E-lyn ThamThe Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route remains one of Japan’s most breathtaking mountain journeys — a spectacular trail of cable cars, trolleybuses, ropeways, and alpine vistas that cuts straight through the Northern Japanese Alps. But with so many transport connections to navigate, it can feel intimidating for first-timers.
In 2025, the full Alpine Route operates from 15 April to 30 November, closing every winter. The highlight for many is the Yuki no Ōtani Snow Wall, which towers up to 18–20 metres high and is open from 15 April to 25 June 2025. Later in the year, autumn visitors are treated to fiery foliage across the mountains.
The route is one-way, meaning you either start from Nagano (east side) or Toyama (west side) and finish at the other. This guide follows the Nagano-to-Toyama direction, which typically has shorter queues and more time flexibility. Here’s how to complete it in one day from Tokyo.
Step 1: Tokyo to Nagano via shinkansen (83 minutes)
Catch an early Hokuriku Shinkansen from Tokyo Station to Nagano (around 7:20 AM is ideal). The ride takes about 1 hour 20 minutes, and with this timing, you’ll arrive before 9 AM — giving you a full day to cross the Alps.
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Fare: ~¥8,500 one way (~SGD 75).
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Passes: JR East Pass (Nagano & Niigata Area) covers this leg, but the national JR Pass does not fully cover the Alpine Route beyond Nagano.
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Pro tip: Reserve your seats during peak travel weeks like Golden Week (late April–early May) or expect standing-room only.
The JR Rail Passes, which can only be purchased outside of Japan.
The Tateyama Option Tickets that can be purchased from the JR East Offices.
As I previously mentioned, completing the Tateyama Alpine Route would entail taking multiple modes of transport. Do keep in mind that the route is likely to be swarmed with people, especially during the two months each year when the Snow Corridor is open. (This year, it’s open from 15 April to 25 June 2025) So do expect lots of people, and plenty of congestion along the way.
Save yourself the headache and purchase the Tateyama Option Ticket from a JR East Office at Narita Airport, Haneda Airport, Shinjuku, Tokyo Station, Ikebukuro or Nagano before you make the trip – the one-way ticket costs 10,940 yen, and will cover your entire way from Nagano to Dentetsu-Toyama station (the other end of the route). Sadly, the various modes of transportation besides the shinkansen are not covered by the JR Rail Pass. This ticket, however, is valid for five consecutive days, so you can even choose to stay in hotels along the route and explore the area over a longer duration.
Step 2: Nagano to Ogizawa via Alpico Express Bus (100 minutes)
At Nagano Station, head to the bus terminal and board the Alpico Express bus to Ogizawa, the official starting point of the Alpine Route. The journey winds into the mountains, giving you your first views of the Japanese Alps.
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Fare: ~¥2,600 (~SGD 23).
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Buses run frequently during Alpine Route season, with free Wi-Fi onboard.
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By late spring, expect dazzling snowy peaks in the distance.
The area surrounding Ogizawa station itself is a sight to behold – snow-streaked mountains stand majestic against a vista of sheer white. By the time I arrived, there were already a couple of tour buses parked in the parking lots. Don’t linger too long at this station, you’ve only just arrived at the gateway of the Tateyama Alpine Route!
Step 3: Ogizawa to Kurobe Dam via Kanden Tunnel Trolley Bus (16 minutes)
The adventure begins with the electric trolley bus that takes you through a 6.1-km tunnel straight to Kurobe Dam. Approaching from the Nagano side usually means shorter queues compared to starting at Toyama.
Fun fact: The Kanden trolley bus is one of Japan’s few remaining electric buses running entirely underground.
Step 4: Kurobe Dam to Kurobeko on foot (15 minutes)
The mighty Kurobe Dam is the first major highlight. At 186m high, it’s Japan’s tallest dam. Stroll across the dam (about 15 minutes) and take in the sweeping alpine views.
(left) tunnel walkway to Kurobe Dam; (right) Stairs leading up to the observatory
Not many people are aware of this, but there’s an observatory that allows visitors to have an aerial view of Kurobe Dam. At the station, do look for the flight of green stairs that will lead you up to the observatory. There are over 200 steps, which makes for a good morning workout!
The 200+ steps may be tiring to climb, but persevere and you’ll be rewarded with gorgeous views from the top. Another plus point about this observatory is that it’s normally excluded from the itineraries of tour groups, making it a blissful stop point devoid of crowds.
To get to this part of the journey, you’ll have to venture 15 minutes on foot across the Kurobe Dam. Enjoy every step – welcome to winter wonderland: the Japanese edition.
Step 5: Kurobeko to Kurobedaira via Kurobe Cable Car (5 minutes)
If you purchased the Tateyama Option Ticket beforehand, head for the ticket office at the Kurobeko station (which lies at the end of the 15-minute walk across Kurobe Dam) to obtain a numbered ticket. You’ll be given a ticket with either 1, 2, or 3 imprinted on it – the number denotes which queue you should join.
