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Hakuba to Narita and Haneda Airports Without a Car

Which airport to fly into, the winter shuttle, the night bus and the train via Tokyo, plus what to do with skis and suitcases.

Researched & written byRural Japan GuidesHow I researchSources11 sourceslisted at the endLast checkedDetails can change — check the official site before you travel.Read6 min
The Narita International Airport sign in Japanese on top of a terminal building, behind a row of green trees

Narita Airport, one of the two Tokyo airports this guide covers. Photo: Khronos-dolls / Wikimedia Commons / CC0

The short answer
  • Hakuba has no airport of its own, and international flights to Tokyo land at Narita or Haneda. In winter 2026–27 a shuttle sold as the Nagano Snow Shuttle runs both ways between Hakuba and each airport via Nagano from December 19 (¥13,400 for Narita, ¥12,900 for Haneda, before tax).
  • Alpico's own Narita – Hakuba bus did not run in winter 2025–26, and no 2026–27 service had been announced on October 24, 2026.
  • All year, the other way is to get into Tokyo first (41 minutes to Ueno on the Skyliner, about 30 minutes from Haneda to Tokyo Station) and then take the train to Hakuba; from Narita there is also a night bus to Nagano.
My pick

In ski season, book the airport shuttle. The rest of the year, go via Tokyo.

From December 19 the shuttle runs between Hakuba and both airports by way of Nagano; daytime trips take 5 hr 45 min to 6 hr 40 min on its timetable.

Outside its dates, take the Skyliner from Narita, or the Keikyu or Tokyo Monorail from Haneda, into Tokyo and follow my Tokyo to Hakuba guide from there.

  1. 1Airport shuttleWinter only, from Dec 19; ¥12,900–13,400 before tax
  2. 2Train via TokyoAll year; airport to Tokyo, then the train to Hakuba
  3. 3Night bus to NaganoNarita only; fare not confirmed

Hakuba has no airport of its own. This guide covers the trip from Tokyo's two international airports, Narita and Haneda: the winter shuttle to Hakuba, the night bus from Narita to Nagano, and getting from each airport into Tokyo for the train. Details are from the operators' and sellers' pages, checked on October 21, 2026; I checked the shuttle and Alpico pages again on October 24.

For the train from Tokyo to Hakuba itself, see my Tokyo to Hakuba by train guide. For getting around once you are there, see Hakuba without a car.

The options compared

Option Airports Time Fare Season
1. Airport shuttle Narita, Haneda 4 hr 25 min – 6 hr 40 min ¥12,900–13,400 + tax Dec 19 – Mar 7
2. Alpico airport bus Narita — — 2026–27 not announced
3. Night bus to Nagano Narita 9 hr 48 min to Nagano — —
4. Train via Tokyo Both Airport to Tokyo, then the train — All year

"—" means not confirmed. Shuttle times are from its timetable; the night trips are the shortest. The night bus time is from Narita Terminal 3 to Nagano Station, and you then need the bus to Hakuba.

Option 1: the winter airport shuttle

Airport shuttle — winter 2026–27

  1. Book online, one booking from the airport to Hakuba.
  2. The route goes via Nagano.
Why pick itone booking from the airport to Hakuba, with no train tickets to buy.
Watch outwinter only, fares are before tax, and some 2026–27 routes were still waiting for final approval.

The shuttle is sold as the Nagano Snow Shuttle. Its information page says bookings for winter 2026–27 are open, and the booking site sells the trips as travel packages from JHN Travel Ltd. Neither page names the bus company, and the booking site notes that some 2026–27 routes are subject to final operating approval.

From the airports to Hakuba

From Leaves Arrives Hakuba Fare (before tax) Runs
Haneda 7:45 13:45 ¥12,900 Dec 26 – Mar 7
Haneda 8:00 13:45 ¥12,900 Dec 26 – Mar 7
Narita 9:30 16:10 ¥13,400 Dec 19 – Mar 7
Haneda 10:15 16:00 ¥12,900 Dec 19 – Mar 7
Narita 20:30 1:40 (next day) ¥13,400 Dec 26 – Mar 7
Haneda 21:15 1:40 (next day) ¥12,900 Jan 9 – Feb 28

From Hakuba to the airports

To Leaves Hakuba Arrives Fare (before tax) Runs
Narita 9:00 15:40 ¥13,400 Dec 26 – Mar 7
Haneda 9:10 15:35 ¥12,900 Dec 26 – Mar 7
Narita 10:30 17:10 ¥13,400 Dec 19 – Mar 7
Haneda 10:40 17:05 ¥12,900 Dec 19 – Mar 7
Haneda 12:30 18:55 ¥12,900 Jan 9 – Feb 28
  • Time: the page says 5.5 to 6.5 hours is usual. On its timetable, daytime trips take 5 hr 45 min to 6 hr 40 min, and the night trips to Hakuba 4 hr 25 min and 5 hr 10 min.
  • After you land: allow at least 1 hr at Narita Terminal 2 or 1 hr 25 min at Terminals 1 and 3; at Haneda, 1 hr at Terminal 3 or 1 hr 15 min at Terminals 1 and 2.
  • Where it stops in Hakuba: the stops are on a separate page that I have not checked yet. Ask when you book.

