Travel information

Using Prepaid IC Cards for Public Transportation

If you pay the bus fares (230 JPY) between the station and the venue in cash, you can use only coins. The exchange machine on the bus only accepts bills/coins of 1,000 JPY or less, so please ensure you have enough coins on hand.

For a more efficient experience, we recommend using a prepaid IC card for public transportation (e.g., Suica, ICOCA, and Manaca). These cards are easily purchasable at ticket machines at train stations and can be used for payments at various places, including convenience stores.

Access to Gifu

Gifu is geographically located almost in the center of Japan and is easily accessible to both domestic and international travelers. It is approximately one hour from Chubu Centrair International Airport, two hours from Tokyo, and one and a half hours from Osaka by train.

We strongly recommend using Chubu Centrair International Airport when traveling to Gifu from overseas because you can go to Meitetsu Gifu Station by train without transfer. If you are coming to Gifu from other airports, please take the TOKAIDO Shinkansen (bullet train) to JR Nagoya Station first.

Chubu Centrair International Airport (NGO) is the nearest airport to Gifu. Meitetsu (Nagoya Railroad) is available from the airport to Meitetsu Gifu Station without changing trains. It takes about one hour by limited express train or one and a half hours by regular train.

Chubu Centrair International Airport has direct flights to some airports in Asia, and Finnair plans to resume flights between Centrair and Helsinki in May 2024. If there is no direct flight from your nearest airport, we recommend using Centrair with transfers via Narita/Haneda Airport.

Using Limited Express to Meitetsu Gifu Station

You can take the limited express train from the airport directly to Meitetsu Gifu Station. The trains depart around 15 and 45 minutes every hour from 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.*1 (e.g., 9:17 a.m. and 9:47 a.m.). Although you can also go to Meitetsu Nagoya Station and change trains there, we recommend this only if you arrive early in the morning or late at night. It will not shorten your travel time. All the limited express trains depart from platforms 2 and 3, so please check the electric board to find your train.

The fare for regular trains is 1,510 JPY, but two of the six cars are first-class cars. Traveling in these cars requires an additional first-class car ticket (μ-ticket) of 450 JPY.

*1 C' in the timetable indicates trains bound for Meitetsu Gifu Station.

Using μSky Limited Express to Meitetsu Gifu Station

Special express trains (μSky Limited Express) are available in the morning and at night. All the seats on these trains are reserved, and you need a first-class car ticket (μ-ticket; 450 JPY) in addition to a regular ticket (1,510 JPY). All the uSky Limited Express trains depart from platform 1.

How to Buy μ-Tickets

You can buy μ-tickets from ticket machines.

1. Press the right-top button to change the language.

2. Press the left-bottom button for μ-tickets.

3. Select whether you want to buy only μ-tickets or also regular tickets.

4. Select the number of tickets you need.

5. Select your destination.

6. Select the train you want.

Further Information

Please visit Meitetsu’s (Nagoya Railroad’s) official website or other websites in advance for more detailed information. For your convenience, we cite the following images (the station map, the ticket gates seen from the airport area, and the platforms) from the Meitetsu website.

From Nagoya

The TOKAIDO Shinkansen (bullet train) is available from Tokyo Station or Shin-Osaka Station to Nagoya. It takes about one and a half hours from Tokyo and one hour from Osaka. After arriving in Nagoya, you can take JR (Central Japan Railway Company) or Meitetsu (Nagoya Railroad) to Gifu. It takes 20 to 30 minutes by limited express or regular train.

Transfer at JR Nagoya Station

At JR Nagoya Station, please change to the train bound for JR Gifu Station from the Shinkansen. After going down the stairs or escalators, you can find the transfer gates to conventional lines on your left or right side. The trains to Gifu depart from platforms 5 and 6, so please take the train bound for Gifu or Ogaki. It stops at JR Gifu Station.

Transfer at Meitetsu Nagoya Station

When you arrive at Meitetsu Nagoya Station from the airport, you can take the train to Meitetsu Gifu Station at platform 1. Many trains stop at Meitetsu Nagoya Station, so please be careful about the wrong trains. The following blue signboards opposite the platform illuminate and indicate the door positions of the next train bound for Gifu stops.

Access to Venue from Gifu Station

It takes about 15 minutes by car from Meitetsu/JR Gifu Station to the Nagaragawa Convention Center. You can take the bus or a taxi to get to the venue. Note that JR Gifu Station and Meitetsu Gifu Station are separate. Although the stations are very close to each other, you should be careful not to get confused.

By Bus

Several bus routes run from Meitetsu/JR Gifu Station to the Nagaragawa Convention Center. It takes about 20 minutes, and the fare is 230 JPY.

Please see the following PDF for bus information between the stations and the venue: bus_guide.pdf.

From Meitetsu Gifu Station

When you arrive at Meitetsu Gifu Station, please go through the central gates and down the stairs/escalators in front of it. You can find the bus boarding area by going towards the left. If you want to take the bus at bus stop No. 4, please go through the underpass to get across the street.

1. Go down the stairs/escalators through the central gates.

2. Go to the left to the bus boarding area.

3. There is a taxi stop on the right.

From JR Gifu Station

When you arrive at JR Gifu Station, please go through the central gates on the 2nd floor and towards the left to the Nagara Side (2nd fl.) exit for the bus stops and the Central North Side (2nd fl.) exit for the taxi stop. You can find the stops right outside.

1. Go through the central gates (this photo is the entrance side) and turn the left.

2. You can find the bus stop information right outside the Nagara Side exit.

Taking the Gifu Bus with Prepaid IC Cards

You can ask the bus driver to charge your card, but we recommend that you charge a sufficient amount to your card in advance using the ticket machines at the station.

1. When you get on the bus, touch the card reader on the left side.*2

2. When you get off the bus, touch the card reader at the front of the bus again.*2

Taking the Gifu Bus without Prepaid IC Cards

If you pay bus fares in cash, you can use only coins. The exchange machine on the bus only accepts bills/coins of 1,000 JPY or less, so please ensure you have enough coins on hand.

1. When you get on the bus, take a numbered ticket.*2

2. When you get off the bus, put the fare and the numbered ticket together in the coin slot at the front.*2

*2 [source] Gifu Bus Co., Ltd., “岐阜バスのご利用方法~岐阜バスのり方指南!!~ — YouTube,” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EcIHnmJyHvs&t=2s.

By Taxi

You can also take a taxi to the venue. There are taxi stands in front of the stations, and it takes about 15 minutes to get to the venue. A taxi ride will cost about 2,000 JPY.

Further Information