The Kurobe Cable Car has stairs within the compartment – the first of its kind that I’ve ever seen! It’s a short five-minute ride but the cable car tends to jerk when coming to a halt, so do hold on tight.
Step 6: Kurobedaira to Daikanbo via Tateyama Ropeway (7 minutes)
This part of the route is where you’ll usually encounter a bottleneck – each ropeway car can only accommodate a limited number of people, resulting in long queues. Just like at Kurobeko, head to the ticket office at Kurobedaira Station (where you’ll get off the cable car) to get a numbered ticket. After which, check the whiteboard at the entrance for your allotted timing.
There was a massive number of people waiting, resulting in a 1.5-hour interval before I could get on the ropeway. Luckily, Kurobedaira Station is home to a beautiful sky garden, which had a spectacular view of the Japanese Alps. To add to the magic, it started to snow when I was there! Warning: the winds can get really strong, so do suit up before climbing.
Also, grab the opportunity to have your lunch here at Kurobedaira Station; there aren’t any other food establishments along the route.
At long last, it was finally my turn to board the ropeway that would bring me closer to the biggest highlight of the Tateyama Alpine Route – the Snow Corridor!
Step 7: Daikanbo to Murudo via Tateyama Trolley Bus (10 minutes)
Upon arriving at Daikanbo, a short 10-minute trolley bus ride brought me to the majestic Yuki-no-Otani Snow Wall at Murudo! The temperature was about negative two degrees, and there are rubber boots for rent should you wish to be in something sturdier.
The Snow Wall looked exactly liked how it did on the Internet – feast your eyes on a towering snow corridor, the highest point of which reaches up to a staggering 19 metres. It was truly unlike anything I’ve ever seen; I can’t believe I actually made it to the famous Snow Corridor!
I went on the second day of the snow corridor’s opening, and was blessed with clear skies. I heard that the Snow Walk was closed the previous day due to heavy snow – such a pity! Do check the forecast before you go, it’d be a shame to travel all the way and be unable to walk through the magnificent Snow Corridor.
P.S. If you can’t envision how tall the Snow Walls are, just compare them against the bus!
Veer off the Snow Corridor for the panorama walk, where you can’t help but wonder whether you’re still in Japan, or if you’ve been teleported to Switzerland. A blanket of fine snow covers the ground as far as the eye can see; remember to bring your sunglasses, for the snow glare can be quite intense.
As you can tell, I had lots of fun frolicking around in the snow! Feel free to engage in a snowball fight with your friends, or simply revel in all that wintry goodness.
The Snow Corridor is a one-way walk, so you’ll go back the same way that you came. Take your time here; you won’t see a Snow Wall anywhere else in the world!
Step 8: Murudo to Bijodaira via Tateyama Highland Bus (50 minutes)
Descend the mountain aboard the Tateyama Highland Bus, which drives straight through the Snow Corridor. You’ll get a chance to see the snow walls from a bus window perspective before winding down through alpine forests.
Step 9: Bijodaira to Tateyama Station via Tateyama Cable Car (7 minutes)
Switch to the Tateyama Cable Car for a final ride down to Tateyama Station. This marks the official end of the Alpine Route journey.
Step 10: Tateyama Station to Dentetsu Toyama Station (60 minutes)
From Tateyama, take the private Tateyama Railway to Dentetsu Toyama Station (about 1 hour). The station is right next to JR Toyama Station, making for an easy transfer to the Shinkansen back to Tokyo.
Also read: Exploring Japan: 9 Easy Day Trips from Tokyo
Step 11: Toyama Station to Tokyo via shinkansen (139 minutes)
I highly recommend making a seat reservation for this last leg of the journey, for it’s a 139-minute ride. This is completely covered by the JR Rail Pass, and a point-to-point ticket would otherwise cost 12,800 yen (~SGD113). I took the 7.37pm train which would have me back in Tokyo by 10pm – it was a long and tiring day, but it was totally worth it! Do take note that the trains run like clockwork – if the schedule says that it will leave at 7.37pm, it WILL leave at 7.37pm. Not a minute earlier and not a minute later.
So there you have it, a step-by-step itinerary for visiting the Tateyama Alpine Route from Tokyo! In case you need a visual overview, here’s a picture of a map that you can grab from any of the stations:
The route is terribly long, and the journey can be confusing at times, but is it worth it? Absolutely. Visiting the Tateyama Alpine Route is a once-in-a-lifetime experience, made all the more amazing by how the Snow Corridor is only open for two months a year. Many also choose to traverse the Tateyama Alpine Route during other seasons, especially during autumn due to the colours of the fall foliage. However, I do recommend that you go during winter – it’s an experience you’ll never forget.
Kudos to the Japanese for making such a multi-faceted route so efficient; I didn’t run into any hiccups throughout the journey, and everything was smooth sailing! If you require assistance, there are plenty of officers stationed along the way who will be more than willing to lend a helping hand.
It might sound intimidating, but the whole process is actually easier than it looks. Why not try it for yourself? Put this on your Japan bucket list, and bring on the Tateyama Alpine Route!