The timetable lists dates without a year; the page presents them as the 2026–27 season.

Option 2: Alpico's airport bus (not announced)

Alpico, a Nagano bus company, used to run its own bus from Narita to Hakuba. Its Narita route page says there is no bus this 2025–2026 winter season, and on October 24, 2026 there was no notice about 2026–27. If it returns, I will add it here.

Option 3: the night bus from Narita to Nagano

Night bus — Narita to Nagano

  1. Narita Terminal 3 20:45, Terminal 2 20:50, Terminal 1 20:55.
  2. Arrives at Nagano Station at 6:33, then take the Alpico express bus to Hakuba.
Why pick itit saves a night in Tokyo if you land in the afternoon.
Watch outreserved seats only, the fare is not confirmed and the timetable on the page dates from 2022.

Keisei Bus and Alpico run an overnight bus between Narita Airport and Nagano, through Ueno, Tokyo Station (Yaesu) and Matsumoto.

Stop To Nagano To Narita
Narita Terminal 3 20:45 8:30
Narita Terminal 2 20:50 8:35
Narita Terminal 1 20:55 8:40
Matsumoto Bus Terminal 5:21 23:15
Nagano Station 6:33 22:00
  • Booking: reserved seats only, from one month before the travel date. Online booking is on Japanese booking sites, and the Narita arrival-lobby counter sells same-day tickets only.
  • Fare: the fare table on the page is an image, and I could not confirm it.
  • Timetable: the page shows a timetable revised on September 26, 2022. Check it again before you book.
  • On to Hakuba: the Alpico express bus leaves from Nagano Station's east exit. On the current timetable, which Alpico plans to run until November 30, 2026, the fare to Hakuba Happo is ¥2,900, and Alpico lists 1 hr 10 min to 2 hr 5 min. The 2026–27 winter timetable had not been posted on October 24, 2026; last winter some buses were reservation-only. Details are in my Matsumoto to Hakuba guide.

Option 4: into Tokyo, then the train

From either airport you can go into Tokyo and take the train to Hakuba. This runs all year and suits trips outside the shuttle dates.

From To Time
Narita Keisei Ueno (Skyliner) 41 min at fastest
Haneda Shinagawa (Keikyu) About 15 min
Haneda Hamamatsucho (Tokyo Monorail) About 20 min
Haneda Tokyo Station About 30 min
A white and red Narita Express train passing apartment blocks in Tokyo at night
A Narita Express train near Shibuya. This guide covers the Skyliner from Narita instead.Photo: Syced / Wikimedia Commons / CC0
  • Narita: Keisei says the Skyliner reaches central Tokyo in as little as 36 minutes and Keisei Ueno in 41 minutes. I have not confirmed the fare yet.
  • Haneda: the airport's own page gives the times above and sends you to Keikyu and Tokyo Monorail for fares.
  • From Tokyo to Hakuba: the trains, times and the bus at the far end are in my Hakuba from Tokyo guide.

Skis and suitcases

  • On the shuttle: the information page allows one checked piece per person, a ski bag or a suitcase, plus one small carry-on. The booking site says one checked item and one small carry-on are free and ski or snowboard bags cost ¥750 each. The two pages differ, so check the rule for your booking.
  • On the night bus: the route page links to a separate notice for passengers who put bags in the hold. Read it before you travel.
LuggageSend your bags from the airport

Yamato has TA-Q-BIN counters at Narita (Terminals 1, 2 and 3) and Haneda (Terminals 1, 2 and 3). It takes parcels up to 200 cm (length + width + height) and 30 kg. For the flight home, you collect a bag sent to the airport from 3 hours to 1 hour before departure. Rates to Nagano Prefecture are in skis and suitcases in my Hakuba guide.

Hakuba's nearest airport: Narita or Haneda?

  • In ski season: either works for the shuttle. The timetable lists more departures from Haneda (four between January 9 and February 28, against two from Narita).
  • Outside the shuttle dates: Haneda is about 30 minutes from Tokyo Station; from Narita, the Skyliner goes to Ueno.

Landing in the afternoon or evening. Based on the shuttle's minimum times after landing, these are the latest you can land and still catch a night shuttle:

Night shuttle Runs Land by
Narita 20:30 Dec 26 – Mar 7 19:30 at T2, 19:05 at T1 or T3
Haneda 21:15 Jan 9 – Feb 28 20:15 at T3, 20:00 at T1 or T2

Both reach Hakuba at 1:40, so tell your lodging you will arrive that late. If you land later, stay near the airport and take a morning shuttle the next day.

