How to travel from Nara to Nagano, Japan

The distance between Nara and Nagano is around 394km (245 miles) and the quickest way to get there is to take the train and then fly which takes around 3h 45m.

6 routes found

We've found 6 different ways to get from Nara to Nagano 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 NaganoNara if you're planning a return trip.

🚀 Fastest
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Train and Plane

Take the train to Osaka then fly from Kobe (UKB) to Matsumoto (MMJ) then take the train to Nagano.

  • Duration3h 45m
  • Flight time1hr
  • Typical cost
    ¥28,200($205)
Operated by

Multiple operators

2 similiar routes

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

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Train

Take the train to Nagoya and then to Nagano.

  • Duration4hrs
  • Departshourly
  • Typical cost
    ¥14,375($105)
Operated by

Multiple train operators

💰 Cheapest
3
bus
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Bus

Take the bus to Meitetsu Nagoya and then to Nagano Station.

  • Duration7h 25m
  • Departstwice daily
  • Typical cost
    ¥8,350($61)
Operated by

Multiple bus operators

4
car
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Drive

Drive to Nagano.

  • Duration5hrs
  • Distance395km (246 miles)
Get turn-by-turn directions

Frequently asked questionsabout travel between Nara and Nagano

There are several options for getting from Nara to Nagano by train, bus, car and plane. The cheapest option is to take the bus which costs around ¥8,350 ($61) and will take around 7h 25m. If you need to get there more quickly, you can take the train and then fly and arrive in approximately 3h 45m, though it is a bit more costly at approximately ¥28,200 ($205).

The distance between Nara and Nagano is around 394km (245 miles). In a direct line (as the crow flies), the distance is 307km (191 miles)

It takes around 4hrs to get from Nara and Nagano by train. If you are travelling by car it will take around 5hrs to drive there.

The quickest way to get from Nara to Nagano is to take the train and then fly which takes around 3h 45m and will set you back approx ¥28,200 ($205).

The cheapest way to travel between Nara and Nagano, if you exclude driving, is to take the bus which will typically cost around ¥8,350 ($61) for a standard one-way ticket.

Train travel

Yes there is a train service that runs between Nara and Nagano. It typically takes around 4hrs and departs hourly.

There are no direct train services that runs from Nara to Nagano. However, you can instead can take several connecting trains with a changeover in Kyoto and Nagoya. These services run hourly and will take a minimum of 4hrs.

Japan Railways Shinkansen and Japan Railways Limited Express run train services between Nara and Nagano. Trains depart hourly and will take around 4hrs, 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 Nara and Nagano. It typically takes around 7h 25m and departs twice daily.

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

Meitetsu Bus and Alpico Group run regular bus services between Nara and Nagano. 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 Nara to Nagano. We recommend that you take the train to Osaka then fly from Kobe (UKB) to Matsumoto (MMJ) then take the train to Nagano. instead which will take 3h 45m.

The closest major airport to Nagano is Matsumoto Airport (MMJ) (MMJ) which is approximately 59km (37 miles) from Nagano. Tokyo Haneda Airport (HND) (HND) 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 Nara and Nagano. The distance is around 395km (246 miles) by road and it will take around 5hrs in normal traffic conditons.

If you don't have a car, the easiest way to get from Nara to Nagano is to take the train which takes, on average, 4hrs and will usually cost around ¥14,375 ($105).

How do I get from Nara to Nagano

Compare travel optionsbetween Nara and Nagano

Transport options from Nara to Nagano
Transport optionDurationCostFrequencyDistance
Train and Plane + 2 similar
3h 45m
¥28,200($205)
hourly470km (292 miles)
Train to Tennoji, plane4hrs
¥23,410($170)
every 30 mins702km (436 miles)
Train to Osaka, plane4h 45m
¥21,905($160)
every 30 mins754km (469 miles)
Train
4hrs
¥14,375($105)
hourly416km (259 miles)
Bus
7h 25m
¥8,350($61)
twice daily394km (245 miles)
Drive
5hrs
¥5,750($42)
on demand395km (246 miles)

Top Carriersoperating between Nara and Nagano

Bus companies

Train operators

Airlines

Airports near Nagano

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

MMJ
Matsumoto Airport (MMJ)
Domestic Airport
Distance
59km (37 miles) from Nagano
HND
Tokyo Haneda Airport (HND)
International Airport
Distance
188km (117 miles) from Nagano
NRT
Narita International Airport (NRT)
International Airport
Distance
219km (136 miles) from Nagano