The best ways to get to Suzuka for the Formula 1 Japanese Grand Prix 2024, including detailed information on trains from Nagoya to Suzuka Circuit.
- The 2024 Japanese Grand Prix is scheduled for April 5-7
- Tickets are now on sale for the 2024 Japanese Grand Prix
- Official Ticket Packages from F1 Experiences are now on sale.
- The Editor attended the 2023 Japanese Grand Prix and stayed in Suzuka
- Join our Facebook group for Japan to connect with fellow fans & get advice about attending
- This post contains affiliate links. We may receive a commission if you make a purchase after clicking on one of these links
Due to the location of Suzuka Circuit some distance from major cities, it can be difficult to get to the track and your travel will require careful planning. Because it is hard to find available accommodation close to Suzuka, we recommend staying in Nagoya, the closest major city to the circuit. The 60km distance can be covered by train in around 1-2 hours, including wait times.
Flights to Japan
Most intercontinental flights land at Tokyo’s Narita airport (NRT) or Osaka’s Kansai airport (KIX). From Tokyo, there are domestic flights to Nagoya’s airport, Chubu (NGO). Alternatively, you can make your way to Nagoya from both Tokyo or Osaka via high speed Shinkansen trains.
USA to Japan
- Direct flights from LA to Tokyo or Osaka take around 12 hours. Delta, United Airlines and Japan Airlines serve these routes
- From New York, you can fly to Tokyo or Osaka from Newark, JFK or La Guardia. There are no direct flights; travel time is at least 15.5 hours
- Vancouver to Tokyo: Air Canada has a 10-hour direct flight to Tokyo
Europe to Japan
- Tokyo and Osaka are about an 11 hour direct flight away from most major European hubs
- From Paris, Air France and ANA fly direct to Tokyo or Osaka
- Lufthansa flies direct from Frankfurt to Tokyo and Osaka
- BA, Virgin Atlantic and ANA have direct flights from London
Australian to Japan
- Direct flights to Tokyo from Cairns (7.5 hours), Sydney (9,.5 hours) and Melbourne (10 hours)
- The cheapest flights are available with Jetstar via Cairns.
- Qantas & Japan Airlines also fly direct from Melbourne and Sydney.
- AirAsia offers some one of the lowest fares from Melbourne or Perth to Tokyo and Osaka with a transfer in Kuala Lumpur
How to Get to Nagoya
- Trains: Tokyo and Nagoya are connected by the JR Tokaido Shinkansen, which is the best way to travel between the two cities. Travel times are dependent on the type of train you choose; 100 minutes on Nozomi trains, 110 minutes on Hikari trains and 3 hours on Kodama trains. For a single trip, expect to pay from approximately $85 USD. The Japan Rail Pass is valid on the Hikari and Kodama trains.
- Domestic Flights: Affordable and frequent one-hour domestic flights are available from Tokyo to Nagoya’s Chubu International Airport. The Tokyo-Nagoya route is offered by Japan Airlines and All Nippon Airways. There are no direct flights from Osaka to Nagoya.
- Buses: A one way bus trip from Tokyo to Nagoya takes 5-6 hours and cost around $25 USD with Willer Express. This is the least preferred method of getting from Tokyo to Nagoya.
How to Get to Suzuka Circuit
- Please note that the Access page on the Suzuka Circuit website has a large amount of useful information to help you get to the circuit, whether you are travelling from Nagoya, Osaka, Kyoto, Shirako, Tsu or Kameyama. This includes train, bus and taxi services.
The Suzuka circuit is located in Inou, Suzuka City, which is in the Mie Prefecture, about 30 miles (50km) south of Nagoya. It’s an isolated, mainly industrial area where companies like circuit owner Honda have their factories. The best way to get to the track is to take the train. At first glance, it can appear that there is a confusing number of connections and operators for trains. In reality though, if you ask for help in getting to Suzuka Circuit, the ticket staff at the train station should be able to help get you on to the right train.
The best train to take from either Nagoya or Osaka to Suzuka is the Kintetsu train to Shiroko station. This is not the nearest station to the circuit (that would be the Suzuka Circuit Inou Station), but you won’t have to make any transfers and there’s English signage at Shiroko station to help you find the shuttle buses to the circuit. The downside of this option is that the queues for shuttle buses in 2023 took up to 2 hours at peak times.
