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If you only have one day to visit Legoland Japan, don’t waste your precious time getting lost on the way! We have written this article as a step-by-step guide to help you plan your trip from Nagoya to Legoland in 2025.
We will show you how to do this journey as cheaply and efficiently as possible, and we will share a step-by-step guide so you know exactly where to go and how to navigate around the complicated public transport system of Nagoya.
If you’re planning to visit Legoland in Nagoya, please read this article carefully. In this article, we’re going to tell you everything you need to know to travel to Legoland from Nagoya.
Japan can be a surprisingly challenging country to travel around (especially if you do not read Japanese). The Japanese public transport system can be excessively complicated, and the language barrier can be very challenging as a foreigner too. So, if you are planning a special family day at Legoland Japan, make sure you are fully prepared and equipped by reading this guide carefully. It may also help to save an offline version so you can refer back to it if you need to.
Don’t miss our FULL and In-depth Visitor’s Guide to LEGOLAND Nagoya – genuinely everything you need to know before you go!
Planning a dream family trip? – Why not stay over at the Legoland Resort in Nagoya? – This is a great way to make the most of the Legoland park for two days and stay in your kids dream hotel!
Also don’t miss these Legoland Packages on KLOOK – fast, transparent and fast booking!
Where is Legoland situated?
Legoland Japan is situated around 16 km south of Nagoya City on Kinjofuto island. The journey takes around 25 minutes by train from central Nagoya.
Route in Brief: Nagoya Central Station – JR Lines (Aonami Line) – 360yen Kinjofuto – 5 minute walk (follow signs)
A few things to arrange before you set off
- Book your Legoland tickets early for lower prices – you can book your ticket online (make sure you download the barcode for entry on the day)
- Bring a water bottle and plenty of snacks for you and your family – food is expensive and not great at Legoland (officially there seems to be a “no outside food policy” – but if you’re subtle you can probably get away with bringing some healthy, tasty and affordable food with you!)
- Be planned – arrive early and go straight for the attractions that you are most interested in (we recommend some of the bigger and more exciting rides – like the Dragon or Flying Ninjago first before the queues build up).
Why is it so complicated to travel around Japan?
In our opinion, Japan has one of the best and yet most complicated public transport systems in the world. Take Nagoya as an example: Nagoya has many different transport networks, and each network has many different routes and lines. You will generally find signs and information in the English language, and vending machines will also give you an English option. However, in our experience, transport maps are commonly in Japanese and do not have English translations (this can be particularly challenging if you need a map). From time to time, we also found it difficult to get help. Japan relies heavily on automation, so it can be difficult to find station staff around. Although station staff are very keen to help, communication is often a big challenge due to the language barrier. Stations are also quite big and can be hard to navigate.
One way to make your itinerary more simple is to find a place to stay near the central station. We personally found AirBnB to be one of the best platforms for Japan. You can find a lot of unique places and some of the best value for money (compared to other booking platforms). You can even find some awesome promo codes for AirBnB – leaving more budget for food and fun 🙂
What is the best way to travel from Nagoya to Legoland?
The best way to travel from Nagoya to Legoland is to use the JR Aonami line. This is a fast, efficient, cheap, and convenient way to travel from Nagoya to Legoland. That said, there are other options like taxi, bus, or car rental; however, these options are expensive and may not be as fast and efficient as taking a train. In this article, we will focus on using the JR train line to reach Legoland.
How much does it cost to travel from Nagoya to Legoland by train?
Once you reach Nagoya Central Station it is cheap to travel to Legoland on the JR Aonami Line:
- Adults 360 yen (around £1.80 or $2.00)
- Children 6 – 12 years old: 180 yen (around £0.90 or $1.10)
- Children below 6: Free
Top tip: If you’re taking the subway and trains with kids in Japan – and they don’t need a ticket you can walk through the ticket gate with your child (just pop the ticket in the machine and follow them closely through the gate).
How long does it take to travel from Nagoya to Legoland?
The journey from Nagoya to Legoland is likely to take between 45 minutes and 1.5 hours.
The journey time depends on your precise starting location. Here is a Rough Guide: It is likely to take at least 20 or 30 minutes to travel to Nagoya Central Station on the subway system (this depends where you start from). We recommend allowing at least 10 or 15 minutes to find your way through Nagoya Central Station. Trains depart to Legoland every 15 minutes, so you may need to wait up to 15 minutes on the platform. The train journey takes around 25 minutes, and then you will need to take a 5-minute walk to Legoland.
Top tip: if you are hoping to reach Legoland early, you can enter the park at 9:30 am (Although the rides do not start until 10 am. This can give you a good head start). In order to reach Legoland by 9:30 am, we recommend departing from Nagoya by 8 am – 8:30 am (depending on your starting location in the city).
