Start planning your trip
2024 edition [Tsuruga, Fukui Prefecture] Summary of access methods from Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto, Nagoya, and Kanazawa to Tsuruga, the "town of railways and ports"
Tsuruga, Fukui Prefecture, known as a railway and port town, is a popular tourist spot for railway heritage tourism, Japan heritage sites (Meganebashi, former Owada Bank headquarters), and seafood from the Sea of Japan. Tsuruga in Fukui Prefecture, known as a railway and port town, is full of rail...
Tsuruga, Fukui Prefecture - A Place Full of Retro Charm
Tsuruga is located in the central-southern part of Fukui Prefecture and has been a key port for maritime traffic with the continent since ancient times. It was the first town on the Sea of Japan coast to have a railway, and is a Japanese heritage site called "Railway Beyond the Sea: A Miracle of Railways Connecting the World." It is full of tourist spots such as the Railway Museum, red brick warehouses and other buildings overflowing with retro romance, as well as beautiful shrines and temples. Furthermore, facing the Sea of Japan, you can enjoy fresh seafood.
How to get to Tsuruga from Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto, Nagoya, and Kanazawa
Tsuruga City in Fukui Prefecture can be accessed by air and land from major cities. Here we will introduce how to get to Tsuruga from Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto, Nagoya, and Kanazawa.
How to get to Tsuruga from Tokyo
If you are traveling by plane, bus, or train: Use Komatsu Airport
From Haneda Airport (ANA/JAL), take about 1 hour 5 minutes to Komatsu Airport. Take a bus for about 12 minutes to JR Komatsu Station. Take the JR Shirasagi Express for about 1 hour 4 minutes to JR Tsuruga Station.
By train :
・From Tokyo, take the Tokaido Shinkansen Hikari to Maibara Station in about 2 hours and 15 minutes. Transfer to the JR Shirasagi Limited Express to Tsuruga Station in about 25 minutes.
・[After March 16, 2024] After the extension of the Hokuriku Shinkansen from Kanazawa Station to Tsuruga Station opens, you can travel from Tokyo to Tsuruga Station on the Hokuriku Shinkansen Kagayaki in approximately 3 hours and 8 minutes without changing trains.
Directions from Tokyo are also listed here.
If you have a Japan Rail Pass, you can travel at a discount
If you are a tourist visiting Japan and have a Japan Rail Pass (JR Pass), you can use JR lines and Shinkansen trains as much as you like, so we recommend it to save on transportation costs. In addition, when using the JR Pass, you can use the "Hikari" train on the Tokaido Shinkansen. *You cannot ride the Nozomi train. However, you can use the "Nozomi" train on the section and facilities you purchased only if you purchase a Nozomi ticket separately before boarding and use it together with a valid Japan Rail Pass.
If you take an express bus :
It takes about 6 hours and 30 minutes from Tokyo to Tsuruga.
If you are using a car/rental vehicle :
From Tokyo, take the Tomei Expressway ⇒ Meishin Expressway ⇒ Hokuriku Expressway to Tsuruga in about 6 hours 30 minutes to 7 hours.
How to get from Osaka to Tsuruga
From Kansai Airport :
From Kansai Airport Station, take the JR Haruka Express to Kyoto Station in about 1 hour and 20 minutes. Transfer to the JR Thunderbird Express to Tsuruga Station in about 53 minutes.
From Osaka Station :
JR Thunderbird Express to Tsuruga Station in approximately 1 hour and 25 minutes.
How to get from Kyoto to Tsuruga
From Kyoto Station :
JR Thunderbird Express to Tsuruga Station in approximately 53 minutes.
How to get from Nagoya to Tsuruga
From Chubu Centrair International Airport :
From Chubu Centrair International Airport Station, take the Meitetsu train for about 50 minutes to Meitetsu Nagoya Station. Transfer to the JR Shirasagi Limited Express and head to Tsuruga Station for about 1 hour and 37 minutes.
From Nagoya Station :
・JR Limited Express Shirasagi - No transfers required, takes approximately 1 hour and 37 minutes to Tsuruga Station.
・Take the Tokaido Shinkansen Hikari to Maibara Station in about 28 minutes. Transfer to the JR Shirasagi Limited Express to Tsuruga Station in about 35 minutes.
How to get from Kanazawa to Tsuruga
From Kanazawa Station :
Take the JR Limited Express Shirasagi or Thunderbird to JR Tsuruga Station in approximately 1 hour and 25 minutes.
Enjoy your trip to Tsuruga using an access method that suits your travel style!
This time, we introduced how to get to Tsuruga from Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto, Aichi, and Kanazawa. Find the transportation method that suits your itinerary, budget, and travel style, and enjoy the charm of Tsuruga!
For an introduction to Tsuruga's recommended gourmet foods, please click here.
List of recommended sightseeing spots in Tsuruga
On March 16, 2024, the Hokuriku Shinkansen opened between Kanazawa Station and Tsuruga Station. Tsuruga Station will be the terminus from both the Tokyo and Kansai areas, and is attracting a lot of attention. Tsuruga is a city of railways and ports, and the Shinkansen opened in the town where the first railway ran on the Sea of Japan side, so it is popular among people other than railway fans. There are many tourist spots scattered around, and after the opening of the mountain-side Japan Heritage Old Hokuriku Line Tunnels Heritage Group, the direct train "Europe-Asia International Express" ran to Tsuruga Port, which developed into one of the leading international ports on the Sea of Japan side. We will continue to offer route buses and tour plans, such as new tourist routes of Japan Heritage on the sea side along the Tsuruga Port Line. Come and go on a trip with exciting experiences beyond your imagination.
The contents on this page may partially contain automatic translation.