How to travel from Nagano to Sendai, Japan

The distance between Nagano and Sendai is around 400km (248 miles) and the quickest way to get there is to take the train which takes around 2h 35m.

6 routes found

We've found 6 different ways to get from Nagano to Sendai by train, bus, car and plane. The recommended routes, which include information on duration, ticket price, and level of difficulty, can be found below.

👋 Also check out SendaiNagano if you're planning a return trip.

🚀 Fastest
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Train

Take the train to Omiya(Saitama) and then to Sendai(Miyagi/Jr).

  • Duration2h 35m
  • Departsevery 30 mins
  • Typical cost
    ¥16,430($120)
2
train
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plane
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Train and Plane

Take the train to Shiojiri then fly from Matsumoto (MMJ) to Sendai (SDJ).

  • Duration4h 35m
  • Flight time2h 50m
  • Typical cost
    ¥65,165($475)
Operated by

Multiple operators

2 similiar routes

We’ve grouped similar routes together, click the arrows to see the other options.

💰 Cheapest
3
bus
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Bus

Take the bus to Niigata-eki and then to Hirosedori.

  • Duration7h 25m
  • Departstwice daily
  • Typical cost
    ¥9,170($67)
Operated by

Multiple bus operators

4
car
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Drive

Drive to Sendai.

  • Duration5h 20m
  • Distance400km (248 miles)
Get turn-by-turn directions

Frequently asked questionsabout travel between Nagano and Sendai

There are several options for getting from Nagano to Sendai by train, bus, car and plane. The cheapest option is to take the bus which costs around ¥9,170 ($67) and will take around 7h 25m. If you need to get there more quickly, you can take the train and arrive in approximately 2h 35m, though it is a bit more costly at approximately ¥16,430 ($120).

The distance between Nagano and Sendai is around 400km (248 miles). In a direct line (as the crow flies), the distance is 297km (184 miles)

It takes around 2h 35m to get from Nagano and Sendai by train. If you are travelling by car it will take around 5h 20m to drive there.

The quickest way to get from Nagano to Sendai is to take the train which takes around 2h 35m and will set you back approx ¥16,430 ($120).

The cheapest way to travel between Nagano and Sendai, if you exclude driving, is to take the bus which will typically cost around ¥9,170 ($67) for a standard one-way ticket.

Train travel

Yes there is a train service that runs between Nagano and Sendai. It typically takes around 2h 35m and departs every 30 mins.

There are no direct train services that runs from Nagano to Sendai. However, you can instead can take several connecting trains with a changeover in Omiya(Saitama). These services run every 30 mins and will take a minimum of 2h 35m.

Japan Railways Shinkansen run train services between Nagano and Sendai. Trains depart every 30 mins and will take around 2h 35m, however, this may vary depending on the particular service and whether it runs express or stops all stations.

Bus travel

Yes there is a bus that runs regularly from Nagano and Sendai. It typically takes around 7h 25m and departs twice daily.

There are no direct bus services that runs from Nagano to Sendai. However, you can instead can take several connecting buses with changeovers in Niigata-eki. These services run twice daily and will take a minimum of 7h 25m.

Nagaden Bus and JR Bus Tōhoku run regular bus services between Nagano and Sendai. Buses run twice daily and take around 7h 25m on average but will vary depending on you book with.

Flights and Airlines

It doesn't look like you can fly directly from Nagano to Sendai. We recommend that you take the train to Shiojiri then fly from Matsumoto (MMJ) to Sendai (SDJ). instead which will take 4h 35m.

The closest major airport to Sendai is Sendai Airport (SDJ) (SDJ) which is approximately 15km (10 miles) from Sendai. Yamagata Airport (GAJ) (GAJ) and Narita International Airport (NRT) (NRT) are also nearby and might be a better alternative airport depending on where you are flying from.

Drive yourself

Yes it is possible to drive from Nagano and Sendai. The distance is around 400km (248 miles) by road and it will take around 5h 20m in normal traffic conditons.

If you don't have a car, the easiest way to get from Nagano to Sendai is to take the train which takes, on average, 2h 35m and will usually cost around ¥16,430 ($120).

How do I get from Nagano to Sendai

Compare travel optionsbetween Nagano and Sendai

Transport options from Nagano to Sendai
Transport optionDurationCostFrequencyDistance
Train
2h 35m
¥16,430($120)
every 30 mins484km (301 miles)
Train and Plane + 2 similar
4h 35m
¥65,165($475)
hourly1,426km (886 miles)
Train to Nagoya, Fly5h 25m
¥30,940($225)
hourly822km (511 miles)
Train, Plane and Bus4h 10m
¥25,465($185)
every 4 hours645km (401 miles)
Bus
7h 25m
¥9,170($67)
twice daily422km (262 miles)
Drive
5h 20m
¥5,885($43)
on demand400km (248 miles)

Top Carriersoperating between Nagano and Sendai

Airlines

Bus companies

Train operators

Airports near Sendai

The following major airports near Sendai offer regular flights to various popular destinations within Japan and internationally.

SDJ
Sendai Airport (SDJ)
Domestic Airport
Distance
15km (10 miles) from Sendai
GAJ
Yamagata Airport (GAJ)
Domestic Airport
Distance
46km (29 miles) from Sendai
NRT
Narita International Airport (NRT)
International Airport
Distance
281km (174 miles) from Sendai