Nagoya to Legoland: Step-by-step Guide
The cheapest, fastest, and most efficient way to travel from Nagoya to Legoland is to use the JR Aonami line. This train line connects Nagoya Central Station with Kinjofuto station (AN11). JR stands for Japanese Rail, so this is part of the Railway Network rather than the subway system.
There are not any Subway Lines running to Legoland, so if you are planning to use public transport, you will need to use the JR Aonami line. This line starts at Nagoya Central Station, so the first step in the journey is to get to the Nagoya Central Station.
1. Travel to Nagoya Central Station
Nagoya Central Station is the main transport hub of Nagoya, so it is very easy to get to. Depending on where you are traveling from, the easiest way to get to Nagoya Central Station is probably going to be using the Nagoya subway system. The Nagoya subway system is extensive and has several different lines connecting a vast area of the city. Depending on your starting destination, you may need to change lines a couple of times in order to reach the Nagoya Central Station.
However, even if you have to change line, you will only need to purchase one ticket at the start of your journey. Keep hold of your ticket because you will need it at the end of the journey. You can purchase your ticket from a ticket vending machine. To do this you will need to select the correct fare category (rather than the destination). You can find the correct fare on the map above the vending machine. Most Subway Journeys range in price between 210 yen – 350 yen (roughly £1 – £1.50 or $1.20 – $1.80)
If you are traveling to Legoland from one of the suburbs on the outskirts of Nagoya, you may need to use a different private train line to get to Central and Nagoya. For example, if you’re traveling from Central Japan International Airport (Centrair), you will need to use the Meitetsu line to reach Nagoya (this is a private line, so you will need to use a separate ticket and then use the subway to get to the Nagoya Central Station).
2. Find the JR section of the Central Station
Nagoya Central Station is a very big and busy station, and it can take 10 or 15 minutes to navigate around the station. The Nagoya Central Station has a subway section and a JR line section (as well as the station and other transport areas). Go to the JR section. If you are in the subway section, you should see plenty of signs to help you find the way. Once you find the JR section of the station, you will need to locate the entrance to the Aonami line.
3. Go to the Aonami line
Once you have found the JR section of the station, you will need to find the entrance to the Aonami line. The JR section of the station is pretty big, with a lot of different lines, including the Shinkansen. The entrance to the Aonami line is located in the southwest corner of the Nagoya Central Station (keep your eye out for signs in English to help you find the correct place). You may see vending machines for JR tickets; ignore these vending machines. The only place you can purchase your ticket is at the entrance to the Aonami line.
4. Purchase your ticket
Once you get to the entrance of the Aonami line, purchase your ticket from a vending machine. You cannot select English on the vending machine; it is relatively straightforward. All you need to do is select Kinjofuto. Adult train tickets cost 360 yen each way to Kinjofuto (AN11) – kids from 6 – 12 pay half price 180 yen.
You will need to pay in cash because there is not a bank card option on the vending machine. Once you have paid, the machine will print a ticket, and you can use this ticket to get through the gates to the platform.
5. Go to the platform and take a train
When you get to the platform, it is very straightforward. You can jump on the next departing train. Trains only depart for Kinjofuto, so there is no risk of getting on the wrong train here. The trains depart every 15 minutes.
You are riding the full length of the Aonami line, so you need to get off the train on the terminating stop (so there is also no risk of overshooting). The train journey takes around 25 minutes.
6. Walk to the main entrance of Legoland
Kinjofuto JR station is situated around 500 m from the entrance of Legoland. The walk takes around 5 minutes, and it is really straightforward (you’ll probably see lots of other passengers also walking to Legoland).
If you’re traveling with larger bags that you do not want to take to Legoland, you can leave them in the lockers situated at the station. Lockers at the station cost 300 yen (Just before the exit gate).
Here are a few tips to help you navigate the Japanese public transport system:
1. Everything takes longer than you expect
Remember it can be slow to travel around an unfamiliar city – especially with kids. Set off in plenty of time and make sure you have a good breakfast (no one wants cranky kids at Legoland!). Don’t under-estimate the amount of time you will lose traveling around the city.
2. Try to get hold of a transport map in English.
Before you attempt to navigate the Japanese public transport system, we recommend getting hold of any maps you need in English. As you’re traveling around, you may struggle to find English maps. If possible, download a copy of an English map or take a photo of a map to help you navigate.
3. Use Google Translate.
We recommend using Google Translate to help you communicate with locals. If you have data on the go, you will be able to use voice to text and also use Google Lens to translate written Japanese. If you do not have internet on the go, you can download the Japanese language on Google Translate. This will allow you to type messages in English, and it will translate it to Japanese. This can be very helpful if you are struggling to communicate with a local.
4. Be ready to pay in cash.
You will need to use vending machines to purchase both train and subway tickets. You can normally select “English language”. In many cases, you will need to pay in cash. Vending machines generally accept coins or banknotes. Throughout our time in Japan, vending machines were always stocked with tickets and change.