Kintetsu Railways to Suzuka Circuit
The Kintetsu Railways trains offer services from both Nagoya and Osaka to Shiroko Station, which is the nearest station on this line to the Suzuka Circuit. From Shiroko, you’ll need to follow the signs to the shuttle buses, which take around 15 minutes to get you to the circuit and costs $9 USD return. The buses run fairly regularly on Grand Prix weekend (Friday-Sunday). You can pay for your ride on these trains using the Kintetsu Rail Pass.
From Nagoya station, the journey to the Shiroko Station will set you back around $14 USD for the limited express train (tokkyu) or $6.60 USD for the express train (kyuko). A one-way trip on these trains takes 40-50 minutes and there are regular services on Grand Prix weekend. The five-day pass for around $40 is the best option if you are traveling to Suzuka for the whole weekend.
From Osaka-Namba station, there are two hourly limited express train services to the Shiroko Station. One is a direct train between the two stations, while the other will require you to transfer at the Tsu Station. You will need to purchase and reserve your seat at least a day before you plan to travel. This ride takes approximately 100 minutes and cost approximately $50 USD for a return ticket, which you can pay by using the Kintetsu Rail Pass. Note: We don’t recommend taking the slower express train service from the Osaka-Namba station. A one-way ticket is just US$14.50, but but you will need to endure a 2.5-hour train ride with two transfers along the way.
Japan Railways & Ise Tetsudo to Suzuka Circuit
This is the less preferred option as the connections are more complicated and you have a longer walk of around 30 minutes from the train station to the circuit. A single journey between Nagoya Station and Suzuka Circuit Inou Station takes around 60-90 minutes and costs around US$9. There are several services which can get you to the Suzuka Circuit station, some of which will require a transfer (if in doubt, ask!) There are also regular express trains on Grand Prix weekend tagged as “Suzuka Grand Prix” which run non-stop between Nagoya Station and Suzuka Circuit Inou Station. Travel time is shorter (under an hour), but the price is higher at approximately US$20 each way. You need to reserve your seat on these trains at least a day in advance to be sure of a seat.
Note: You can use the Japan Rail Pass but it will only partially cover the cost of your train ride as some of the trip is on another operator’s line. This means you need to pay the remaining fare i.e. US$2.50 one way for the normal service trains or US$5 one way for the limited express trains.
Direct Bus Services to Suzuka Circuit on Race Weekend (From Nagoya, Osaka, Kyoto & More)
New for 2024, you can take a direct bus from both the closest regional train stations, as well as the closest large cities – Nagoya, Osaka and Kyoto. More information is available here. From Nagoya, you can take the Circuit Express bus from Friday to Sunday, which departs from JR Nagoya Station, or the JTB Bus which only operates on Saturday and Sunday. Direct buses from Osaka and Kyoto only operate on Saturday and Sunday.
Richard’s Travel Experience at the Japanese Grand Prix
“I used the Kintetsu rail pass for travelers to get to the circuit from Nagoya. This is valid for unlimited rides over 5 days around Nagoya and other cities, and costs around $40 USD. You can buy this from the special Kintetsu ticket area at Nagoya station, and there are English speaking tourist guides there to help you. The trip from Nagoya to Suzuka takes about 45 mins. You get off at Shiroko train station, then follow the signs outside the station to the circuit shuttle bus. Buy the return daily ticket (cost approx. $9 USD) to save you queuing at the end of the day. The shuttle takes around 15 minutes to get to the track.” Read Richard’s trip report.
Taxis in Japan
Taxis in Japan are easily available, safe and relatively inexpensive with fares starting from US$6. Taxis are also one of the few options available after midnight when trains and buses have stopped running. While taxi fares are metered, most taxi drivers give you an estimated fare; if the meter runs over the estimate, the taxi driver will stop the meter and refuses any extra fare. Always have the address of your destination written in Japanese so that your taxi driver will be able to take you to where you want to go without any miscommunication.
