Getting to Niigata
Niigata Area Transportation Map
Get to Niigata Prefecture in as little as 1 hour and 20 minutes from Tokyo! The major access routes are the following two Shinkansen routes from Tokyo via Takasaki. It is possible to access Niigata Prefecture quickly from Tokyo and the Kanto area: it takes 50 minutes from Tokyo to Takasaki and then 30 minutes from Takasaki to Echigo Yuzawa or 1 hour from Takasaki to Joetsu Myoko.
● Joetsu Shinkansen: Tokyo → Echigo Yuzawa / Niigata
● Hokuriku Shinkansen: Tokyo → Joetsu Myoko / Itoigawa
It is convenient to take an airplane that lands in Niigata Airport if you are visiting from Nagoya or Osaka. There are also direct flights from neighboring countries to Niigata Airport.
Getting to Niigata by Airplane
There are multiple international flights in service from neighboring cities overseas (e.g., Russia, Korea, China and Taiwan) to Niigata Airport. There are also plenty of domestic flights from Tokyo, Osaka, Nagoya and other major cities in Japan. It takes approximately 25 minutes by airport shuttle bus from Niigata Airport to Niigata Station in the center of Niigata. There are also shuttle buses in service to the hot springs.
Getting to Niigata by Rail
● JR East Pass (Nagano, Niigata area): Unlimited rides on the JR lines (including the Shinkansen) in the Kanto and Joshinetsu areas
● JR TOKYO Wide Pass: Unlimited rides on the JR lines (including the Shinkansen) in the Kanto area centered on Tokyo
● Hokuriku Arch Pass: Unlimited rides in reserved seats and non-reserved seats in ordinary carriages in the Shinkansen in the free area of Kansai Airport - Kansai area (environs of Osaka) - Hokuriku area (environs of Kanazawa) - Tokyo area - Narita / Haneda Airport
Getting to Niigata by Ferry
Boats depart from Niigata Port and Naoetsu Port to Sado, from Iwafune Port to Awashima, and from Niigata Port to Otaru. Please have fun on a trip to an island where time passes slowly on a swaying boat.