About fare

Please tell me how to get on the bus and how to pay.

Pay the fair when leaving the bus. You can use cash, SAPICA and other IC cards, subway connection tickets etc. Check “How to get on buses” for more details.

When paying the bus fare, if paying in cash, can I change money, and do I get change?

There will be no change. If you are short on coins, please use the money-changing box on the side of the fare box. You cannot change high-value notes (2,000, 5,000, 10,000 yen), so be sure to bring 1,000-yen notes or coins in advance.

About IC card tickets

What should I do if I want to board using SAPICA?

When you board and when you leave, touch your IC card against the reader. You will not need to take a numbered ticket if boarding with an IC card ticket. For further details, please look at “Using SAPICA”.

Can I charge on the bus?

You can charge cards on the bus. The amount you can charge at a time is 1,000 yen and you can only use 1,000-yen notes. Ask the crew when you want to charge.
Please note that moving while the bus is running is very dangerous, so please only charge your IC card while the bus is at a stop.

Can I use Kitaca and other IC cards?

You can use all nationally compatible transportation IC cards. Check “a list of compatible IC cards” for further details.

Where can I purchase SAPICA?

At our company’s various bus ticket centers (Otaru, Kotoni, Atsubetsu, Kitahiroshima etc.), as well as subway ticket machines and counters. For location and operating hours of our company’s counters, please check “ticket sale booths”. You cannot purchase SAPICA on a bus.

ticket sale booths

Bus Ticket Center Miyanosawa Branch

Address:MiyanosawaBusTerminal,1-1-17Miyanosawa-Ichijo,Nishi-ku,Sapporo
Tel:011-590-0780
Businesshours:11:00a.m.–6:30p.m.
Breaktime:2:00p.m.–3:00p.m.
Closed:SundaysandNewYearholidays(Dec.31-Jan.3)

Bus Ticket Center Sapporo Kitasanjo

Address: Sapporo Kita Sanjo Building 1F, Kita Sanjo Nishi 3-chome Kita 3 Jo Nishi 3-chome, Chuo-ku, Sapporo
Tel:011-209-1315
Business hours:10:00 a.m.–7:00p.m.
Open from 10:00 to 17:00 on December 31st
Closed on January 1st

Bus Ticket Center Shinsapporo Duo

Address: Shin Sapporo Arc City Duo 1 Basement 1F, Atsubetsu Chuo 2-jo 5-6-2, Atsubetsu-ku, Sapporo-shi
Tel:011-891-2488
Opening hours: Monday to Friday 10:00am to 7:00pm
Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays 10:00am to 6:00 pm(Break time: 12:00pm to 1:00pm)

Otaru Branch

Address:2-22-1 Inaho, Otaru
Tel:0134-22-5570
Business hours:10:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.

Kotoni Branch

Address:7-1-21 Nijuyonken-Nijo, Nishi-ku, Sapporo
Tel:011-631-4111

Atsubetsu Branch

Address:4-30-1 Atsubetsu-minami, Atsubetsu-ku, Sapporo
Tel:011-891-2544
Business hours:10:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.

Kitahiroshima Branch

Address:340-1 Kitanosato, Kitahiroshima
Tel:011-376-0703

Can I use the card even if the remaining fee on it is less than the bus fare?

Yes, but you will need to pay the remainder in cash or charge the card further first. Under “Using SAPICA”, you will find more information on what to do if your IC card’s remaining funds are too low.

On JR rail tickets

Can I use any JR-issued ticket on a bus?

You can use the Japan Rail Pass, Hokkaido Rail Pass and Hokkaido Free Pass. while the other tickets, including the Seishun 18 Ticket and Otona-no Kyujitsu Club Pass, cannot be used.

How widely can Japan Rail Pass, Hokkaido Rail Pass, Hokkaido Free Pass and other bus-compatible tickets be used?

They can be used for any of JR Hokkaido Bus’s regular route buses. Additionally, the Hokkaido Rail Pass and Hokkaido Free Pass can be used for our company's Otaru Express, but not for the other express buses and extra services.

Miscellaneous

I want to go to my destination but I don’t know the route.

Look at the Sapporo Eki-Bus Navi, which will guide you through public transport around Sapporo. By the Route Search on the top page of the site, you can find information on trains, subways, buses, their timetables and fares, etc.

There are several bus stations with the same name, I don’t know which to board from.

If you use the bus location system BUS KITA, it will show you the location of the bus station you need to board from. Check the BUS KITA website for details.

I want to know if a particular bus is running.

By using the BUS KITA bus location system, you can tell whether the bus you want to board is running or not. Check the BUS KITA website for further details.

Can I eat and drink on the bus?

Please refrain from eating and drinking on the bus, as it may disturb other passengers.