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What's the best way to travel from Sapporo to Abashiri? Detailed information on JR and bus travel times and fares
1. JR: The standard way to travel between Sapporo and Abashiri - How to buy tickets at a discount
The standard way to travel from Sapporo to Abashiri is by JR. The travel time between Sapporo and Abashiri using JR is about 5 hours and 20 minutes on the "Okhotsk Limited Express." The fare is 10,010 yen for unreserved seats and 10,540 yen for reserved seats.
Get 30% to 50% off by booking tickets in advance online with "Tokkyu Tokudawari"
If you reserve your JR ticket through the website "Ekinet," you can purchase a reserved seat ticket at up to 50% off the regular price. If you know in advance when you will be boarding the train, we recommend reserving your ticket through Ekinet.
The set prices for "Limited Express Tokudane" on Ekinet (set price of one-way "board ticket + reserved seat express ticket" / unit: yen) are as follows.
■ Limited Express Tokuda Value 1 ・Sapporo Station - Abashiri Station "Okhotsk Express" 7,360 yen (30% off) ・From Sapporo Station to Asahikawa Station, the "Limited Express Lilac, Kamui, Soya" costs 2,860 yen (45% off) ・From Asahikawa Station to Abashiri Station, take the "Limited Express Daisetsu" for 4,270 yen (50% off) *Application deadline: 23:50 on the day before the trip
2. If you're looking for cheap fares, choose the Intercity Express Bus
The Dreamint Okhotsk train runs from Sapporo to Abashiri. Choose the best deal based on your travel dates and destination.
"Dreamint Okhotsk" - reservation only
From Sapporo city to Abashiri, there is the "Dreamint Okhotsk-go" bus, which is jointly operated by Hokkaido Chuo Bus, Hokkaido Kitami Bus, and Abashiri Bus and requires a reservation. If you use the bus from "Temporary Bus Stop No. 3" on the west side of the Nippon Life Insurance Building Sapporo (Kita 3 Nishi 4), about a 5-minute walk from JR Sapporo Station, the travel time is about 6 to 6.5 hours. You can also board from Chuo Bus Sapporo Terminal (Odori Higashi 1-chome, Chuo-ku, Sapporo).
■Dreamint Okhotsk ・Normal one-way fare: 6,510 yen to 7,250 yen *Fares A, B and C vary depending on the boarding date. ・Early bird one-way: 5,910 yen to 6,650 yen *Fares A, B, and C vary in amount depending on the date of travel. For early bird fares, reservations and payments must be made 30 days in advance for fares A and B, and 21 days in advance for fares C. *If you are reserving an early bird discount, you cannot make a reservation by phone in advance. You must make a reservation online or in person at the counter and pay on the day.
<Inquiries and reservations> Chuo Bus Reservation Center 0570-200-600 Kitami Bus Terminal 0570-00-7788 Abashiri Bus Terminal 0152-43-2606
3. By plane: Approx. 45 minutes to Memanbetsu Airport
If you want to get there as quickly as possible, you can also fly to the nearest airport, Memanbetsu Airport, from Sapporo Okadama Airport or New Chitose Airport. The flight takes about 45 minutes. From Memanbetsu Airport, take the Memanbetsu Airport Line operated by Kitami Bus to Abashiri City in about 50 minutes. By the way, it is also possible to go directly to Memanbetsu Airport from Haneda Airport.
4. Experience the vastness of Hokkaido by car/rental car
If you are traveling from central Sapporo to Abashiri on the expressway, get on the Do-o Expressway at Sapporo IC and head towards Asahikawa. Take the Asahikawa-Monbetsu Expressway and get off at Engaru IC. Then, take Route 333 towards Abashiri. The distance is about 340 km, the travel time is about 5 hours, and the expressway toll is 3,770 yen.
Enjoy your trip using the transportation method that suits you best!
Abashiri, a town rich in nature, is attractive for its winter drift ice sightseeing and fresh seafood. You can also learn about history at the Abashiri Prison Museum, and enjoy the coral grass of Lake Notoro and the beautiful scenery of Lake Abashiri. Why not plan a trip that's perfect for you based on your travel style and budget?