Flying home in the morning. The earliest shuttles from Hakuba reach Haneda at 15:35 and Narita at 15:40, so they suit late-afternoon and evening flights only. For a morning flight from Narita, the night bus leaves Nagano Station at 22:00 and reaches Terminal 1 at 8:40; you would need to reach Nagano from Hakuba that evening. For a morning flight from Haneda, none of these reach it in time, so spend your last night in Tokyo; see my guide to the train from Tokyo.

Japanese you will see on signs

English Japanese Where
Narita Airport 成田空港 Bus and train signs
Haneda Airport 羽田空港 Bus and train signs
Nagano Station 長野駅 Night bus stop
Hakuba 白馬 Bus destination
Reservation required 予約制 Bus notices
What I could not confirm yet
  • Whether Alpico's airport bus runs in winter 2026–27.
  • The fare on the Narita – Nagano night bus.
  • The Skyliner fare and the Haneda train fares.
  • Where the airport shuttle stops in Hakuba.
  • The 2026–27 winter timetable and fare of the Nagano – Hakuba bus.
  • The hours of the TA-Q-BIN counters at each airport.

I will update this page when the operators publish them.

Getting to Hakuba from Tokyo or Osaka

From Tokyo

From Narita, the Skyliner to Ueno takes 41 minutes at its fastest; from Haneda, Tokyo Station is about 30 minutes away. Then see my Tokyo to Hakuba guide.

From Osaka

This page covers the Tokyo airports. From Osaka, see my Matsumoto to Hakuba guide for the last leg.

Frequently asked questions

What is the nearest airport to Hakuba?

Hakuba has no airport. This guide covers Tokyo's Narita and Haneda, where international flights land. Neither is close: in winter 2026–27 the shuttle's daytime trips take 5 hr 45 min to 6 hr 40 min, and the rest of the year you go into Tokyo first and take the train.

Is there a direct bus from Narita to Hakuba?

In winter there is a shuttle: the Nagano Snow Shuttle leaves Narita at 9:30 (December 19 – March 7) and 20:30 (December 26 – March 7) for Hakuba via Nagano, ¥13,400 before tax. It is sold as a travel package, and the pages I checked do not say whether you stay on the same vehicle. Alpico's own Narita – Hakuba bus did not run in 2025–26, and nothing had been announced for 2026–27 on October 24, 2026.

How long does it take from Haneda to Hakuba?

On the winter shuttle, the 10:15 from Haneda reaches Hakuba at 16:00 (5 hours 45 minutes). The operator says 5.5 to 6.5 hours is usual.

How do I get from Hakuba to Narita for a morning flight?

The earliest winter shuttle from Hakuba to Narita leaves at 9:00 and arrives at 15:40 (December 26 – March 7), so it suits late-afternoon or evening flights. For a morning flight, the night bus from Nagano Station leaves at 22:00 and reaches Narita Terminal 1 at 8:40; you would need to reach Nagano from Hakuba the evening before.

Can I take skis on the airport shuttle?

Yes, but they count toward your allowance. The shuttle's information page allows one checked piece per person, a ski bag or a suitcase, plus a small carry-on; its booking site says ski and snowboard bags cost ¥750 each extra. Check the rule when you book.

More on this route

Hakuba without a carHakuba without a car: trains and the Nagano bus, winter reservations, shuttles and taxis, where to stay, snow and seasons, from official pages.Matsumoto to HakubaEvery way from Matsumoto to Hakuba without a car: the Oito Line via Shinano-Omachi, the winter bus and the Nagano detour, compared by time, bus fare and season.Japanese Alps without a carThe Japanese Alps by bus and train: Kanazawa, Shirakawa-go, Takayama, Kamikochi, Matsumoto and Hakuba, with fares, reservations and winter closures.

Sources

  1. Nagano Snow Shuttle: airport to Hakuba timetable and fares (2026–27) — Nagano Nippon
  2. Nagano Snow Shuttle booking site — JHN Travel Ltd
  3. Narita Airport – Hakuba bus (English) — Alpico Kotsu
  4. Narita Airport – Nagano / Matsumoto night bus — Keisei Bus
  5. Skyliner (English) — Keisei Electric Railway
  6. Haneda Airport: trains and monorail (English) — Japan Airport Terminal
  7. Nagano – Hakuba express bus — Alpico Kotsu
  8. Nagano – Hakuba fare table (spring to autumn) — Alpico Kotsu
  9. Nagano – Hakuba winter buses 2025–26 (English) — Alpico Kotsu
  10. Airport TA-Q-BIN counters — Yamato Transport
  11. TA-Q-BIN size limits — Yamato Transport

Researched and checked by Rio, based in Japan. I read Japanese timetables, operator PDFs and prefecture notices, cross-check them and date every fact. Published . Updated . How I research →