Ferries to Tomakomai

The ferry port of Tomakomai is on the south coast of Hokkaido and is the island's main ferry link from the Japanese main island of Honshu. MOL Ferry connects it with Oarai north-east of Tokyo, with up to 4 departures a day on a good four days of the week. The crossing over the Pacific takes around 17.75 hours, sailing both as an evening and as an overnight departure.

Getting there and the terminal

The place to go is the Tomakomai West Port Ferry Terminal, Iribune-cho 1-2-34 in Tomakomai. By car the operator reckons about 60 minutes from Sapporo on the expressway: leave at Tomakomai-Chuo IC, head towards the city centre, turn left at the junction with Route 36 and continue on Route 259 to the terminal. From Noboribetsu it is about 60 minutes on Route 36. Without a car, an express bus runs from Sapporo station straight to the terminal in around 110 minutes. If you come to Tomakomai station on the JR Muroran main line, it is another 20 minutes or so by local bus or 10 minutes by taxi. Be sure to say the West Port. For travellers leaving their vehicle behind there is parking at the terminal.

Check-in

MOL Ferry gives fixed times rather than deadlines in minutes. For the evening departure from Tomakomai you should be at the desk at around 16.30 with a vehicle and around 17.30 on foot. For the overnight departure it is around 22.30 for everyone. During the holiday weeks and in summer the operator expressly asks for earlier check-in.