The Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route Traffic Guide—Check Out Every Ticket! Vol.2

Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route (Nohi Bus)

1. Ticket information

The Nohi Bus (濃飛バス) for Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route (立山黒部アルペンルート) is similar to a bus tour. It is convenient to take the bus from Takayama to Tateyama Kurobe without any problems transfering. Take the bus from Takayama Station to Ogizawa, then transfer to cross the Alpine Route, and finally going back from Toyama to Takayama Station by bus.
This ticket includes a tour of the Alpine Route, and a round-trip bus ticket between the Alpine Route and Takayama.

For the those who have already decided to visit Takayama or prefer a safe travel time, Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route (Nohi Bus) is a good choice. Maybe you want to visit several major attractions in Central Japan, such as Nagoya, Takayama, Shirakawago, and Tateyama Kurobe. With this ticket, It will not take too much time, 3–4 days for, to see all of the attractions below. Enjoy efficient travel!

Another merit is that you can arrange all of your nights in Takayama while visiting Shirakawago, Tateyama Kurobe without changing packages.

Available area:

Takayama Station - Ogizawa (Bus), all transportation on the Alpine Routes, Toyama - Takayama (Bus)

Available period:

between Apr. 15 – Oct. 14

Price:

Adult ¥15,500, Child ¥8,000

2. Who Should Buy This Ticket

• if you have plans to visit Takayama without changing packages
• you want to save time
• are visiting from overseas on a working or study visa

3. How to Purchase:

Complete an online ticket reservation. Take the bus at the No.3 stop in Takayama Nohi Bus Center. All the seats are reserved.

Tateyama Kurobe Option Ticket (one-way)

Credit: JR東日本&JR西日本 Website

1. Ticket information

Tateyama Kurobe Option Ticket (one-way) is a discount ticket on the Alpine Route for overseas visitors. The biggest advantage is that it is not tied to any specific viewpoints which gives visitors a high degree of freedom. If you plan to travel outside of Central Japan, including Tokyo or Osaka, this ticket is a good choice.

It is recommended to use it together with other travel vouchers (such as SHORYUDO Bus Pass 5-day wide course), which is convenient and affordable. It should be noted that the SHORYUDO (昇龍道) Bus Pass 5-day wide course has to be used in 5 consecutive days. If you purchase this ticket, you should take one of those days and visit Tateyama Kurobe.

Available areas:

Credit: JR東日本&JR西日本 Website

JR Nagono Station, Shinano Omachi - Chitetsu Toyama/Dentetsu Toyama - JR Shinano Omachi Station, Nagano Station, one-way only (not available for round-trip or return)

Available period:

Apr. 15 – Nov.10, the last available start date is Nov. 6. 5 consecutive days.
Purchase date: Apr. 13 – Nov. 5

Price:

Purchase one day before taking the bus: Adult ¥9,800, Child ¥4,900 (¥2,290 cheaper than a normal ticket)

2. Who Should Buy This Ticket

• a preference with more freedom in their schedule while in Tateyama Kurobe
• travel plans starting in Osaka or Tokyo.

3. How to Purchase

Purchase at designated places, including Narita Airport and Tokyo, Shinjuku, Shibuya, Kyoto, Osaka, Kanazawa, Toyama Stations.Read further details.

4. Notes

• This ticket is only available to overseas visitors with a short-stay visa.
• only for one-way passes, no return trip is allowed
• not for sale in Nagoya, but can be purchased in Toyama or Nagano

Check the official Tateyama Kurobe Option Ticket (one-way) website for further details.

4 Ticket Comparison

The Alpine - Takayama - Matsumoto Area Tourist Pass (5 days) is similar to Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Ticket (8 days). The latter has a longer period of use (8 days), more available areas (such as Kanazawa or Shizuoka), a period end date of Nov. 30, and it is available for overseas visitors on long-term visa. Excluding the reasons below, it is better to choose the forme. The 8-day ticket has many restrictions can be complicated to understand its usage.

If you want to have more freedom with travel arrangements, the Tateyama Kurobe Option Ticket (one-way) is your best choice. If you also plan to visit Takayama, then Tateyama Kurobe Option Ticket + Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Routes (Nohi Bus) will be more convenient and cheaper.

Summary

Are you already looking forward your Tateyama Kurobe trip? Pick up one of these tickets and get started planning your trip now!