Getting Around Otaru
Otaru is a compact port city, and much of what visitors come to see sits within a comfortable stroll of the center. The city's historical buildings, restaurants, and shops cluster together, so walking is often the easiest and cheapest way to get around. For sights farther out, a small rail network, local buses, and taxis fill in the gaps.
On Foot
Walking is the default way to explore central Otaru. Many of its historical buildings, restaurants, and shops are within easy walking distance of one another, and most of the city's attractions lie within roughly a half-hour walk of Otaru Station.
A suggested walking itinerary starts at the Otaru Music Box Museum at one end of Sakaimachihondori Street. Follow the street until it crosses a small canal, continue up the street to the Museum of the Money, then follow the canal down and keep following it when it turns left and widens.
One notable exception to the walkable core is the group of herring mansions on the west side of the city. These are farther afield, but relatively frequent buses connect them to both the canal area and Otaru Station.
Rail Network
Otaru is served by JR Hokkaido trains on the Hakodate Main Line. Within the city there are three stations: Otaru Station, which is the closest to downtown and the main stop; Minami-Otaru Station; and Otaru-Chikkō Station. Otaru Station is the terminus for most services from Sapporo and Niseko, and all trains from Sapporo also call at Minami-Otaru and Otaru-Chikkō.
Trains from Sapporo are frequent, running roughly every twenty minutes throughout the day. The fastest service, the Airport Rapid, is the quickest option, while local trains take longer. In September, a limited express Niseko service makes one daily trip from Sapporo to Otaru; seat reservations are mandatory on that train.
From Niseko, service is much sparser — only a handful of trains a day, all of them local trains stopping at every intermediate station, with a travel time of around two hours. In September the limited express Niseko also runs one daily afternoon trip from Niseko to Otaru, again requiring seat reservations.
Otaru has no metro or tram system; the JR lines and buses cover the ground that a subway or tram might in a larger city.
Buses
Chuo Bus operates a number of routes useful for reaching attractions farther from the center. Most buses stop at the central bus station, which is located to your right immediately upon exiting Otaru railway station — a convenient base for planning a bus trip.
Taxis
Taxis are available in Otaru and are a practical option for short hops that are awkward on foot or by bus. They are also useful for reaching the ferry terminal: a taxi ride from Otaru Station to the Otaru Ferry Terminal takes about ten minutes.
Ferry Connections
Otaru is one of Hokkaido's key ferry ports and the closest such port to Sapporo. Shin-Nihonkai Ferry operates a daily service between Otaru and Niigata, and between Otaru and Maizuru near Kyoto. Both services are overnight, and private cabins are available for a higher fare — the base fare buys sleeping space on the floor. All services depart from and arrive at the Otaru Ferry Terminal.
To reach the ferry terminal, take a bus from Otaru-Chikkō Station (about a ten-minute ride) or from Otaru Station (about a thirty-minute ride), or a taxi from Otaru Station (about ten minutes).
Getting There from the Airport
The nearest airports are New Chitose Airport to the south and Okadama Airport to the southeast. New Chitose is the main gateway for most visitors.
By train, the Airport Rapid connects New Chitose Airport with Otaru in about seventy minutes. About two trains per hour continue from Otaru to New Chitose Airport, so the connection runs in both directions without a change at Sapporo. Fares and schedules are subject to change, so it is worth checking current prices and timetables before you travel.
Practical Tips
- Base yourself near Otaru Station if you plan to walk: most attractions are within about a half-hour on foot.
- Use the central bus station, just outside the railway station to your right, for buses to outlying sights such as the herring mansions.
- Allow extra time in winter, when Otaru is very snowy and conditions can slow both walking and road transport.
- If you are continuing to Niseko or Sapporo by limited express in September, reserve seats in advance — reservations are mandatory on those services.
- For ferry departures, build in time for the bus or taxi transfer to the Otaru Ferry Terminal.