Limited Express Super Hokuto 6, free seating train tickets: 1,040 yen + 1,100 yen = 2,140 yen

One could either take bus to get to Toyako Onsen (bus-bus) or bus-train-bus option. Ok, here goes.

Option 1 which is the bus-bus option. One could take a bus from Noboribetsu Onsen station (Donan bus terminal) to Higashi-machi terminal (東町ターミナル) and another bus from there to Toyako Onsen. Fare: 680 yen + 1,120 yen = 1,800 yen. Total journey time approximately 3 hours. Example if you take the 8.58 am bus from Noboribetsu Onsen, you will only reach Toyako Onsen at 12.07 pm.

Option 2 would be the bus-train-bus option, translating to taking the bus from Noboribetsu Onsen to JR Noboribetsu station (330 yen), swap to a train, then take another bus from JR Toya to Toya Onsen (320 yen). Heh. If you take this option, then there's the question of which train do you select? Limited Express trains are the fastest (taking only 36 minutes) but also the most pricey option, with free seating cost 2,140 yen in total.

If you want to reduce the cost but taking a slower train, please check Hyperdia (Toya JR Muroran). The cheaper option I had cost 1,040 yen but takes 95 minutes. Much cheaper but in the end I made the decision to take the limited express train as at that time, the train will reach JR Toya station at 12.27 pm which is the exact time when Donan Bus leave for Toyako Onsen. So, please do check the bus timetable from JR Toya station to Toyako Onsen.

Many thanks to the super helpful Donan bus staff at Noboribetsu Onsen station! He checked out the prices for bus and trains, also the timetable for all the above for me. I am very grateful :)
So of course, it is much expensive with transportation expenses totalling at 2,790 yen compared to 1,800 yen. There you go, if you have some time to spare and wanting to reduce your transportation cost, there are some alternatives that you could choose.

Beautiful view on the way to a relaxing Toyako Onsen

There is a Tourist Information Centre just upstairs from Donan bus station in Toyako Onsen. Here's a scanned map to show the orientation around. Sorry, the stitching is not very good :/


We stayed in Toyako Manseikaku in Lake Toya. This hotel is superbly huge, seriously. They even give out maps of the hotel, just to tell you how to get to your room, to the restaurant for breakkie and dinner, also the most important, how to get to the onsen! We stayed at seventh floor in the east wing of the hotel while the restaurant was in the west wing. Reception area was in the central area. Onsen where we were to go were located at 8th floor, at west wing. I had some problem finding the right elevator to go to the onsen too. = ="

Truth to be told, I think Toyako Manseikaku was way too crowded though I didn't think it was a public holiday. I was rather tired to go to the onsen after wandering the whole day, however as fate has it, I actually woke up at an ungodly hour of 5ish in the morning without alarm. Since I was up, I grabbed the chance to enjoy the onsen, and hoping that at such hour, it would be rather empty.

Ha! How wrong I was. It wasn't crowded but there were quite a number of people though. The shampoo, conditioner and bath wash were great, I think the conditioner was made from horse oil (馬油). This place has outdoor hot spring (露天風呂) as well. Imagine an outdoor hot spring overlooking Lake Toya, such a tranquil feel.

Customary photo of the room, there was a small balcony too!

Superb view from the room itself, great for fireworks at night! Though the balcony was a bit chotto...

Side note: How does it happen that I am chasing after the train almost every morning? = ="