How to Get to Yokohama
Quick and easy to reach from Tokyo, Yokohama is Japan’s second-most populous city and is just as easy to reach from major cities including Nagoya, Kyoto, Osaka and beyond. On this page you will find the following information:
— Getting from Shin-Yokohama Station to Yokohama Station
— 20 Things to Do Around Yokohama & Where to Stay
Located to the south of the capital on Tokyo Bay, Yokohama has a long history as an important port city. One of the first areas of Japan to open to foreign traders following the country’s long period of self-isolation, Yokohama remains a hugely important trading port – a vibrant city that celebrates that heritage through its blend of historic and modern districts including its famous Chinatown – the largest such precinct of any city in Japan – along with the Yamamoto and Yamate districst once populated by Westerner traders and diplomats and more modern developments including the popular bayside district of Minato Mirai 21.
Given how easy it is to reach Yokohama from Tokyo and other major cities, it can be enjoyed as a daytrip or overnight to multiday visit, allowing you to enjoy all this vibrant city has to offer. We hope the following information is of assistance in planning your visit.
WHERE IS YOKOHAMA?
Yokohama lies to the southwest of Tokyo, approximately 25 minutes by train. For visitors moving between the cities, you will likely not notice you have left one and entered the other given the unbroken urban sprawl and no clear demarcation between them. Yokohama is serviced by multiple major stations including Yokohama Station and Shin-Yokohama Station – a stop on the Tokaido Shinkansen (‘Bullet Train’) line running from Tokyo to Osaka – while only 30 to 40 minutes from Tokyo’s Haneda Airport by train or bus. As one of Japan’s major ports, Yokohama is also the point of entry and departure for many international cruises that operate from the Osanbashi Pier located adjacent the city’s popular Minato Mirai 21 bayside district.
HOW TO GET TO YOKOHAMA
In this section you will find information how to reach Yokohama from the following starting points:
TOKYO / HANEDA AIRPORT / NARITA AIRPORT / KAMAKURA / HAKONE / NAGOYA / KYOTO / OSAKA / HIROSHIMA / FUKUOKA / NAGANO / KANAZAWA
We endeavour to keep this information as up-to-date as possible and in recognition that most international visitors will be using the train network to move around Japan, most directions are for using the trains*. If there is alternative option i.e. express bus or flying, that is notably faster or economical, we also include that information.
It is also worth noting that when travelling to and from Yokohama, there are two major stations – Shin-Yokohama Station and Yokohama Station. The directions below include details of how to get to the most convenient station depending on your starting point, noting that for some starting points such as Tokyo, travelling via Shin-Yokohama and Yokohama are both workable options. For information of have to travel between those two stations, see ‘Getting from Shin-Yokohama Station to Yokohama Station’ below.
*all prices listed below are for non-reserved seats and are accurate at time of publication. They are however subject to change therefore should be used as a guide to the likely fare.
FROM TOKYO / between 17 to 25 minutes
From Tokyo Station, take the Tokaido Main Line or Yokosuka Line to Yokohama Station – 25 minutes / JPY480. You can also travel from Shinjuku Station on the Shonan-Shinjuku Line – 35 minutes / JPY570. Should you wish to use the Shinkansen (‘Bullet Train’) – take any service on the Tokaido Shinkansen line bound for Shin-Yokohama Station – 17 minutes / JPY1380.
FROM HANEDA AIRPORT / between 30 to 50 minutes
From Haneda Airport, take the Keikyu Line to Yokohama Station – 30 minutes / JPY370. Alternatively, you can take the Keikyu Line Rapid service to Shinagawa Station and then transfer to the Tokaido Main line to Yokohama Station – a total journey of 40 minutes / JPY600. A third option is to take the Tokyo Monorail to Hamamatsucho Station and then transfer to the Keihintohoku Line bound for Shinagawa Station and once there, switch to the Tokaido Main Line for Yokohama Station – a total journey of 50 minutes / JPY980.
FROM NARITA AIRPORT / between 90 to 110 minutes
The quickest and easiest way to travel from Narita Airport to Yokohama is to take the Narita Express (NEX) directly to Yokohama Station – 90 minutes / JPY4170. You can also take the Keisei Skyliner from Narita to Nippori and transfer to the Yamanote Line to Tokyo Station and once there, take the Tokaido Shinkansen to Shin-Yokohama Station – a journey that also takes 90 minutes / JPY4030. There are number of ways to make the journey, ranging in time from 90 to 110 minutes with the cheapest option costing JPY1690 however requiring multiple transfers. Using the NEX is the fastest and easiest option and, covered by the Japan Rail (JR) Pass, is our recommendation.
FROM KAMAKURA / approx. 25 minutes
From Kamakura Station, take the Yokosuka Line to Yokohama Station – 25 minutes / JPY350.
