Ferries to Muroran

The ferry port of Muroran lies on the south coast of Hokkaido. From here you can reach Aomori on Honshu, so the ferry crosses the Tsugaru Strait between Japan's two main islands. Sailings do not run every day; on a sailing day there are up to 2 departures to choose from. The crossing takes around 6.75 hours. The port is served by Tsugarukaikyo Ferry.

Getting there and the terminal

The ferry terminal stands at Irie-cho 1-50 in Muroran and is staffed from 9am to 9pm, with seasonal variations. Experience shows that the long-stay car park at the terminal is full during Golden Week and the Obon period; the operator asks foot passengers to travel by public transport in those weeks. There is neither a shop nor a restaurant in the terminal, but there is a waiting room on the upper floor with a view of the Hakuchō Bridge, along with vending machines, an eating area with a microwave and a nursing room. One point that matters for foot passengers: Muroran does not use a passenger boarding bridge. You board across the vehicle deck, following the staff's instructions.

Check-in

On the Muroran-Aomori route the desk in the terminal opens around 90 minutes before departure. Check-in has to be completed no later than 40 minutes before departure, and no later than 70 minutes before between 20 July and 20 August. Miss that deadline and you risk the operator cancelling your booking. If you have paid in advance, you can deal with the formalities by smart check-in or online check-in.