Rusutsu Package Logistics
This page is dedicated to where to meet, what flights to book, what to bring, how to rent gear, and details about money on your visit to the Rusutsu Resort.
Getting There
Option #1: Meet at CTS Airport Domestic Terminal The bus to Rusutsu Resort-leaves from the "BigRuns" counter located across from Gate 5 at the 2nd floor Arrivals Terminal. Look for the orange "BigRuns" sign pictured below.
You must check in at the counter at least 20 minutes before your bus departure time. If you can't figure it out, call the "BigRuns" desk at +81-11-223-5830 for assistance. You will select your bus departure time during the checkout process. From December 3 to April 3, bus departure times are as follows:
Option #2: Meet at the CTS Airport International Terminal The CTS International Terminal is very small and easy to navigate. The bus to Rusutsu Resort leaves from the "BigRuns" sign located on the first floor by the smoking section. Look out for the "BigRuns" sign as pictured below. You must check in at the sign at least 15 minutes before your bus departure time. If you can't figure it out, call the "BigRuns" desk at +81-11-223-5830 for assistance. You will select your bus departure time during the checkout process. From December 3 to April 3, bus departure times are as follows:
Option #3: Meet near Sapporo Station The meeting point at Sapporo Station is located 2-minutes walk from the JR Sapporo South Exit in front of the Kamori Building. Before you get aboard, please speak to the staff waiting at the reception on 1F (first floor) of the Kamori Building or in front of the building. The exact location of the pickup is shown on the map below--open this google maps link here to navigate on your phone.
Option #4: Come from the Niseko Resort Area The Niseko resort area is located 30-40 minutes drive from Rusutsu Resort. While there is a public bus that runs between the two destinations, we recommend getting a private taxi for this journey since the bus can get crowded. There are a number of taxis including this one which can be used to get there. Reserve your taxi as far in advance as possible as they get very busy during the season.
High season pricing between Niseko and Rusutsu is as follows:
You can find information on the Kutchan (closest station to Niseko Resort area) -> Rusutsu Bus here or use Google Maps for the route here.
Getting Back
Getting back to CTS Airport or Sapporo
Getting to the Niseko Resort Area
The Niseko resort area is located 30-40 minutes drive from Rusutsu Resort. While there is a public bus that runs between the two destinations, we recommend getting a private taxi for this journey since the bus can get crowded. There are a number of taxis including this one which can be used to get there. Reserve your taxi as far in advance as possible as they get very busy during the season.
You can find information on the Kutchan (closest station to Niseko Resort area) -> Rusutsu Bus here or use Google Maps for the route here. Pro Tips
Mailing your luggage
If you're planning on staying in Tokyo before the trip, you can mail your big clunky ski bag directly to the Rusutsu Resort hotel for only about $30. If you're spending an extra day or two in Japan after the trip, you can mail your ski bag directly from the hotel to NRT or HND airports. While it only takes 48 hours for your bag to be sent from the airport to the hotel, 72 hours are required for mailing your bag the opposite way (from the hotel to the airport).
For example: Arrive into Tokyo two days before the trip at 12pm and mail your bag to the Rusutsu Resort from the airport. Your baggage should arrive at the hotel two days later. Before mailing your bag, be sure to confirm that it will be delivered by the night of the trip start date. In Japan, if they promise a delivery time, it'll be there when they say. Just like that, if you mail your bag you won't have to lug it around Tokyo, or where ever your travels take you in Japan. It's a big life saver, very reliable and incredibly reasonable. For more information on mailing bags, check out this great article about how it's done here. Discount flights for visitorsThere are two airlines that offer special low-cost deals for foreign tourists (an airline version of the Japan Rail Pass). Air-Do offers flight deals from ¥8,800 and ANA offers tourist deals of ¥10,800. In order to take advantage of these deals you must be visiting Japan on a tourist visa.
Pocket WiFi or Sim cardStay connected to friends and family with a pocket Wi-Fi or Sim Card. Whether you need to check in with work or upload to the Gram, we always recommend Sakura Mobile as our provider of choice. With this service, order the item in advance then return it with prepaid postage from any post box in the country. Click here for Pocket Wi-Fi and here for Sim cards.
What to bring
Renting Gear
High quality ski rental equipment is available at Rusutsu Resort.
See their website here to check out their equipment and make a reservation. Money
The currency in Japan is the Japanese Yen which is denoted by "JPY" or as "¥". Credit cards Rusutsu Resort is credit card friendly so you'll have no problems with them once you arrive. However, if you're planning on spending time anywhere else on your way to/from the Resort, you should know that Japan doesn't really like credit cards. While they are getting to be more accepted, you should only count on your credit card for 20% of your transactions. The rest of the time you'll be dependent on cash. Getting cash in Japan 
As a tourist, there are two main ways of getting cash in Japan: 1) bring your home currency with you and exchange it at the currency exchange window, or 2) use ATM's within Japan to withdraw your funds.
Currency exchange window. You can exchange your home currency into JPY after arriving in Japan. This is a very simple option as there is no bank to get in the way and decline your currency conversion. The simplicity has a price though because the exchange window doesn't give you the most advantageous rate. Withdraw funds from ATM's. You should be able to withdraw funds from any Seven Eleven ATM in Japan without a ATM fee. The conversion rate is great but sometimes banks have issues with Japanese ATM's which can cause them to block your transactions. Be sure to check with your bank before coming to see if they have a ATM withdrawal fee or currency conversion fee. If they do, it may be cheaper to just convert cash at a currency exchange window. The best idea is to show up in Japan with a few hundred dollars of your own currency, convert it in to JPY, then use ATM's after that. Be sure to call your bank and let them know you'll be making withdrawals from Japanese ATM's so they don't block your account! |
