Getting from Narita Airport to Madarao Kogen

JR Narita Express

JR Narita Express is the flagship airport express train for JR East. It is a modern train with charging points in all seats and free Wifi on-board.

It usually operates as a 12 carriage train (actually 2 * 6 carriage trains that split at Tokyo Station).

Cars 1-5, and 7-11 are standard cars, while car 6 & 12 are Green Class (first class).

There is wheel chair access in cars 5 & 11

Car 1 is the front of the train when departing from Narita Airport.

All cars have 4 seats across, with an aisle in the middle.

Almost all Narita Express Trains head directly to Tokyo Station with no stops in between, but there is the occasional train that makes a brief stop at Chiba Station.

The trip from Narita Airport to Tokyo Station takes about 1 hour.

Tokyo Station is massive, and is the 3rd busiest station in Japanese with nearly 500,000 people daily.

On the main concourse level there are 10 platforms for commuter and express trains, and 10 platforms for Shinkansen Bullet trains.

There are also basement platforms (4) and a further 2 platforms for the JR Keio Line. Add in a couple of subway stations and you get the picture.

Rush hour here can be mayhem!

On arrival at Tokyo Station you will on basement level 5 (You arrive at Sobu Line platform 1 or 2). You need to get to the Hokuriku Shinkansen Bullet Train Platforms 20-23.

You need to go up several sets of elevators and follow the signs (the green ones as pictured on right) to the Shinkansen Bullet train platforms.

The Shinkansen have an extra set of ticket gates. You need to put your tickets into the machine before you can pass through (always remember to collect your tickets as they pop out part way through the gate).

Once through the gates you’ll see a lot of digital signs that flick between English and Japanese. They will show the Train Name, Departure Time and Platform Number. Locate your platform and take the escalator up.

Hokuriku Shinkansen via Nagano

Train Classes
There are several classes on the Hokuriku Shinkansen.

1. Standard Class (reserved and non reserved*) – 5 seats across the row in a 3-2 configuration (Cars 1-10)
2. Green Class (superior class) – 4 seats across the row in a 2-2 configuration (Car 11) – Green Class costs about 20% more than standard class
3. Gran Class (first class) – 3 seats across the row in a 1-2 configuration (Car 12). Complementary food and beverage service (Kagayaki and Hakutaka trains only) – Gran Class costs about double of standard class

• reserved seat means you have an assigned seat / non-reserved means you can sit in any seat in a “non-reserved” carriage (first come first seated basis)

Train Types

The only trains that stop at Iiyama Station are called “Hakutaka”. You cannot take the “Kagayaki” or the “Asama” trains to Iiyama.

You also need to check carefully if your train does make a stop at Iiyama, some Hakutaka trains do not.

Iiyama is the stop after Nagano.

The trip from Tokyo to Iiyama takes just under 2 hours.

Bus to Madarao Kogen

There are several different bus lines operating between Iiyama Station and Madarao.

• Community Bus #1
  This bus has 5-6 services per day between Iiyama station. This is the slowest bus as it stops many times. Cost is 500yen per adult
• Express Bus #14
  This is the fastest bus that runs to Madarao Kogen Hotel and Tangram also. There are only 2-3 buses a day. Cost is 700yen to Madarao Kogen Hotel, and 1,000yen to Tangram
• Notoma Bus #22
  This is the bus from Nozawa Onsen to Madarao Kogen that runs via Iiyama Station. This is mainly a bus for day trippers, so there is one bus in the morning, and one in the late afternoon. Fare is 700yen
• Express Bus #25
  This bus runs twice a day from Iiyama Station to Madarao Kogen Hotel. Cost is 700yen per person

Buying Tickets

There is a vending machine inside Iiyama Station right before you exit the building. Coming down the escalator, head to the furthermost exit door and you’ll see the vending machine in the corner. It only takes cash. If you don’t have cash then head to the Seven-Eleven close to the station (exit the station on the Chikumagawa Exit and turn right. Follow the train line south for 1 block and you see the seven-eleven). The Seven Eleven has an international ATM.

Boarding the Bus

The buses leave from bus stop #1.

Arrival in Madarao Kogen

All the buses stop at Yama-no-ie (Information Center), Plaza Mae, Madarao Kogen Hotel. Ask you accommodation which bus stop is closest. Only bus #14 goes as far as Tangram.

If your host has a pick up service, then call them when you leave Iiyama Station and let them know which bus you are on, and which bus stop you will be disembarking at.