ARTICLES
What's the best way to travel from Sapporo to Kitami? Detailed information on JR and bus travel times and fares
- JR is the standard way to travel between Sapporo and Kitami, and there are also great ways to purchase tickets
- If you're looking for cheap fares, choose the intercity express bus.
- Approximately 45 minutes to Memanbetsu Airport by plane
- A long drive to experience the vastness of Hokkaido "Car/Rental Car"
1. JR: The standard way to travel between Sapporo and Kitami - and how to get great deals
The most common way to travel from Sapporo to Kitami is by JR. The travel time between Sapporo and Kitami using JR is approximately 4 hours and 32 minutes on the "Okhotsk Limited Express." The fare is 9,460 yen for an unreserved seat and 9,990 yen for a reserved seat.
Alternatively, if you take the Limited Express Lilac, Limited Express Kamui, or Limited Express Soya from Sapporo Station to Asahikawa Station and transfer at Asahikawa Station to Kitami Station, the travel time will be around 4 hours 30 minutes to 5 hours, depending on the transfer wait time, and the fare is 9,180 yen.
Get 35% to 55% off when you book tickets in advance online with "Limited Express Tokudawari"
If you reserve a JR ticket through the website "Ekinet," you can purchase a reserved seat ticket at up to 55% off the regular price. If you know your boarding time in advance, we recommend making a reservation through Ekinet. The set prices for "Limited Express Tokudane" on Ekinet (set price of one-way "board ticket + reserved seat limited express ticket" / unit: yen) are as follows:
■ Limited Express Tokuda Value 1 ・Sapporo Station - Kitami Station "Okhotsk Limited Express" 5,990 yen (40% off) ・Sapporo Station - Asahikawa Station: Limited Express Lilac, Kamui, Soya: 2,980 yen (45% off) or 2,720 yen (50% off) ・From Asahikawa Station to Kitami Station, take the "Okhotsk Limited Express" for 3,390 yen (55% off) *Application deadline: 23:50 on the day before boarding
2. If you're looking for cheap fares, choose the Intercity Express Bus
You can also travel from Sapporo city to Kitami by express bus. The "Dreamint Okhotsk" and "Kitami Limited Express New Star" are in operation. Choose the best deal based on your travel dates and destination.
Reservation-only "Dreamint Okhotsk"
To get from Sapporo city to Kitami, there is the "Dreamint Okhotsk" bus, which is jointly operated by Hokkaido Chuo Bus, Hokkaido Kitami Bus, and Abashiri Bus and requires a reservation. It is about a 5-minute walk from JR Sapporo Station, and departs from bus stop 3 on the west side of the Nippon Life Insurance Building Sapporo (Kita 3 Nishi 4). The travel time is about 4 hours and 40 minutes in summer and about 5 hours in winter. You can also board this bus from the Chuo Bus Sapporo Terminal (Odori Higashi 1-chome, Chuo-ku, Sapporo).
■Dreamint Okhotsk ・Normal one-way fare: 5,490 yen to 6,750 yen *There are three fares, A, B and C, and the amount varies depending on the boarding date. ・Early bird one-way tickets: 4,890 yen to 6,100 yen *Fares A, B, and C are available and vary in price depending on the date of travel. For early bird discounts, reservations and payments must be made 30 days in advance for fares A and B, and 21 days in advance for fare C. *If you are making an early bird reservation, you cannot make a reservation in advance by phone. 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
Hokkaido Bus Co., Ltd. "Kitami Limited Express New Star"
To board the Kitami Limited Express New Star, operated by Hokkaido Bus Co., Ltd., go to Sapporo Ekimae bus stop (platform 33) (Kita 3 Nishi 3), which is about a 5-minute walk from the south exit of Sapporo Station. The journey takes about 5 hours and 15 minutes, with a 15-minute break along the way.
■Kitami Limited Express New Star ・One-way fare -Online discount: 4,880 yen (You cannot change your flight with the online discount.) -Prepayment 5,810 yen -Ride payment: 6,090 yen
■Inquiries and reservations New Star Reservation Center 011-889-0800
3. By plane: Approximately 45 minutes to Memanbetsu Airport
If you want to get there quickly, you can fly from Sapporo Okadama Airport or New Chitose Airport to Memanbetsu Airport in Okhotsk. The flight takes about 45 minutes, and from there you can take the Kitami Bus "Memanbetsu Airport Line" to Kitami city in about 40 minutes. Incidentally, you can also go directly to Memanbetsu Airport from Haneda Airport.
4. Take a long drive to experience the vastness of Hokkaido by car or rental car
If you are traveling from central Sapporo to Kitami on the expressway, take the Hokkaido Expressway from the Sapporo Interchange, head towards Asahikawa, then take the Asahikawa-Monbetsu Expressway and exit at Engaru Interchange. Then, take Route 333 towards Kitami City. The distance is approximately 305 km, the travel time is approximately 4 hours and 15 minutes, and the expressway toll is 3,770 yen.
Enjoy your trip with the transportation that suits you best!
Kitami City, Japan's top producer of onions, is also known as the base of the Loco Solare curling team, which became famous at the Olympics. It also hosts a variety of events, with unique events such as the Kitami Severe Cold Yakiniku Festival attracting tourists. Kitami City, where nature, sports, hot springs, and food culture all blend together, is a charming region that many people should visit. Why not plan a trip that's perfect for your travel style and budget?
*All prices include tax
*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.