Car Hire in Japan
Foreigners are generally advised against hiring cars in Japan. Even if you are used to driving on the left like the Japanese, there is a good chance you will get lost! When there are road signs, they are in Japanese kanji script. There’s also traffic congestion and tolls to deal with. If you are determined to hire a car and explore more of the region around Suzuka, don’t forget you will need to possess a valid international driving permit, as well as your license.
Hi Andy, noted on the self-drive advice. Somehow me & 3 of my multi-national F1 fans is planning to go this way (We’ll share the experience with you for sure). Do you know any info on the parking rates in Suzuka and does it always jam during race weekend & how bad it is?
Thanks!
Hello Andrew , I was looking for the info of the Kintetsu rail pass (5 days all access) , i found a page that sells a ticket in $76 all access , this includs the ride to Shrirroko station and the buses to the track. As soon i get more info on how to buy it i will put it here . the ticket does a lot more , i am only focusing on the trips from nagoya to the circuit
Do you know the best method to buy a kintetsu rail pass internacional?
Regards Andy
Hi Andrew, Im going to suzuka by Experience Hero package.
There is an event on friday evening.
So is there shuttle bus from the circuit to Shiroko station until late in the night?
Or should i use taxi?
And which is better JR or Kintetsu, from Nagoya to Circuit?
Hi Elly, I think you will have to take a taxi as the F1 Experiences events can finish quite late on Friday. From Nagoya, I’d take the Kintetsu. Here’s a good description from someone who took it last year.
Thank you, Andrew.
You have been a great help.
Hi , I am a biggest fan of F1 i am travelling to kyoto on a race day morning so if u could help me in car pooling it would be a great or if u r taking a public transport still we can be along .
Best idea is to take the train.
I just attended the 2018 race and the rail connections worked extremely well from Nagoya as described above and agree the way to go is thru Shiroko.
Just for clarity, there are 3 trains that run from Nagoya to Shiroko Station on the Kintetsu line
1.The Local which stops at all stations and should be avoided like the plague if you are coming from and going to Nagoya(it is clearly marked in English on the train as local).
This should only be used if you are staying in a regional town along the line but you should use the Express Train (described below) as much as you can.
2. The Express – This service takes 55 minutes to travel between Nagoya & Shiroko and is the service we used both ways. It is more than adequate but there is no guaranteed seat so you may find yourself standing for the whole trip especially on the return on race day.
Just beware it looks similar to the local train described above (but does not have the word local on it.
When looking at the indicator board it is depicted by orange colored writing
3. The Limited Express – is a service that is about 15 minutes quicker than the express but nearly double in price.
The upside is you have a guaranteed seat for the trip. I had a family of 5 so multiply that out and it can be a very expensive exercise.
Like I mentioned previously the Express was more than adequate.
The connecting bus service is an example of Japanese efficiency in action and worth the price alone just to see it run.
Just one last point the town of Shiroko has a few hotels and if you a spending a full day at the circuit it might be an option to stay in town but you would need to book early. Consider a family of 5 travel costs from Nagoya roughly 10 000 yen per day
Thanks a lot for telling us about your experience with the trains Mirko! Hope you enjoyed the race
Yes, we sure had a great time and thanks for providing a great forum Richards report above was certainly a great help in planning.
Just wanted to add a few more points.
The limited express (no 3) is a yellow & white train while the Express (2) and local (1) are both a reddish brown color.
Also very very very important is to buy a return ticket for the train from Nagoya. This is not readily apparent when you get to Nagoya station, ask one the information attendants and they will take you to the office and assist you in doing this. This will allow you to bypass the huge line of people buying the tickets from Shiroko back to Nagoya after the race (the line is so huge and slow that the platform was virtually empty when we caught our return trip).
Also, the connecting bus service I was referring to is from Shiroko to the circuit. If you are staying in Shiroko you still need to pay for this (In 2018 it was 400 yen each way and the same rule applies, buy a return ticket so as to miss the queue at the end of the day. Return = 800 yen).
Hello, we will be staying in a hotel near Shiroko station which is about 5km away from Suzuka Circuit. Normally, there is a bus that can get you from the Circuit and back- but the race ends late on Sunday. Would you know if (a) the buses still operate after midnight or if there are shuttles from the Circuit to Shiroko after the race?
