Everything to know about Chubu Centrair International Airport
- Published on : 26/06/2016
- by : Joshua
- Youtube
Chubu Centrair
＠そらみみ on Wikimedia, Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (photo cropped)
Chubu Centrair Airport is located nearby Nagoya in Aichi Prefecture. Being in the middle of Honshu Island, it is a great launching and access point for destinations all throughout Japan.
The word “chubu” in Japanese translates to “central,” and the region of Chubu is located right in the heart of the archipelago. The Chubu Region itself consists of prefectures such as Aichi, Fukui, Ishikawa, Toyama, Gifu, Nagano, Yamanashi, Shizuoka and more.
For many, accessing these prefectures from other parts of the country and overseas is done most easily via Chubu Centrair International Airport. Simultaneously, this airport’s central location makes it a great launching point for traveling to other parts of Japan, not too far from any other prominent destination.
Take a look at more information about Chubu Centrair International Airport, one of the most prominent airports in all of Japan!
In and out of the heart of Japan
Chubu Centrair International Airport is located 35 kilometers south of the city of Nagoya, the third-largest metropolitan area in Japan. It is built upon an artificial island in the Ise Bay. The Central Japan International Airport Company owns and manages the airport and it is also the operations base for JetStar Airlines.
Chubu Centrair International Airport opened in 2005 and replaced the original Nagoya Airport. It inherited the former airport’s IATA code of “NGO.” It is currently the 8th busiest airport in all of Japan, servicing around 10 million passengers annually. The airport regularly receives accolades for its quality service and facilities, often cited in top 100 airports in the world lists as well as winning other awards.
Chubu Centrair
@Aaron Headily on Wikimedia, Attribution 2.0 Generic
Nagoya is a city with a major manufacturing industry, hosting production facilities for companies like Toyota, Mitsubishi, and Boeing. Because of this, Chubu Centrair International Airport facilitates a lot of cargo shipments.
Terminals and Airlines
There are two terminals at Chubu Centrair International Airport. Terminal 1 is the larger of the two and services both domestic and international flights, as well as having more shops and facilities. Terminal 2 is mostly for low-cost carrier (LCC) airlines that offer more budget-friendly flights, both within Japan and overseas. There is a shuttle bus that goes between the two terminals.
There are a number of airlines with both domestic and international services at Chubu Centrair International Airport. Domestic flights go all over Japan, from Hokkaido, all the way in the north, to Kyushu, the southernmost island on the mainland, and then even down to Okinawa.
A list of some airlines at the airport is as follows:
Japanese Airlines:
- All Nippon Airways (ANA)
- Japan Airlines (JAL)
- Japan Transocean Air
- Fuji Dream Airlines
- Peach
- Solaseed Air
- Air Do
- and more!
Foreign Airlines:
- Asian Airlines (to and from Seoul)
- Cebu Pacific (to and from Manila)
- HK Express (to and from Hong Kong)
- Singapore Airlines (to and from Singapore)
- Thai Air AsiaX (to and from Bangkok)
- VietJet Air (to and from Hanoi/Ho Chi Minh)
- United Airlines (to and from Guam)
- and more!
Chubu Centrair
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Facilities and Shopping
Inside Terminal 1 on the fourth floor is the Sky Town Shopping Center that is accessible to the general public, even those not departing from or arriving at the airport. The Chochin-Yokocho area of the mall is designed with traditional Japanese aesthetics.
Also within the airport is the “Flight of Dreams” complex that is modeled after the U.S. city of Seattle in the state of Washington. There is a Boeing 787 Dreamliner displayed inside as a centerpiece, as Boeing, originally a Seattle company, has much of its production come out of Nagoya.
Typical airport facilities can be found at the airport, such as lounges, storage lockers, and restaurants. Maruya Honten is a famous establishment serving hitsumabushi, a dish synonymous with Nagoya that consists of butterflied and grilled freshwater eel, chopped and then placed over rice in a wooden box. It is served with a medley of accoutrements like wasabi, Japanese mountain pepper, and more.
Currency exchanges, lounges, storage lockers, and more are all available at the airport as well.
Chochin-Yokochi, Chubu Centrair
@Gryffindor on Wikimedia/ Attribution 3.0 Unported
"Flight of Dreams" Chubu Centrair, Nagoya
@Bariston on Wikimedia, Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International
How to get to Chubu Centrair International Airport
Being nearby a major metropolitan area in Japan, Chubu Centrair International Airport is easily accessible by public transportation. Some of the most prominent options are as follows:
- Train: The aptly named Central Japan International Airport Station is located nearby the airport and is accessible via the Meitetsu Airport Line. This line goes from Nagoya Station, which is also a stop for the JR-operated Shinkansen bullet train, making it easily accessible from cities like Tokyo, Kyoto, and Osaka. From Nagoya Station to the airport takes around 25 to 35 minutes.
- Bus: Centrair Shuttle Buses leave from parts of Nagoya, Sakae, and major hotels in the area. From the Meitetsu Bus Station that is right by Nagoya Station, it takes a little under 1.5 hours and costs 1,200 yen for adults and 600 yen for children.
- Car/Taxi*: By car, it takes around 40-50 minutes to get from central Nagoya to Chubu Centrair International Airport. Taxis going this distance will be relatively pricey, regularly going for 12,000 yen to 15,000 yen.
*Those wishing to rent a car in Japan, most will be able to drive with an international driver’s license; however, those with licenses issued by France, Switzerland, Germany, Belgium, Monaco or Taiwan will need an official Japanese translation of the license. Order your license translation here.
