To get around the island of Hokkaido, take an express bus, which is usually cheaper than express trains, albeit takes longer time. These run fairly frequently and will connect you to almost any point on the island. The terminal in Sapporo is at the Bus Center Mae station on the Tozai line of the subway.

If you choose to go by train, remember that round trip tickets are usually much cheaper than using one-way tickets. Express trains are faster and more comfortable than express buses, and the cost is not so different from buses if you buy a round-trip ticket.

Unlike most other Japanese metropolises, Sapporo is organized according to a grid system, where streets are planned around a main thoroughfare and run parallel or perpendicular to each other. However, renting a car is sometimes not a good idea as traffic is still fairly congested, driving takes place on the left side of the road (unfamiliar for most North American visitors). Having said so, driving in Hokkaido is actually wonderful once you get out of big cities like Sapporo, as road condition is excellent and scenery is fantastic. Visitors from most countries can operate vehicles without a Japanese driving license, if they bring an international license.

VALID INTERNATIONAL DRIVING PERMIT IN JAPAN

http://www.keishicho.metro.tokyo.jp/f...

To get around the city, consider using a subway. There are only three main lines that converge at Odori station in the middle of the city. Fares are ¥200 or more, and can be bought either for subway only or for subway with bus and streetcar transfer. The streetcar system, which only runs in a fairly limited area of Sapporo, is of little use unless you are going to the Main Public Library or if the steep streets are too icy during the winter. For the subway, there are also day, weekend and holiday passes that may save you money if you use public transportation heavily.