Thanks in advance!
I’m not sure what time the buses operate until, but I guess quite late.
According to the website of the bus company, the final shuttle bus (410 JPY) for Shiroko will leave the circuit at 19:45.
Thanks for the info!
From memory about 830 was the last bus but definitely not past midnight.
After the buses finish the only transport will be taxis
Hi Andrew,
We will be arriving by cruise ship to Osaka in February of 2022 and would like to know the best way for us to get to Suzuka F1 track. Should we take the train or hire a driver for the day? We are in port for 12 hours. Our son is a huge F1 fan and we would like to take some pictures for him as well as purchase some souvenirs and participate in the Motopia Circuit Challenger? I’m sure hiring a driver would be the easiest but definitely not the most economical. Do you have any suggestions for that?
Thanks so much and we appreciate your advice.
Hi Kelly, I see you like to plan ahead! I’d say hiring a driver would be your best best. It looks like the trip will take less than 2 hours vs 2.5 hours minimum by train. Japanese trains can be a little confusing too for foreigners, so you can’t really risk taking the wrong one or missing a connection. Good luck!
Hi, I am planning on attending the F1 race in Suzuka. Can anyone provide information on taking the rail service from Osaka to the Suzuka circuit?
Hi all from abroad planning to visit Suzuka, I do agree, staying in Nagoya and take Kintetsu Train & Bus is the best recommendation.
Why?
1.Suzuka is relatively small city with limited number of accommodation all fully booked by Teams & Medias, same in city like Tsu, Yokkaichi, so Nagoya is closest choice accommodation is available with regular(No Premium) rate.
Do not dream to book Camping site at Circuit, yes it is available if you nook enough in advance, but more expensive than 5star hotels ; ).
2.As recommended, Kintetsu provides ”Weekend Free Pass” @4400JPY, valid 3days include weekend, so perfectly cover your travel from Nagoya to Suzuka(Shiroko Station).
Be very careful, you must buy this ticket at Kintetsu Station or Kintetsu Agent 1 day in advance the start of use. You can buy at Kintetsu Nagoya Station, good idea to be there on Thursday to buy this ticket, not to lost way on Friday to Sunday Morning…it is a bit Maze.
If you wish to ride Limited Express, you need to pay extra to make seat reservation, it is of course faster and roomy but just 10min difference compare to regular Express.
3.During Race Weekend from Fri. to Sun., shuttle bus is available from Shiroko Station to Suzuka Circuit, no way to lost just follow ladies & guys with F1 Team costumes & caps. You need to buy ticket in advance(If you do not have IC ticket) and it is available in front of Shiroko Station, you can buy 1 way, 2ways, or 6ways as you like.
It takes 15-20min to Circuit normally, only Sun. after the event, it would take extra 15-20min due to jam, but still this is recommended because bus is keep on coming like “Free Flow”, you need to que up just 5-10min maximum.
If you like to walk to Shiroko, it takes 1.5hrs…so finally bus is much quicker.
Maybe it’s worth to mention in the article, that as of June 2022 Japan have opened the borders … but individual tourism is still not possible.
If you want to go right now, you can only go if you booked an organized trip in Japan by a Japanese agency.
If that continues into autumn (October), I don’t see any way to go to the race from abroad.
Especially, if this restriction is still valid in July/August … how should someone from abroad risk and book tickets or flights, hotel. …
Yes good point Robert, I’m going to update the relevent posts with this information. It is indeed a risk right now to be planning a trip to Japan without certainty about the borders opening.
Hello Andrew,
I was able to get a ticket for the race this year and now with the Japanese border easing I’ll be able to go to Japan for the F1 event. I was wondering if buying a Japan Rail Pass would be convenient for me, planning to arrive to Tokyo in October 4th and move to Nagoya in October 6th 2022. By any chance would you know if the JRP be enough to do all my movement through Japan, including transfers from Nagoya to Suzuka Circuit everyday or this should be bought separately from the JRP?
Cheers
Hi Luis, good for you. I was hoping to go to Japan this year, but I’m going to hold off until 2023. Your question is actually answered in this post, please read it again :)
Hi, Luis Mario
Do you still read this page?
