Hokkaido Shinkansen Timetable
The Hokkaido Shinkansen line runs from Shin-Aomori Station on Japan’s main island of Honshu, to Shin-Hakodate-Hokuto Station on Hokkaido. In doing so, it connects Honshu to the island of Honshu with many services running along the Tohoku Shinkansen line to and from Tokyo Station and connecting to the Hokkaido line via Shin-Aomori Station. On this page you will find the following information:
— Timetable from Tokyo / Shin-Aomori to Shin-Hakodate-Hokuto
— Timetable from Shin-Hakodate-Hokuto to Shin-Aomori / Tokyo
— Hokkaido Shinkansen Line Map & Stations
Covered by the Japan Rail (JR) Pass, the Hokkaido Shinkansen is a convenient way to move to and from the island of Hokkaido. While the line is relatively short – running from Shin-Aomori Station to Shin-Hakodate-Hokuto Station – its connection to the Tohoku Shinkansen line via Shin-Aomori means many services connect all the way through to Tokyo, Sendai and other stations on the main island of Honshu. For more information, see the ‘Hokkaido Shinkansen’ section of our ‘Tohoku Shinkansen’ main page.
TIMETABLE FROM TOKYO / SHIN-AOMORI TO SHIN-HAKODATE-HOKUTO
Frequent services run from Shin-Aomori Station to Shin-Hakodate-Hokuto Station with many originating at Tokyo and stopping at other stations on the Tohoku Shinkansen line before running onto the Hokkaido line. For the full timetable, click on the image below:
The earliest service from Shin-Aomori departs at 06:32 and arrives at Shin-Hakodate-Hokuto at 07:34. The earliest service to run all the way from Tokyo departs at 07:16, arriving at Shin-Aomori at 11:20 before ending at Shin-Hakodate-Hokuto at 12:17. The latest service from Shin-Aomori departs at 22:32 and arrives at Shin-Hakodate-Hokuto at 23:39, noting that this service originates at Tokyo at 18:20 – the latest service that runs from the capital all the way to Shin-Hakodate-Hokuto.
TIMETABLE FROM SHIN-HAKODATE-HOKUTO TO SHIN-AOMORI / TOKYO
Services running from Shin-Hakodate-Hokuto to Shin-Aomori and onto Tokyo are just as frequent. For the full timetable, click on the image below:
The earliest service from Shin-Hakodate-Hokuto departs at 06:39 and arrives at Shin-Aomori at 07:43 before continuing onto Tokyo and arriving at 12:04. The latest service departs at 21:57 and arrives at Shin-Aomori at 22:59 but does not continue onto Tokyo. The latest service that runs all the way from Shin-Hakodate-Hokuto to Tokyo departs at 17:25 and stops at Shin-Aomori at 18:25 before arriving at Tokyo at 22:24.
HOKKAIDO SHINKANSEN LINE MAP & STATIONS
The Hokkaido Shinkansen is an extension of the Tohoku line, connecting Japan’s main island of Honshu to the northern island of Hokkaido via the undersea Seikan Tunnel. At this time it runs as far as Shin-Hakodate-Hokuto Station with extension to Sapporo expected to be completed by 2030. The line currently includes only four stops:
Shin-Aomori / Okutsugaru-Imabetsu / Kikonai / Shin-Hakodate-Hokuto
Both ‘Hayabusa’ and ‘Hayate’ services operate from Tokyo or Sendai to Shin-Hakodate-Hokuto and Morioka or Shin-Aomori to Shin-Hakodate-Hokuto respectively. ‘Hayabusa’ services are the fastest on the Tohoku and Hokkaido lines, with service times dependent on which stations the specific station stops at. All seats on this service are reserved – meaning that even if you have a JR Pass, you’ll need to go into an office and book a seat (at no additional charge) with Green Car and Gran Class carriages included on each service.
HOKKAIDO SKI RESORTS
Blessed with the longest seasons in Japan and huge annual snowfall, the ski resorts of Hokkaido rank among the best in Asia and enjoy some of the best powder in the world. The combined resorts of Niseko United are the largest and most popular ski fields in Hokkaido, while nearby Rusutsu and Kiroro attract plenty of fans in their own right. Rounding things-out, Furano and Tomamu lie further inland and receive slightly less snow but that bit of extra distance from the coast only means the powder is even drier, with some people claiming these resorts enjoy the best powder in the world. Our ‘Hokkaido Ski Resorts’ page has you covered for everything you need to know about each – a great place to start when planning your next winter adventure in Hokkaido.
PLAN YOUR VISIT TO JAPAN
The Hokkaido Shinkansen is just one part of Japan’s fantastic rail network. Unfathomable in its size and efficiency, moving around the country by train is easy and comfortable opening-up all regions of Japan for exploration. Our ‘Plan Your Visit’ page has everything you need to know about visiting Japan – from tips on the best time to travel, times to avoid, entering and exiting the country, money matters, staying connected, accommodation, staying safe and healthy and plenty more to ensure that you get the most out of your time here.
Other Hokkaido Pages
PLAN YOUR VISIT
Best Places to Stay in Niseko
