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By Hida limited express特急ひだ
Toyama Station, JR platforms
The line climbs the Jinzū River gorge into Gifu. New hybrid trains with big windows. Sit on either side; the river swaps.
Passes
JR Pass · Takayama-Hokuriku
Oct–NovThe Hida limited express runs straight up the Jinzū gorge. The bus goes round by Shirakawa-go, which turns a transfer into a day out.
Toyama to Takayama takes about 1h 30m on the JR Hida limited express. Only a few Hida trains a day run through to Toyama, so check the time before you plan around it. The alternative is the reserved Nōhi Bus via Shirakawa-go for ¥3,800, slower but with a World Heritage village as the break.
Take the train if you want Takayama for the afternoon. Take the bus if you have not yet seen Shirakawa-go: get off, spend three or four hours, and catch a later bus on to Takayama (50 minutes). The train is on the Japan Rail Pass and the Takayama-Hokuriku pass; the bus is on the Takayama-Hokuriku pass only.
| Option | Route | Time | Fare |
|---|---|---|---|
| JR Hida | Toyama → Takayama direct | about 1h 30m | ¥3,420 reserved (¥2,890 unreserved) |
| Local trains | Toyama → Inotani → Takayama, one change | longer, few connections | cheaper |
| Nōhi Bus | Toyama → Shirakawa-go → Takayama | 1h 20m + 50 min, plus your stop | ¥3,800 |
| Toyama → Shirakawa-go only | Reserved express bus | about 1h 20m | ¥2,400 |
Buses must be reserved. About four Hida round trips a day run through to Toyama; check your date before you plan around one.
The line climbs the Jinzū River gorge into Gifu. New hybrid trains with big windows. Sit on either side; the river swaps.
Morning bus to Shirakawa-go, lunch and the viewpoint, afternoon bus to Takayama. The Shirakawa-go bus terminal has coin lockers (8:00–17:00; ¥500 small or medium, ¥1,000 large) and a luggage storage service next door until 17:00. Lockers fill early on busy days. Four hours in Shirakawa-go.
The Takayama-Hokuriku pass covers both the Hida and the bus.
Five days from Kansai or Nagoya through Kanazawa, Toyama, Shirakawa-go and Takayama for ¥19,800.
Find on Klook ↗Find your whole route, not just this leg, before you buy.
Rail pass hub →Opened in 2020, with a hot-spring bath and a washer-dryer, microwave and mini kitchen in every room. The practical pick after a week on the road.
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 ↗By the JR Hida limited express in about 1 hour 30 minutes, or by the reserved Nōhi Bus via Shirakawa-go for ¥3,800.
Yes. The Hida takes about 1h 30m each way. Only a few trains a day run through, so check the last return.
Yes, the Hida limited express is a JR train. The bus via Shirakawa-go is covered only by the Takayama-Hokuriku Area Tourist Pass.
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