Hakodate is a beautiful city on the southern tip of Hokkaido. It holds the unique characteristic of being like a gateway to Hokkaido. This port city is the last stop on the Tohoku-Hokkaido Shinkansen (bullet train) line, via Shin-Hakodate-Hokuto Station, and the first stop on the train network for onward travel into Hokkaido.
Here's all you need to know about where to stay in Hakodate on your next trip.
Main image: PIXTA
1. Getting to and from Hakodate
Hakodate townscape and Hakodate streetcar (Photo: PIXTA)
Currently, Hakodate is the final stop on the Shinkansen network, with regular trains connecting this city with the rest of Hokkaido.
You can use the Japan Rail Pass to reach Hakodate, but it is a 4-hour one-way trip on the JR Tohoku-Hokkaido Shinkansen from Tokyo to Shin-Hakodate-Hokuto. For onward travel to, for example, Sapporo, you can take a Hokuto Limited Express train which takes just over 3.5 hours.
From Tokyo, flying to Hakodate is a quicker option as it only takes around 90 minutes from Haneda Airport to Hakodate Airport. There are frequent flights operated by a number of different airlines. These airlines also enable travel to most other major cities in Japan.
Hakodate is also connected to the cities of Aomori and Oma by ferry. From Aomori, for example, the ferry takes 4 hours (o/w) and costs from 2,000 yen (without a bed).
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Hokkaido Airports Guide: Travelling to Hokkaido by Plane & Itinerary Tips
Getting to Hakodate from the airport
Hakodate Airport is closer to Hakodate than Shin-Hakodate-Hokuto Station, being less than half the distance. Still, Hakodate Airport is not connected by rail to the city. The only choices are by car or by bus.
・Car: If you are planning to travel within Hokkaido, and Hakodate is your first stop, then you may wish to consider renting a car at the airport and doing a road trip around Hokkaido.
Book a rental car for Hakodate
・Shuttle bus: The cheapest option to get from Hakodate Airport to Hakodate is to take the airport shuttle bus. It leaves every 20 to 40 minutes (please check the timetable in advance as it is subject to change) and can get you to JR Hakodate Station in around 20 minutes (450 yen o/w). This bus continues after JR Hakodate Station to Hakodate Kokusai Hotel and Hotel WBF Grande Hakodate, making it a very convenient way of transferring to your accommodation if you are staying at either of these hotels.
Four regular bus routes go to other parts of the city, one of which goes to Shin-Hakodate-Hokuto Station.
Getting to sightseeing spots outside Hakodate
It is straightforward to describe Hakodate as a gateway port city because of how well connected it is in terms…
