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Public Transportation

Bus

Buses in Fukuoka

Three major bus companies operate in Fukuoka: Nishitetsu, Showa and JR Kyushu. Nishitetsu Bus covers almost all of Fukuoka, while Showa Bus operates in the western region such as Gakken Toshi and Karatsu, and JR Kyushu operates lines in the eastern region. Express buses are also available through Nishitetsu and JR Kyushu, and they connect Fukuoka to other major cities within and outside Kyushu.

Inquiries

Regarding Highway Buses

You can use “highway buses” that connect many major cities in the country as a way to travel Japan inexpensively. There are many bus companies and routes, but if you visit the website of the Nihon Bus Association, you can get nationwide information on highway buses.

Japan Bus Web

http://www.bus.or.jp

Subway/Train

Subway

The subway system in Fukuoka has three lines. The Kuko Line runs west from Fukuoka Airport to Meinohama, and connects with the JR Chikuhi Line. The Hakozaki Line runs from Nakasu-Kawabata to Kaizuka, and connects with Nishitetsu Kaizuka Line. The Nanakuma Line links stations between Tenjin-Minami and Hashimoto. Each station has multiple exits, so check the posted maps to determine the appropriate exit for your destination. While the subway fare is usually proportional to the distance you travel. The fare system is as follows: children who are 12 or older are charged adult fare, elementary school students between age 6 and 11 pay half the adult fare rounded to the nearest 10 yen, and infants between age 1 and 5 may ride for free, but only up to two infants when accompanied by a paying passenger. Any extra children must pay the child fare. A child fare must also be paid if the child is travelling unaccompanied. Furthermore, each subway station is now marked with a station symbol and number, making it easy to confirm your destination.

JR/Nishitetsu Trains

There are two railway companies in Fukuoka City: JR Kyushu and Nishitetsu (Nishi-Nippon Railroad Co., Ltd., which includes the Tenjin-Omuta Line). Nishitetsu operates several lines in Fukuoka Prefecture. JR Kyushu is one of the privatized companies of Japan National Railways—which used to control all major lines in Japan—that provides a network of railway lines to the whole of Kyushu. JR West operates the Sanyo Shinkansen that connects Hakata and Shin Osaka, while JR Kyushu operates the Kyushu Shinkansen that connects Hakata and Kagoshima Chuo. The central station in the city for JR Kyushu is Hakata Station while Fukuoka (Tenjin) Station is the central hub for Nishitetsu.

Train fares are calculated on the distance traveled; however on JR, a surcharge of express fare, reserved seat fare, and others may apply depending on the type of train and car you board. The payment method is basically the same as the subway. Since stations like Hakata Station have multiple platforms, board the correct train by checking its destination, departure time, and platform on the information display available by the gate (in Japanese and English). Please be advised that express and limited express trains only stop at major stations. Tickets and seat reservations on JR can be made at Green Window booking offices (midori no madoguchi) at JR stations, travel agencies, or on the Internet.

Inquiries

IC Card (Smart Card) ticket

Each rail and subway company in Fukuoka issues rechargeable IC card tickets. They can be used in place of regular tickets within the amount charged and a commuter pass function can also be added on. It also features a prepaid electronic money function for shopping at participating stores, in which points are accumulated based on how much you ride the train or shop, and are redeemable as additional credit towards your IC card ticket.

nimoca

Nishitetsu trains and Nishitetsu Buses

SUGOCA

JR Kyushu trains

Note: Not all JR Kyushu train stations accept IC cards.

For details:　http://www.jrkyushu.co.jp/sugoca/area/index.html

Hayakaken

Fukuoka City Subway

Bringing Pets and Bicycles onto Public Transportation

Special care must be taken when boarding public transportation with pets or bicycles as there are various rules that come into play.

Subways

Small pets placed inside special carry cages are permitted on subway trains. A bicycle that is placed inside a special bag measuring no greater than 250cm (total of length + width + height) and weighing no more than 30kg are permitted only during non-rush hours (i.e. excludes morning and evening). No surcharge will apply for either.

Nishitetsu Bus

Small pets (excl. wild animals and snakes, etc.) placed inside purpose-built carry cages are permitted on city buses. If you have taken measures to ensure that your pet will not damage or dirty other passengers’ luggage, i.e. by using an appropriate cage, then pets may be kept in the lugagge compartment of highway buses running Kyushu routes during the daytime. Pets are not permitted on nighttime routes. Bicycles that are folded and placed inside a bag measuring less than 63cm³, weighing less than 30kg, and measuring less than 2m in length, are permitted. Since there are different rules for carry-on bicycles for highway buses, inquire with your bus company for more details (no surcharge will apply).

Nishitetsu Train

Small dogs, cats, pigeons, or similar small animals (excl. wild animals and snakes, etc.) placed inside carry cages that measure no greater than 70cm in length and 0.025m³, and no greater than 10kg (cage and animal together) are permitted (280 yen surcharge will apply) on trains. Dismantled or folded bicycles placed inside special bags are also permitted (no surcharge will apply).

JR Kyushu

Small dogs, cats, pigeons, or similar small animals (excl. wild animals and snakes, etc.) placed inside carry cases that measure 70cm in length, total size approximately 90cm (total of length + width + height), and weigh no greater than 10kg (combined weight of the pet and the case) are permitted on JR trains (280 yen surcharge will apply). Dismantled or folded bicycles placed inside special bags are also permitted (no surcharge will apply).

Taxi

To use a taxi, you can flag one down on the street, go to a taxi stand in front of the station or in a downtown area, or call a taxi company to get picked up. Except for occupied taxis or those that are heading to their next customer, all taxis display a “vacant (kūsha)” sign in red kanji characters on the lower left side of the windshield, and can be stopped. The left rear passenger door of the taxi will be opened and closed for you automatically by the driver, so be careful when getting in and out.

 

* Fukuoka City Taxi Association

Air Transportation

There are three domestic terminals and one international terminal at Fukuoka Airport.
The best way to reach the airport is by subway; it takes 11 minutes from Tenjin or 5 minutes from Hakata Station.Since it only stops at the domestic terminal, you need to transfer to a free shuttle bus—departing every 10 minutes, taking 10-15 minutes—to get to the international terminal.

 

*Fukuoka International Airport

Sea Travel

At the Port of Hakata, there are Hakata Pier (Bayside Place) with domestic passenger routes and Hakata Port International Terminal with international passenger routes. Passenger ferries bound for Shikanoshima and Genkaijima and long distance ferries to Iki, Tsushima, and Goto in Nagasaki Prefecture depart from Bayside Place, while high-speed jet foils (approx. 3-hour travel) and regular liners (approx. 6-hour travel) bound for Busan, Korea, both depart from the International Terminal. In addition to the above, there are also ferries bound for Nokonoshima and Oronoshima from Meinohama, and Umi-no-naka-michi from Momochi, respectively. For the schedule of each route, contact each company.

You can take a Nishitetu Bus to get to each terminal: to Bayside Place, take bus 90 from Tenjin, or take bus 99 from Hakata Station; for getting to the International Terminal, take bus 80 from Tenjin or take bus 88 from Hakata Station.