FROM HAKONE / between 1 to 1.5 hours
From Hakone-Yumoto Station, take the Hakonetozan Line to Odawara Station and transfer to the Odoriko Limited Express bound for Yokohama Station – a journey of around 60 minutes / JPY2330. Alternatively, once at Odawara you can also take the Shonan-Shinjuku Line Special Rapid service to Yokohama – 80 minutes / JPY1310.
FROM NAGOYA / between 80 to 90 minutes
From Nagoya Station, take any service on the Tokaido Shinkansen line to Shin-Yokohama Station – a journey of 80 to 100 minutes (depending on which service you choose) / JPY9900.
FROM KYOTO / between 2 to 2.5 hours
From Kyoto Station, take any service on the Tokaido Shinkansen line bound for Shin-Yokohama Station – a journey of between 2 to 2.5 hours (depending on which service you choose) / JPY12,650.
FROM OSAKA / approx. 2.5 hours
From Shin-Osaka Station, take any service on the Tokaido Shinkansen line bound for Shin-Yokohama Station – a journey of between 130 to 140 minutes (depending on which service you choose) / JPY13,540.
FROM HIROSHIMA / approx. 3.5 hours
Hiroshima Station is a stop on the San’yo Shinkansen line – running from Fukuoka to Osaka – with some services continuing past Shin-Osaka Station onto the Tokaido Shinkansen line and running all the way to Tokyo via Shin-Yokohama Station. Using one of these services is the quickest way to move from Hiroshima to Yokohama – a journey of 3.5 hours / JPY18,050. Should you need to transfer services at Shin-Osaka Station, it should not add significant time to the journey.
FROM FUKUOKA / between 4.5 to 5 hours
Hakata Station in Fukuoka is the terminus of the San’yo Shinkansen line. Running to Shin-Osaka Station, some services on the San’yo line continue onto the Tokaido line, running to Shin-Yokohama before terminating at Tokyo. Taking one of these services is the fastest way to move from Fukuoka to Shin-Yokohama by train – a journey of around 4.5 to 5 hours / JPY21,890. Alternatively, flying from Fukuoka Airport to Haneda Airport takes around 100 minutes, from where it’s a 30 to 50-minute journey to Yokohama Station by train or bus.
FROM NAGANO / approximately 2 hours
From Nagano Station, take the Hokuriku Shinkansen to Tokyo Station and transfer to the Tokaido Shinkansen to Shin-Yokohama Station – a total journey time of around 2 hours / JPY9120.
FROM KANAZAWA / between 3.5 to 4.5 hours
From Kanazawa Station, take any service on the Hokuriku Shinkansen bound for Tokyo Station and once there, transfer to the Tokaido Shinkansen bound for Shin-Yokohama Station – a total journey 3.5 hours / JPY14,190. Alternatively, from Kanazawa you can also take the Limited Express ‘Shirasgai’ to Maibara Station and then transfer to the Tokaido Shinkansen bound for Shin-Yokohama – a journey of 4 hours / JPY15,180; or take the Limited Express ‘Thunderbird’ to Kyoto Station and transfer to the Tokaido Shinkansen bound for Shin-Yokohama – a total journey of 4.5 hours / JPY16,170.
GETTING FROM SHIN-YOKOHAMA STATION TO YOKOHAMA STATION
As Japan’s second-most populous city, Yokohama has multiple major stations. Of those, Shin-Yokohama Station – pictured above – and Yokohama Station – pictured below – are the primary hubs for moving to and from the city. Shin-Yokohama Station is located to the north of central Yokohama and serviced by the Tokaido Shinkansen line – running from Tokyo to Osaka – many visitors move to and from the city via this station when travelling there starting points including Nagoya, Kyoto, Osaka, Nagano and many others. Yokohama Station is more centrally located and is serviced by local lines running to and from Tokyo, Kamakura, Hakone and other nearby destinations.
Moving between Shin-Yokohama Station and Yokohama Station is easy. The Yokohama City Subway Blue Line operates from just after 05:00 until just after 24:00, with frequent services throughout the day. The journey takes only 10 minutes and costs JPY250. The two stations are also connected by the Yokohama Line, taking a little longer at around 13 minutes / JPY170. Services also operate from around 05:00 until 24:00.
20 THINGS TO DO AROUND YOKOHAMA & WHERE TO STAY
As Japan’s second most populous city, Yokohama is huge, sprawling and offers plenty for visitors to do. Mixing historic and modern attractions, the city’s close proximity to Tokyo – only 25 minutes by train – make Yokohama especially popular with Tokyoites and international visitors who flock to the city as an easy daytrip or overnight stay. Our ‘20 Things to Do Around Yokohama’ page includes our suggestions of the best attractions and activities on offer – a great place to start when planning your visit.
PLAN YOUR VISIT TO JAPAN
Heading to Yokohama using the rail system is quick, easy and comfortable. Unfathomable in its size and efficiency, moving around the country by train opens-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.
