Located almost in the center of Hokkaido, Asahikawa is the second most populous city after Sapporo. Asahikawa is easily accessible from Sapporo by JR, bus, or rental car. We will introduce details such as travel times and fares for each option.

JR: The standard for transportation. Special discount tickets available.

JR is the standard way to travel from Sapporo to Asahikawa. There are two types of express trains, the Limited Express Kamui and the Limited Express Lilac, and the journey takes about an hour and a half. The regular fare is 4,910 yen one way for an unreserved seat and 5,440 yen for a reserved seat. You can travel even cheaper by using a special discount ticket.

45% off when you book in advance online "Limited Express Tokuda Value 1"

If you reserve your JR ticket through the website "Ekinet," you can purchase a reserved seat ticket at 45% off the regular price. If you know in advance when you will be boarding, we recommend reserving your ticket through Ekinet.

Round-trip discount "S Ticket" available for purchase at ticket vending machines

Additionally, if you're traveling between Sapporo and Asahikawa on the JR lines, the standard way to travel is to use the "S Ticket." You can purchase the S Ticket at the automatic ticket machines at the station before boarding.

Should I buy a reserved seat on the JR line?

The Limited Express Lilac, which connects Sapporo and Asahikawa, has six cars, two of which are unreserved seats, while the Limited Express Kamui has five cars, two of which are unreserved seats. If you want to be sure of getting a seat, we recommend purchasing a reserved seat ticket. The "S Ticket" is a round-trip ticket for unreserved seats, but you can reserve a seat at the ticket machine or at the Midori counter for 530 yen (one way).

①Select "Discount Ticket" at the reserved seat ticket machine

② Seat reservations can be made for S tickets already purchased using "Seat reservations for discount tickets and coupon tickets"

*S tickets that allow you to reserve a seat at the ticket machine are "orange" S tickets purchased at the reserved seat ticket machine. If you have a "green" S ticket, purchase your reserved seat at the Midori counter.

Cheap "Express Bus"

It's about a 5-minute walk from JR Sapporo Station, and the Chuo Bus "Express Asahikawa-go" departs from bus stop number 2 on the west side of the Nippon Life Insurance Building Sapporo. The journey takes about 2 hours on the summer schedule and about 2 hours and 30 minutes on the winter schedule.

Round-trip tickets can be purchased at the ticket counter behind the platform.

Enjoy a drive and stop at the service area along the way (Car/Rental Car)

If you are traveling by highway from central Sapporo, take the Sasson Expressway from Sapporo Kita IC and exit at Asahikawa Takasu IC. The journey takes about 1 hour and 30 minutes, and the highway toll costs 3,800 yen.

We recommend taking a break along the way, enjoying a meal or shopping at Iwamizawa SA or Sunagawa SA. At the Sunagawa Highway Oasis Hall, accessible from Sunagawa SA, you can enjoy Hokkaido gourmet food, soft serve ice cream, local vegetables, and more.

Enjoy your trip with the transportation that suits you best

In Asahikawa, you can enjoy beautiful scenery and gourmet food, including the classic Asahiyama Zoo and Asahikawa ramen. Another great point is the easy access to Biei and Furano. If you're coming to Asahikawa from outside Hokkaido, one option is to fly directly from Haneda Airport or other airports to Asahikawa Airport. Enjoy your trip in a way that suits you, based on your time and budget.

*All information listed is current as of September 2025. *All published information may be subject to change, so please check the official website for details.