Sapporo New Chitose Airport Bus to Susukino: 2026 Guide

When I booked my accommodation in Sapporo, I didn't prioritize location too much, but most of my choices ended up being near Susukino. (It's generally a better idea to stay in Susukino than near Sapporo Station for convenience.)

That's because most of Sapporo's attractions, including fantastic restaurants and large shopping malls, are concentrated around Susukino. If you're arriving at Sapporo's New Chitose Airport, let me guide you on the best way to get to Susukino.

First, there are two main ways to get there: taking the JR line and then the subway, or taking a direct bus.

While the train (JR line to subway) offers a quicker journey, it's usually a bit pricier and can be cumbersome if you're traveling with a lot of luggage. Plus, the train only takes you to Sapporo Station, meaning you'd have an extra 15-minute walk to reach Susukino. This is why most travelers opt for the bus.

Heading to the Domestic Terminal

Once you arrive at the airport, your first step is to head towards the domestic terminal.

The walk from the international terminal to the domestic terminal takes about 10 minutes (approximately 0.6 miles). While there are bus stops at the international terminal, finding your way can be a bit tricky.

Also, the domestic terminal boasts a good number of attractions, including popular bakeries, egg tart shops, ice cream stands, and various snacks. It's a great idea to spend 20-30 minutes exploring the domestic terminal before catching your bus.

I really wanted to try the famous egg tarts and pastries at the domestic terminal, but the waiting lines were incredibly long, so I gave up. Instead, I grabbed an ice cream and headed off.

However, no matter where I looked, the signs for the bus boarding area weren't clearly displayed.

I realized I was on the second floor of the domestic terminal; you need to go down one level to the first floor to find the exit to the bus stops. As someone who's notoriously bad with directions, even clear instructions often leave me wandering! I always seem to make things harder for myself.

You'll need to wait at bus platform 14. There were already over 20 people waiting when I arrived.

Since it was a Saturday, there were many travelers heading to Susukino. On a weekday, you might only need to wait for one or two buses, but when I arrived, I had to let two buses pass before getting on the third one. To make matters worse, the second bus cut off right in front of me!

The buses typically run every 15 minutes, so I ended up waiting for about 45 minutes before boarding.

Before boarding, a staff member asked how I'd be paying. When I said cash, they directed me to a nearby ticket machine to purchase a ticket.

Since I didn't understand the instructions, the staff member kindly led me to the machine and helped me with the purchase. The one-way fare is 1,500 JPY (approximately ~$10).

If you purchase a round-trip ticket, it costs 2,900 JPY (around ~$19), saving you 100 JPY (less than a dollar). Just remember to keep your ticket safe until the end of your trip!

For the red Chuo Bus, you can pay with Suica, Pasmo transportation cards, or general credit cards. The green Hokuto Bus does not accept transportation cards; only general credit cards are accepted.

If you're paying with cash for the red Chuo Bus, you must purchase a ticket from the machine beforehand. I read several reviews online that claimed you could just pay cash when you got off, but I fell for that misinformation! Don't trust everything you read on blogs; it's always best to buy your ticket in advance or ask a staff member.

*While the timetable might distinguish between red and green buses, you can't really choose which color bus you get on. So, prepare accordingly: if you're using cash, buy a ticket; if you have a travel wallet card or credit card, you're good to go.

On Fridays and Saturdays, many people take the bus from the airport to Susukino. If you see more than 30 people waiting, I highly recommend taking the JR train instead. If you're unlucky like I was, you could end up waiting for 4-5 buses, which means over an hour of just waiting.

After nearly an hour of waiting, I finally got a seat. The journey from the airport to my destination then took another 1 hour and 10 minutes, making the total travel time over 2 hours. Many people disembark at Minami-3jo.

And here's another 'tip' that's completely false: some people claim buses arrive in the order of Domestic Terminal Platform 22, then Domestic Terminal Platform 14, and finally International Terminal Platform 84, so you should always go to Platform 22 to get on faster. Don't believe it – it's completely inaccurate! Logistically, there's no need to go all the way to the domestic terminal, but I think people's perception or rumors make them believe they'll get on faster at Platforms 22 or 14, leading everyone there.

In reality, staff members manage passenger distribution fairly at each stop. At Platform 14, the first bus took 14 people, and the second took 11. I suspect the staff communicate via radio to manage passenger distribution. If that rumor were true, then no one at International Terminal Platform 84 would ever be able to board a bus.

I arrived at the airport around 1:00 PM, and by the time I finally reached Susukino after all the travel, it was already 5:00 PM. On your first day, it's always a good idea to keep your itinerary light and avoid over-scheduling.