AAC Niseko is part of Australian Alpine Club
AAC Niseko is part of Australian Alpine Club
As the name suggests, the AAC Niseko lodge is located in Niseko Japan – specifically, the Izumikyo 2 area of Niseko. This area is super convenient for getting to the Grand Hirafu ski fields, Hanazono, Niseko Village, and Annupuri. The Hirafu gondola is 5 minutes away and Hanazono is 15 minutes by free shuttle bus. The lodge can be reached by bus or taxi, and we offer complimentary shuttle pick-up and drop-off to the Welcome Center upon check-in and check-out of the lodge
To get to Niseko, you’ll first need to fly to Hokkaido. The closest airport to the lodge is New Chitose, located just outside of Sapporo. Recently, more airlines have started to offer flights from major Australian capital cities to Sapporo, meaning you may be able to skip the process of flying to Tokyo or Osaka, and fly direct instead. The price of a flight to Sapporo can vary depending on when you book it, so it pays to check throughout the year and keep an eye on sales.
From New Chitose airport, you’ll likely travel by bus to Niseko. Typically, buses depart from the airport to Niseko up until 7:40pm most nights, so if you wish to avoid staying overnight in Chitose, it’s a good idea to schedule your flight to arrive before 6pm. In a similar vein, the bus departing Niseko for the airport arrives at the airport at 11am, so it’s a good idea to try and keep your return flight booking to 2pm or later. You will need to pre-book these buses before your trip. Common Niseko bus services are Niseko Ground Service and White Liner. If you choose to travel outside of these times, there are many hotels around Chitose and Sapporo that include a free airport shuttle service. Be sure to check your own information on the above, as bus schedules are subject to change.
Please let the lodge know the details of your future arrival when you have them, as we offer free collection from the Hirafu Welcome Center in Niseko.
Another option is to take the train from the airport to the Kutchan railway station. Kutchan is the closest town to Niseko, and transfer from this station to the AAC lodge should be around 2000 Yen. If you wish to ship your skis directly to the lodge when you arrive in Japan, there’s a fantastic service called Takkyubin which is fast, reliable and easy to use.