Getting Around Hakuba Valley
Getting Around Hakuba Valley
Hakuba has an extensive network of Shuttle Bus Stops, and one of the first couple of questions you should ask your accommodation provider or booking agent is “Where is the nearest Ski Shuttle Stop?” and “Which resorts do the shuttles run to?”. | |
Hakuba Valley Shuttle Buses | Ski Resort Shuttle Buses |
There are a couple of routes that run around town. This shuttle is generally aimed at getting people out for dinner and back. If you have 3 or 4 people then a taxi is not much more expensive than the bus. And if you want to carry on with a few drinks at a bar, then taxis are a better option for getting home. Intoxicated people may be denied boarding, and disrupting public transport is very serious offense in Japan, and may well lead to a prison sentence. | |
Shutle Bus at Hakuba Base Camp | Taxis driving thru the snow |
Most taxis are sedan type, seating either 4-5 passengers. If you have luggage then only 2-3 passengers can use a taxi. There is a very limited number of taxi vans around town, but these get booked out very quickly. Taxis are generally quite cheap. Drivers are trustworthy and will not try to take you the “long way”, but if staying at an Air BnB it pays to remember that apart from the Post Office and Courier companies, addresses mean nothing in Japan. It is much easier to give directions to a well-known land mark than to try and quote an address to a taxi driver. Even on apps like google maps, landmarks are better than addresses. Peak periods for taxis are early in the morning (6:00am-9:00am), closing of the ski resorts (4:00pm-5:00pm), and in the evening. Overly intoxicated passengers may be rejected, and making a mess of a taxi will lead to a hefty cleaning bill. There is no Uber or similar service in Japan, and it is illegal to charge customers for a fare unless you are a licensed taxi. All taxis have the driver’s name and photo above the dash in front of the front passenger seat. You risk getting ripped off if you use an unlicensed taxi. Taxi Companies in Hakuba Hakuba Kanko Taxi – (+81)0261-75-2144 |
Hakuba has an extensive network of Shuttle Bus Stops, and one of the first couple of questions you should ask your accommodation provider or booking agent is “Where is the nearest Ski Shuttle Stop?” and “Which resorts do the shuttles run to?”. | |
Hakuba Valley Shuttle Buses | Ski Resort Shuttle Buses |
There are a couple of routes that run around town. This shuttle is generally aimed at getting people out for dinner and back. If you have 3 or 4 people then a taxi is not much more expensive than the bus. And if you want to carry on with a few drinks at a bar, then taxis are a better option for getting home. Intoxicated people may be denied boarding, and disrupting public transport is very serious offense in Japan, and may well lead to a prison sentence. | |
Shutle Bus at Hakuba Base Camp | Taxis driving thru the snow |
Most taxis are sedan type, seating either 4-5 passengers. If you have luggage then only 2-3 passengers can use a taxi. There is a very limited number of taxi vans around town, but these get booked out very quickly. Taxis are generally quite cheap. Drivers are trustworthy and will not try to take you the “long way”, but if staying at an Air BnB it pays to remember that apart from the Post Office and Courier companies, addresses mean nothing in Japan. It is much easier to give directions to a well-known land mark than to try and quote an address to a taxi driver. Even on apps like google maps, landmarks are better than addresses. Peak periods for taxis are early in the morning (6:00am-9:00am), closing of the ski resorts (4:00pm-5:00pm), and in the evening. Overly intoxicated passengers may be rejected, and making a mess of a taxi will lead to a hefty cleaning bill. There is no Uber or similar service in Japan, and it is illegal to charge customers for a fare unless you are a licensed taxi. All taxis have the driver’s name and photo above the dash in front of the front passenger seat. You risk getting ripped off if you use an unlicensed taxi. Taxi Companies in Hakuba Hakuba Kanko Taxi – (+81)0261-75-2144 |