JRP is useful for sightseeing in Japan. But when going from JR Nagoya St. to Suzuka Circuit, you must remember that JRP covers only JR lines and the range of Ise Tetsudo Railway (from Kawarada to Suzuka Circuit Inou) is not covered.
In this case, you must prepare the fare for Ise Tetsudo in JPY cash. (According to the railway operator’s website, the fare from Kawarada to Suzuka Circuit Inou is 300 JPY.)
When you go to Suzuka Circuit Inou using JRP, you are going to pay the fare to a ticket collector at Inou St. For return trip, you are going to buy a ticket at the ticket counter temporarily set up for F1 week near Inou St.
Thanks for the detailed info!
Sorry, one correction to my comment.
You are going to pay the fare for Ise Tetsudo at the fare adjustment counter of Suzuka Circuit Inou St., not to ticket collectors on the platform.
Hello
Are you aware if there are any private shuttle options that can take us from Nagoya directly to the circuit each day? Thinking there would be high congestion on the train that would be nice to avoid.
Thank you
Not that I’m aware of, I think the train is the best way to get there, and quicker than going via road. I believe the trains are quite organized and probably the operator adds extra ones on race weekend
Generally how long does it take to arrive at Nagoya Station from the circuit after the Sunday race? I am planning to return to Tokyo on Sunday night, not sure if I can catch the last Shinkansen train to Tokyo.
Normally the trip takes around 60-90 mins depending on which train you take, but you should allow longer on race day. And if there is bad weather again, could even be more delays. What time is the last Shinkansen train from Nagoya to Tokyo on Sunday night? I wouldn’t book a train leaving Nagoya earlier than about 9pm if I was you, better if it was later.
Andrew,
Thank you so much this has been really helpful. If you have recommendations on lodging as well I would appreciate it if you could share them.
Can anyone help me plan for JAPANESE GRAND PRIX 2023 from buying ticket to cheapest accommodations for 5 days stay in Japan from Thursday, 21st Sept to 25th Sept, 2023.
Trip will be joined to and from Mumbai CSIA to either Nagoya or Tokyo Narita.
This will be my first F1 event in person. This will be on a very tight budget as well.
Hi Jason, the cheapest tickets you can buy are for the West Open Area, which cost around 100 EUR for 3 days. For accommodation, I suggest trying to find a hostel in Nagoya. Take the train to the circuit each day from Nagoya.
In your information you say the only flights from Australia to Japan are from Sydney. This is not correct. You can fly non-stop to Japan from Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Cairns and Perth.
Thanks for letting us know David, I’ve updated the page
Hi, do you know if we are able to reserve a ticket for the “Suzuka Grand Prix” which run non-stop between Nagoya Station and Suzuka Circuit Inou Station in advance online? I’m in the US and would like to reserve these online beforehand, but I’ve been unable to find anything.
Hi Kennedy, I don’t know if it’s possible to reserve such tickets in advance, especially on a site that’s not in Japanese. Hopefully you can buy these at the station when you arrive in Nagoya
Hi Andrew, We will be staying in Nagoya for the 3-day F1 excursion. So taking the Kintetsu Railway is the best to Shiroko Station and then taking a shuttle bus to the Suzuka circuit. So, I will buy a 5-day pass but is the $9 shuttle bus extra, each way? Just to make sure, is the shuttle bus running for 2023? Do you happen to have the name of the company running the shuttle bus? Thank You!
Sorry, I’m not sure if the shuttle bus is $9 each way or return. This is a service run by the train company, I think, or perhaps the circuit. Let me try to investigate
Thank you for your help!
According to the bus operator’s website ( http://www.sanco.co.jp ), the one-way fare of the shuttle bus is 450 JPY. I recommend preparing some cash.
Thanks Andrew!
Hi Andrew
I am staying in Osaka and have purchased a 3 day ticket for the Japanese F1 – can you tell me if it is possible to take food or drink in to the curcuit?
Hi Mick, you cannot bring food and drink into the circuit: https://www.suzukacircuit.jp/en/info/rulesandmanners/
Hi! Not quite sure on the relationship between kintetsu rail pass and the limited express. As I understand, the pass doesn’t include the limited express. But you wrote that I can pay for the ticket from to osaka namba using it? Can you elaborate on this point?
