Anyone driven from Tokyo to Hakuba? How was the drive, any issues and how long? Looking at rental from Narita, 3 guys on a road trip for 2 weeks. Gordo
Easy drive. Expensive tolls $110.00aud. It's 80% freeway. Two ways to go. Depends on where you are leaving from. It's only a worry is when it snows in odd places .
Maybe 4 hours, unless you're unlucky with weather, but it's all straightforward. Makes sense for three of you. Make sure you have 4WD with winter tyres. You get these automatically in Nagano.
Absolutely To avoid routing into the countryside plug in Nagano 1st into your GPS and when you get into Nagano then put in Hakuba.
Usually 4ish hours. One time it took 10+. Take snacks and not a couple who are in the beginning stages of a breakup. Also, yes, snow tyres.
The drive over the hills from Nagano to Hakuba is more hazardous than the flat route via Chuo and Matsumoto, in snowy or freeze/thaw conditions. Instead, go west on the Chuo out of Tokyo, then just after Matsumoto, follow the Hakuba signs, but use the back road, rather than the main road thru Omachi, with all the traffic lights.
You went through the town didn't you................. Never ever You need to take the road on the causeway. No lights.
This. It's easy enough.... the Azumino exit follows the expressway on the western side for a while. It diverges from the expressway, and about 1km after, it takes a big bend at the Whitehorse place... about 400m later, turn right at the lights. That's the back road on the causeway to the west of the river... it also goes past a nice wasabi farm!
Nah it's not... *depending what time you arrive. Which airport etc etc. Driving during the day is easy. At night. In snow. Not so much
As @Donzah said, after the flight, best case is pulling into accommodation ~midnight. If it's snowing, that drive is going to suck.
Yep have done that a couple times, Flexibility of being able to maybe drive up north and not having to return via Nagano appealing
Ahh ok. Closer to five hours from nrt. However heaps of cars there. Albeit a bit away from the terminal. But with three drivers. No worries. Only drama is the weather .
