By bus
From Tokyo, Buses run from Shinjuku every two or three hours and stop at several places in the Hakuba region. The trip takes around 4 and a half hours and costs ¥8500 return for adults or half that for children. Timetable is online (http://www.alpico.co.jp/a...)
Buses run every hour during ski season from Nagano and cost ¥1400/¥700 for adults/children. The journey takes just over an hour. Timetable is online (http://www.alpico.co.jp/a...)
Narita Airport - Hakuba Shuttle - Daily service from Narita Airport to Hakuba during the winter season. Fully licensed under Japanese travel and transport laws. Hakubus Tel: 81-261-75-5360 Email: [email protected]
By train
Hakuba is a stop on the JR Oito Line.
From Shinjuku in Tokyo, there is one daily Super Azusa limited express service that runs to Hakuba. The ride takes 3 hours, 45 minutes and costs ¥8070 each way. As of November 2009, the outbound service leaves at 07:30, and the inbound service to Shinjuku departs from Hakuba at 14:57. There is also an additional Azusa service on certain dates, making the run to Hakuba in about 4 hours.
Otherwise, you will have to take an Azusa or Super Azusa to Matsumoto and take one possibly two Oito Line local trains, increasing the journey to 4 1/2 hours.
The fastest route from Tokyo is by Shinkansen bullet train from Tokyo Station to Nagano: 105min./8,170yen. Then by bus from Nagano to Hakuba 65min./1,500yen. Trains run every half hour or so, buses every hour. Note that the last bus from Nagano Station to Hakuba is 8:30PM. This whole trip takes just over 2.5 hours, 9,700yen one way.
These trips are useful for Japan Rail Pass holders, or else it is probably cheaper to take the bus.