Nagoya JR Gate Tower Hotel
名古屋JRゲートタワーホテル · joined to Nagoya Station
Joined to the station, so the 07:43 Hida costs you no extra minutes and there is no street to cross with a suitcase.
Check rates ↗Oct–NovThe Hida limited express runs from Nagoya straight up the Hida River gorge to Takayama, with a stop at Gero Onsen on the way. The highway bus does the same trip for ¥3,600.
Nagoya to Takayama is one train, no change: the JR Hida limited express, 2h 15m to 2h 42m, ¥6,140 reserved. Ten leave Nagoya a day, from 07:43 to 20:17, and every one stops at Gero Onsen. The alternative is the highway bus: 12 a day, about 2h 50m, ¥3,600 (¥3,300 booked online), from the Meitetsu Bus Center and Nagoya Station to the Nohi Bus Center beside Takayama Station.
Take the train if you want the Hida River gorge from the window, a stop at Gero, or a Japan Rail Pass journey: it is about 20 minutes faster than the bus on average, has unreserved seats outside peak periods and arrives at Takayama Station itself. Take the bus if the price matters (¥2,540 less than a reserved Hida seat), or if you need a later departure: the last bus from Nagoya leaves at 20:30 and the last bus back from Takayama at 19:00. Bus seats are reserved and Hida seats go quickly on weekends, so book either a month ahead. Heading on to Kanazawa? See Nagoya to Kanazawa, or every route from Nagoya.
| Option | How | Time | Fare |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nagoya → Takayama | JR Hida limited express, reserved seat | 2h 15m–2h 42m | ¥6,140 |
| Nagoya → Takayama | Hida, unreserved seat | same train | ¥5,610 |
| Nagoya → Takayama | Hida, Green car | same train | ¥8,410 |
| Nagoya → Takayama | Highway bus, all seats reserved | about 2h 50m | ¥3,600 (¥3,300 online) |
| Nagoya → Gero Onsen | Hida, every train stops | 1h 32m–1h 56m | ¥4,700 reserved, ¥4,170 unreserved |
| Takayama → Nagoya | Hida, ten a day | 2h 15m–2h 34m | same fares as above |
Regular-season fares for one adult. The reserved seat moves with the calendar (¥200 less in quiet weeks, ¥200 more in busy ones, ¥400 more at the peaks); the unreserved fare does not. In JR Central's peak periods there are no unreserved seats at all. Times are the JR timetable of 23 October 2026, which runs to mid-March 2027. Checked 24 Oct 2026.
Ten a day. Every one stops at Gero, so the Gero column is also your chance to get off.
| Leaves Nagoya | At Gero | Reaches Takayama | Total | Goes on |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 07:43 · Hida 1 | 09:27 | 10:16 | 2h 33m | |
| 08:43 · Hida 3 | 10:15 | 10:58 | 2h 15m | Toyama 12:32 |
| 09:39 · Hida 5 | 11:30 | 12:14 | 2h 35m | |
| 10:48 · Hida 7 | 12:29 | 13:12 | 2h 24m | Toyama 14:51 |
| 11:43 · Hida 9 | 13:28 | 14:14 | 2h 31m | |
| 12:48 · Hida 11 | 14:29 | 15:12 | 2h 24m | Toyama 16:44 |
| 14:48 · Hida 13 | 16:29 | 17:13 | 2h 25m | Toyama 18:54 |
| 16:03 · Hida 15 | 17:59 | 18:45 | 2h 42m | |
| 18:12 · Hida 17 | 20:05 | 20:51 | 2h 39m | |
| 20:17 · Hida 19 | 22:02 | 22:49 | 2h 32m |
Four of the ten carry on to Toyama (Hida 3, 7, 11 and 13). The 07:43 is the first train and the 20:17 the last. Reserved seats are sold from 10:00 on the day one month before. Same fare in both directions.
Ten a day, 06:45 to 18:48. Same fares as going up.
| Leaves Takayama | At Gero | Reaches Nagoya | Total | Through from |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 06:45 · Hida 2 | 07:31 | 09:12 | 2h 27m | |
| 08:00 · Hida 4 | 08:46 | 10:34 | 2h 34m | |
| 09:36 · Hida 6 | 10:26 | 12:04 | 2h 28m | From Toyama 07:58 |
| 11:35 · Hida 8 | 12:22 | 14:04 | 2h 29m | From Toyama 09:54 |
| 12:35 · Hida 10 | 13:21 | 15:04 | 2h 29m | |
| 13:35 · Hida 12 | 14:22 | 16:09 | 2h 34m | |
| 14:46 · Hida 14 | 15:32 | 17:05 | 2h 19m | From Toyama 13:08 |
| 15:34 · Hida 16 | 16:19 | 18:06 | 2h 32m | |
| 16:33 · Hida 18 | 17:23 | 19:06 | 2h 33m | |
| 18:48 · Hida 20 | 19:30 | 21:03 | 2h 15m | From Toyama 17:14 |
The last Hida back is the 18:48, which reaches Nagoya at 21:03; the last bus is a little later (see below). Miss both and you sleep in Takayama.
