Getting to Madarao Kogen
Tokyo to Madarao Kogen
Getting to Madarao Kogen is straightforward. After travelling from Tokyo to Iiyama (the city at the mountain base, pronounced ee-yama) foreign visitors usually stay in or around Madarao Mountain Resort which is about 15-30 minutes by taxi or bus from Iiyama Station.
Please note that there are no public shuttle buses around Madarao and Tangram. From the lower part of Madarao resort it takes about ten minutes to get to the slopes so please check when booking your accommodation. However, many of the Madarao hotels are happy to shuttle their guests for free.
Getting to Madarao Kogen: Where is Madarao?
Madarao Kogen is located right on the border of Nagano and Niigata Prefecture on the main island of Honshu. In fact you can ski both prefectures within the same resort area. The Madarao Kogen area is easily accessed from both international airports in Tokyo (Narita & Haneda) by shinkansen (bullet train), airport shuttle, taxi, rental car or bus. The total travel time from Tokyo to Madarao Kogen is usually between three to five hours.
It is also easily accessible to/from other nearby Japanese ski resorts
Okay, so now you know where Madarao Kogen is. How do you get to Madarao Kogen from Tokyo?
Madarao Car Rental Booking Search
Need a car? Madarao car rentals. Pick up at Iiyama or Nagano Station. Click on the above for the best Madarao car rental deals.
Tokyo to Madarao: Coming by train from Narita Airport
Make your way from Narita Airport to either Ueno or Tokyo Stations. You can catch the Narita Express train to JR Tokyo Station (3,000 yen) or the Keisei Skyliner (2,400 yen) or express (1,200 yen) to Keisei Ueno Station.
Once in Tokyo/Ueno, get on a Hokuriku or Nagano shinkansen headed for Nagano or Kanazawa.
Here’s how you change trains to the shinkansen in Ueno
Tokyo to Madarao: Coming by train from Haneda Airport
Make your way from Haneda Airport to Tokyo Station via one of the following options:
- Take the Keikyu Airport Line from Haneda Airport to Shinagawa Station (14-20 minutes, 410 yen) or Shimbashi Station via Sengakuji (24 minutes, 570 yen)
- Take the Tokyo Monorail (13-26 minutes, 490 yen) to Hamamatsucho Station.
From there transfer to the JR Yamanote or JR Keihin-Tohoku Line to Tokyo Station.
Alternatively, limousine buses depart from Haneda Airport to Tokyo Station every 30 to 60 minutes (20 minutes, 580 yen).
Getting to Madarao Kogen: Coming via Iiyama Station
This is the most popular way of getting to Madarao from Tokyo. The journey itself will usually take less than two hours (Tokyo – Iiyama) and 3-4 hours total depending on transfer times in Tokyo and Iiyama/Nagano. You can also book a shinkansen/shuttle combo here.
To check train timetable, please click the links below.
Tokyo to Iiyama train timetable // Iiyama to Tokyo train timetable
Once at Iiyama visitors can take a bus or taxi from the front of the station (see below).
Bus from Iiyama Station to Madarao
Click here to check the latest Iiyama Station to Madarao Kogen public bus timetable or click here to book the Madarao Shuttle Bus
Taxi from Iiyama Station to Madarao
Madarao Kogen is about 10km from Iiyama Station. A taxi from Iiyama Station to Madarao Kogen takes approximately 20 minutes and will cost around 2,800-3,300 yen. Depending on the location of your accommodation some will be further (especially those in Tangram) and therefore costs might vary. You can check a Madarao map here.
Iiyama to Madarao note – some Madarao hotels do collect guests from the station but it’s best to pre-book.
Iiyama Station Map
Getting to Madarao Kogen: Coming via Nagano Station
It’s important to note that some services terminate in Nagano (Nagano Shinkansen) and other services may not stop at Iiyama. If stopping in Nagano exit via the shinkansen transfer gate (see below) and change trains to the local JR Iiyama line. From Nagano Station to Iiyama Station it is about 45 minutes. This journey is covered by by your JR Pass (if you have one). At Iiyama transfer to bus or taxi. Alternatively (in winter) there is a highway bus from Nagano station two times a day to Madarao which takes about 70 minutes.
Getting to Madarao: Airport Taxi Transfer
For medium-large groups we can help organise a direct private transfer from the airport to Madarao (or return) at reasonable cost. This chartered direct service from the Tokyo airport to your Madarao hotel would be between 129,000-199,000 each way depending on numbers & bus type. Check here for more details.
Taxi/charter journeys to Madarao will usually take 4-5 hours depending on traffic and weather conditions. Comfort stops are included.
Getting to Madarao: Madarao Airport & Resorts Shuttle
Madarao Shuttle is your most convenient way to transfer Tokyo to Madarao. The service offers up to four shuttles daily to Madarao from Narita Airport, Haneda Airport and three other nearby ski resorts – Hakuba, Nozawa Onsen and Shiga Kogen.
Tokyo to Madarao: Via Nagano bus from Narita Airport
There is an overnight bus from Nagano to/from Narita Airport (via Matsumoto, Ueno and Tokyo Disneyland). The cost is 6,900. From Nagano catch the train to Iiyama Station or bus to Madarao (see above). This service is especially useful if arriving late or leaving early. See the Alpico Bus website for full details.
Tokyo to Madarao: Coming via car
Car rentals are easily available in Iiyama, Nagano, Tokyo, or one of the airports. This can be quite cost and time effective if you have a group and/or wish to visit other nearby resorts such as Myoko, Hakuba, Nozawa Onsen, Togakushi, Togari Onsen and/or Shiga Kogen. Travel times / distances are as below:
Madarao to Nozawa Onsen
There is a Nozawa Onsen – Madarao Kogen shuttle operating each winter. Reservations are not needed and you can pay on the bus. Full details, cost and timetables are available from your Madarao accommodation.
Madarao to Myoko Akakura Onsen
There are two daily return shuttles Madarao to Myoko Akakura Onsen. The Akakura (Myoko) – Madarao Ski Shuttle bus operates December-March. Full details, cost and timetables are available from your Madarao accommodation.
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Summary: This page helps visitors find out how to get from Tokyo to Madarao Kogen plus the basic question, “Where is Madarao?”. One can also discover the best ways for getting to Madarao Kogen / Madarao access or how to get from Myoko to Madarao and how to get from Nozawa Onsen to Madarao.