Thanks a lot!
As you mentioned, Kintetsu Rail Pass does not include limited express charges. All the seats in Kintetsu limited expresses are reserved, so you have to get reservation on-line, at travel agency, or at a station (ticket counter or ticket vending machine).
https://www.kintetsu.co.jp/foreign/english/ticket/get.html
More appropriate link
https://www.kintetsu.co.jp/foreign/english/ticket/
Thanks for such detailed information, which is greatly helpful for foreign tourists!
I will start the trip from China, stay in Nagoya and take trains to Suzuka circuit.
I wish to know, can I use transportation cards (such as ICOCA bought in Osaka) on Kintetsu Rail and the shuttle bus from circuit to Shiroko station.
Mie Kotsu (bus operator which runs shuttle buses between the circuit and Shiroko Stn.) and Kintetsu Railway accept ICOCA.
Thank you very much！
Mie Kotsu (local bus operator which runs the shuttle buses between the circuit and Shiroko Stn.) and Kintetsu Railway accept ICOCA. But you cannot recharge ICOCA in shuttle buses.
Hi Team,
looking at the 5 day kintentsu pass as we are staying in Osaka and plan to travel to Shiroko, and a day trip to Nara. We have pre booked the limited express train and seats but require to purchase the basic fare ticket also.
So i was assuming the the pass covers the basic fare but when looking at the map that the 5 day pass covers, Shiroko isn’t shown on there, how can i confirm that the pass will indeed allow me to get that train station?
Kintetsu Pass covers the basic fare so you only need to buy the Ltd Express ticket in addition or take a non Ltd Express train and pay no more. Shiroko is E31
Does the Kintetsu Rail Pass include the shuttle bus do you know?
Thnks
I see that seats can be reserved on the Kintetsu limited express train from Shiroko to Nagoya… I’ve also seen videos of insane crowds from last year’s GP all waiting patiently for trains leaving Shiroko at the end of the day. Not sure if reserving a seat means skipping a big line, or if I’ll be stuck in the crowd when I’ve already booked and paid for a ticket?
I checked the website of Kintetsu, but they do not say that Kintetsu Rail Pass covers buses in Suzuka.
Hi everyone,
It is my first time to the Suzuka F1 event.
I had bought the F1 experience package which includes the Pit lane walk experience on Thurs.
On 04 Apr (Thurs), can I check what are the public transportation options from Nagoya to the circuit on Thurs? Thanks!
Please check the main information link here: https://www.suzukacircuit.jp/eng/f1/access/
On that page you also have specific access information for Thursday. Good luck!
Hey, I will be traveling from Osaka. This is my (and my family’s) first time in Japan. We are very excited to catch the Suzuka F1 GP as well, but I want to know how to access it efficiently without much hassle (we have a senior citizen with us who has problems walking long distances and a little girl coming with us). I am planning on taking them from Osaka to Tsu and catching the local train to Suzuka Circuit Ino. But with the current schedule indicating the events starting earlier (around 9ish with the Ferrari Practice and such) I am considering taking the taxis to be a better option. Please advice on our traveling options as crowds can be hectic and we don’t want to miss any opportunities and pre-race events (as we have paid a lot for them). I want to make the most of this experience. Would appreciate your insight on this matter!!
If you want to take a taxi, I don’t recommend going to Ino Stn. because there is no regular taxi stop around the station and you have to climb down the stairs from the platform (there are no elevators nor escalators at Ino).
For people having trouble for walking, I recommend going from Osaka to Shiroko by Kintetsu line and taking a taxi from Shiroko (if you don’t mind waiting long for taxis).
Thank you so much Naoko for all of your comments and advice!
Hi, Prue
I hope you still read here.
In previous GPs there used to be separate queues for. at Shiroko Stn.: queue of passengers who have already got reservation and queue of passengers who haven’t. If you arrive at the station in time, you won’t miss the train you have booked.
But you have to remember that last year they had to wait long for shuttle buses for Shiroko. This year the waiting time at the most crowded hours is expected to be 2 hours.