Abashiri is a town in the Okhotsk area of eastern Hokkaido, famous for its winter drift ice but also packed with other fascinating spots and delicious cuisine! There are several ways to get from Sapporo to Abashiri, including JR trains, buses, rental cars, and airplanes. Here’s a detailed guide to the travel times and costs for each option.

The JR train is the classic way to travel from Sapporo to Abashiri. The journey on the "Limited Express Okhotsk" takes about 5 hours and 20 minutes. Currently, all seats on the Limited Express Okhotsk and Taisetsu trains are reserved seats; there are no non-reserved seats. The fare for a reserved seat is 11,850 yen.

Up to 50% Off with "Toku-da-ne" Advance Online Ticket Booking

By booking your JR tickets through the "Ekinet" website, you can purchase reserved seat tickets for up to 50% off the regular price. If you know your travel time in advance, booking through Ekinet is highly recommended.

Here are the "Toku-da-ne" discount prices on Ekinet (one-way set price for a basic fare ticket + reserved seat limited express ticket / unit: yen):

The "Dreamint Okhotsk" bus operates from Sapporo to Abashiri. Choose the best option to save money based on your travel itinerary and destination.

Reservation-Only "Dreamint Okhotsk" Bus

The "Dreamint Okhotsk" bus, jointly operated by Hokkaido Chuo Bus, Hokkaido Kitami Bus, and Abashiri Bus, runs from Sapporo city to Abashiri and requires a reservation. The journey takes about 6 to 6.5 hours from "Bus Stop No. 3," located at the west side of the Nippon Life Sapporo Building (Kita 3 Nishi 4), about a 5-minute walk from JR Sapporo Station. You can also board at the Chuo Bus Sapporo Terminal (Odorihigashi 1-chome, Chuo-ku, Sapporo).

If you want to get there as quickly as possible, you can fly from Sapporo Okadama Airport or New Chitose Airport to the nearest airport, Memanbetsu Airport. The flight time is about 45 minutes. From Memanbetsu Airport, it takes about 50 minutes to reach Abashiri city via the "Memanbetsu Airport Line" bus operated by Kitami Bus (Fare: 1,100 yen for adults). It's also possible to fly directly to Memanbetsu Airport from Haneda Airport in Tokyo.

To drive from central Sapporo to Abashiri using the expressway, enter the Do-O Expressway from Sapporo IC and head towards Asahikawa. Take the Asahikawa-Monbetsu Expressway and exit at Engaru IC. Then, follow Route 333 towards Abashiri. The distance is about 340 kilometers, the travel time is about 5 hours, and the expressway toll is 4,320 yen (for a standard car, regular fare from Sapporo IC to Pippu JCT).

Enjoy Your Trip with the Best Transportation for You!