Resorts website.

SNOW MONKEY RESORTS TOUR PICK-UP POINT

1 Day Tour

1-Day Tour: Snow Monkeys, Zenkoji Temple & Sake in Nagano

Period	All Year Round
Time	09:35 – 17:35
Meeting Place	Nagano Station Hakuba (winter only)
Adult Rate	¥17,800
Child Rate	¥11,000

Through winter, we operate a winter shuttle from Hakuba – including pick-up and drop-off at the bus terminal – for several of our tours. Please check the specific tour including its start time and exact pickup point as described on the tour page. We ask that guests wait inside the bus terminal and look-out for our staff member with the Snow Monkey Resorts sign (pictured below).

Please note, our tours cannot be booked at the bus terminal but are instead booked via this/the Snow Monkey Resorts website.

HOW TO GET TO HAKUBA

Hakuba lies around one hour to the west of Nagano City and can be easily reached using buses from Nagano Station and the Tokyo airports, by train, by car or by arranging private transport straight to your accommodation. Our ‘How To Get To Hakuba’ page explains how to reach the valley from different areas of Japan.

ACCOMMODATION & SKI PACKAGES IN HAKUBA

Based in Nagano and operating all year round, we are a registered travel agent, tour and charter operator offering a full-suite of winter services including ski/snowboard packages, accommodation, lift passes, private charters and a range of tours including both group and private options covering the resorts of Hakuba. Hakuba boasts the most services for English-speaking visitors and huge range of accommodation including plenty of mid to high-end options, shopping, restaurants and nightlife. Always popular, it pays to book early – PLAN & BOOK IN HAKUBA NOW!

HAKUBA VALLEY SKI RESORTS: THE STATS & FACTS

Located around 45km to the west of Nagano City, the resorts of Hakuba are the most popular and international in the region. The ten resorts collectively referred to as ‘Hakuba Valley’, range in size and appeal with the most popular destinations for international visitors including Hakuba Happo One along with the joint resorts of Hakuba Goryu/47 and Hakuba Cortina/Norikura. Hakuba offers something for everyone including the best backcountry in Nagano and the most services for English and other foreign language-speakers. For a complete run-down of what’s on offer in Hakuba, see our ‘Hakuba Valley Ski Resorts’ page.

BOOK WITH US! TRANSPORT & TOURS IN NAGANO

Snow Monkey Resorts is Nagano’s No.1 tour and charter operator. We have the local knowledge of where and when to go, to help you discover and enjoy the region’s many ski resorts and other fantastic destinations and activities.

For guests wanting to access the resorts in the comfort of their own transport, we can arrange a private tour or charter customised to fit your needs, starting and ending at any destination including from/to Nagano Station and any resort in the region. Our drivers and vehicles are fully certified, allowing us to transport you to and from your preferred destinations in combination with any activity that suits your schedule.

All vehicles are fitted with a protective screen – separating the driver from passenger and luggage area – and our drivers wear protective masks, allowing you to move between your destinations in comfort and safety.We can arrange both private tours with an English-speaking guide or a private charter, including a private vehicle and driver but without a guide. We’d love to be part of that experience and help you discover even more!

Why choose us?

Awarded a 2022 TripAdvisor Travelers’ Choice Award for our 1-Day Snow Monkeys, Zenko-ji Temple & Sake Tour – recognised as one of the Top 10 Experiences in Japan – we have the local knowledge and experience to help you get the most out of your time in Japan.