Joined to the station, so the 07:43 Hida costs you no extra minutes and there is no street to cross with a suitcase.
Check rates ↗A newer business hotel (opened 2021) on the Shinkansen side of the station, for an early train without the station-tower price.
Check rates ↗Three stretches. The first and the last are quiet; the middle is the reason to sit by a window.
The Hida starts at Nagoya, so you board early with a fixed seat. It runs on the Tokaido Line to Gifu in 20–30 minutes, reverses there and turns up the Takayama Line. The new HC85 hybrid trains have big windows. Seats go on sale one month ahead; outside the peak periods there are also unreserved cars.
Past Mino-Ota the line follows the Hida River upstream through the Hisui Gorge (飛水峡), with the river close under the window. Sit on the right-hand side facing the way you are going from Gifu; coming back down, it is the left. About an hour from Mino-Ota to Gero.
Above Gero the river is the Masuda and it keeps swapping sides, so either window works. The valley narrows and the stations get smaller; 42–50 minutes later you are in Takayama, with the Nohi Bus Center beside the station.
Roughly an hour from each end.
Gero is counted among Japan's three famous springs (with Arima and Kusatsu): a slippery alkaline simple spring at about 55°C, in a town on the Hida River. Every Hida stops there, 1h 32m–1h 56m from Nagoya, so it is the easiest way to add a soak to the trip. The public bath Shirasagi-no-yu (白鷺の湯) is a 10-minute walk from the station: ¥430, 10:00–21:00, closed Wednesdays. There are free foot baths around the town.
One plan: take the 08:43 (Hida 3), get off at Gero at 10:15, bathe and lunch, then ride the 12:29 (Hida 7) on to Takayama for 13:12. Or take the 13:28 (Hida 9) for 14:14. Buy two tickets, Nagoya to Gero and Gero to Takayama: a limited-express ticket ends when you leave the train, so a single Nagoya to Takayama ticket will not carry you on. The Japan Rail Pass and the Takayama-Hokuriku pass need no extra ticket.
The best-known address in Gero's onsen town, a large riverside inn. A night here makes the stop part of the trip rather than a gap between trains.
Check rates ↗Twelve a day, about 2h 50m, no change, and ¥2,540 less than a reserved Hida seat.
| Leaves Meitetsu Bus Center | Leaves Nagoya Station | Reaches Takayama |
|---|---|---|
| 07:00 | 07:15 | 09:50 |
| 07:30 | 07:45 | 10:20 |
| 08:30 | 08:45 | 11:20 |
| 09:30 | 09:45 | 12:20 |
| 10:30 | 10:45 | 13:20 |
| 11:30 | 11:45 | 14:20 |
| 12:30 | 12:45 | 15:20 |
| 14:30 | 14:45 | 17:20 |
| 16:30 | 16:45 | 19:20 |
| 17:30 | 17:45 | 20:20 |
| 18:30 | 18:45 | 21:20 |
| 20:30 | 20:45 | 23:20 |
Nohi Bus, Meitetsu Bus and JR Tokai Bus share the route and every seat is reserved. In Nagoya the bus leaves the Meitetsu Bus Center beside the station, then calls at Nagoya Station about 15 minutes later; in Takayama it stops at the Nohi Bus Center, next to the station. Fare ¥3,600 at the counter or ¥3,300 booked online with a card on Highway Bus.com (高速バスドットコム): pay within 3 days of booking, or by 23:59 the day before. Seats open one month ahead. By phone: Meitetsu Highway Bus Reservation Center 0570-08-0489 (9:00–18:00) or the Nohi Bus center (0577) 32-1688 (9:00–17:00). A stop at the Gujo-Hachiman expressway exit is ¥2,600 from Nagoya.
Twelve a day, 06:30 to 19:00, about 2h 35m to Nagoya Station and 2h 45m to the bus center.
| Leaves Takayama | Reaches Nagoya Station | Reaches Meitetsu Bus Center |
|---|---|---|
| 06:30 | 09:05 | 09:15 |
| 08:30 | 11:05 | 11:15 |
| 10:00 | 12:35 | 12:45 |
| 11:00 | 13:35 | 13:45 |
| 12:00 | 14:35 | 14:45 |
| 13:00 | 15:35 | 15:45 |
| 14:00 | 16:35 | 16:45 |
| 15:00 | 17:35 | 17:45 |
| 16:00 | 18:35 | 18:45 |
| 17:00 | 19:35 | 19:45 |
| 18:00 | 20:35 | 20:45 |
| 19:00 | 21:35 | 21:45 |
Back in Nagoya the bus calls at Nagoya Station first, then ends at the Meitetsu Bus Center. Traffic and snow change the running time, so do not plan a tight flight connection on the last bus. Meitetsu has posted a notice about night closures of the Tokai-Hokuriku Expressway on 16 and 17 November 2026 that affect some stops; check the date you travel. Times from the operators, 24 Oct 2026.
There is no railway to Shirakawa-go, so the next leg is a reserved bus or the Hida to Toyama.
Takayama to the village is 50 minutes and ¥2,800. Seats are reserved and open a month ahead, so book both legs when you book the Hida. Allow three or four hours in the village; the bus terminal has lockers (¥500 small or medium, ¥1,000 large, 8:00–17:00). From Nagoya a direct bus takes 2h 40m–2h 46m for ¥3,600–¥4,700. Four hours in Shirakawa-go. Light-up nights are 11, 17, 24 and 31 January 2027: light-up guide.
From the village the bus reaches Kanazawa in 1h 15m for ¥2,800; non-stop from Takayama it is about 2h 15m for ¥4,200 (07:45, 11:15 and 16:25). Nagoya, Takayama and Kanazawa comes to about ¥10,340 in tickets (Hida ¥6,140 + bus ¥4,200). The full bus guide, and Nagoya to Kanazawa the direct way.
Hida 3, 7, 11 and 13 carry on to Toyama in about 1h 30m (¥3,420 reserved), which puts you at the Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route, open to 30 November 2026. Toyama to Takayama has the times; Alpine Route guide.
Worth it if you want Takayama and Shirakawa-go in one day without planning it, or the bus is full.
A coach day from Nagoya Station to the Takayama old town and Shirakawa-go, with an optional Hida beef lunch. The cheapest way to see both in a day, with roughly two hours at each stop. If winter roads close, the route can switch to Gujo-Hachiman.
See the tour ↗Adds Gujo Hachiman, the castle town on the expressway, to the same day. Lunch is not included, so plan your own in Takayama.
See the tour ↗A reserved seat on a reclining coach with a luggage trunk (one bag each), running between Nagoya (with a stop at Kanayama Station), Takayama and Shirakawa-go. Pick it when the Hida and the route bus are full.
See the coach ↗Not for Nagoya to Takayama on its own. The Hokuriku Arch Pass does not reach Nagoya.
Covers the Hida (Nagoya, Gero, Takayama, Toyama), the Shinkansen from Toyama to Tsuruga and the Shirakawa-go buses, but not the Nagoya to Takayama highway bus. Nagoya to Takayama and back is ¥12,280 in tickets, so for this trip alone: no. It starts to pay once the loop runs on through Shirakawa-go, Kanazawa and Toyama. Our pass guide.
See the pass ↗Covers the Hida with a free reserved seat, but not the highway bus. At ¥6,140 each way this trip does not justify it; it pays only when the week has a lot more rail. JR Pass guide.
See the pass ↗Covers the Hida from Nagoya to Takayama and Toyama, the whole Alpine Route and the Shinano back from Matsumoto. Seasonal: sales end on 6 November 2026 and the pass is valid to 10 November. Worth it only if you are crossing the Alpine Route. Pass guide.
See the pass ↗Opened in 2020, with a hot-spring bath and a washer-dryer, microwave and mini kitchen in every room. The practical pick for a first night off the train.
Check rates ↗Hot-spring baths, a private semi-open-air bath to book and coloured yukata for women to choose from. A gentle first ryokan.
Check rates ↗The classic splurge: Hida beef kaiseki and 26 rooms, a few minutes from Sanmachi.
Check rates ↗Take the JR Hida limited express from Nagoya Station. It runs without a change in 2 hours 15 minutes to 2 hours 42 minutes, ten times a day from 07:43 to 20:17, and costs ¥6,140 reserved or ¥5,610 unreserved in the regular season. A highway bus takes about 2 hours 50 minutes for ¥3,600.
Yes. Nohi Bus, Meitetsu Bus and JR Tokai Bus run 12 reserved highway buses a day from the Meitetsu Bus Center and Nagoya Station to the Takayama Nohi Bus Center, beside Takayama Station. It takes about 2 hours 50 minutes and costs ¥3,600, or ¥3,300 when booked online. Seats open one month ahead.
Yes, but it is tight. The 07:43 Hida reaches Takayama at 10:16 and the last Hida back leaves at 18:48 for Nagoya at 21:03, which gives you about 8 hours 30 minutes in town. One night in Takayama is better.
The Japan Rail Pass covers the Hida, but not the highway bus. The Takayama-Hokuriku Area Tourist Pass (¥19,800, 5 days) and the Alpine-Takayama-Matsumoto Area Tourist Pass (¥24,500, seasonal) also cover it. None of them pays for Nagoya to Takayama alone.
Yes. Every Hida stops at Gero, 1 hour 32 minutes to 1 hour 56 minutes from Nagoya and 42 to 50 minutes before Takayama. Buy two tickets (Nagoya to Gero, Gero to Takayama), because a limited-express ticket ends when you leave the train.
The last Hida leaves Takayama at 18:48 and reaches Nagoya at 21:03. The last highway bus leaves the Takayama Nohi Bus Center at 19:00 and reaches Nagoya Station at 21:35 and the Meitetsu Bus Center at 21:45.
Booking links are affiliate links: we may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you. How we choose