Travelling around Fukuoka, let alone Japan can be very convenient, especially when utilizing bullet trains or limited express trains. With speed, comes price… most times. We’re here to help you travel on a lighter budget!
Travel between Hakata Station (Fukuoka City) and Kokura Station (in Kitakyushu City):
- On weekends and holidays, tickets can be purchased for 3,090￥ (includes roundtrip fare between the two stations).
Travel between Hakata Station (Fukuoka City) and Other Stations in Kyushu (and Shimonoseki):
- The 2-Mai Kippu (Two Pack Ticket) can be used for one person to go to and from specified stations, or for two people to go in one direction. This ticket can be used with free seating areas on the Limited Express trains (unfortunately not bullet trains) year round. Some approximate prices (one person, round trip):
- Hakata ~ Nagasaki City: 6,180￥/ Kokura ~ : 8,840￥
- Hakata ~ Huis Ten Bosch: 5,040￥
- Hakata ~ Beppu/ Oita: 6,180￥/ Kokura ~ :5,960￥
- Hakata ~ Miyazaki: 11,320￥
- For more information on the 2-Mai Kippu, you can use this website, though it is available only in Japanese.
Travel between Fukuoka and Mainland Japan on the Tokaido Sanyo Bullet Train:
- There are a number of ways to get discounts on your shinaknsen tickets online, though the English websites can be quite clunky and difficult to navigate. Nevertheless, an English website does exist to explain the discounts.
- smartEX and Hayatoku tickets are booked in advance and give you some nice savings!
- smartEX: 1 month – 4 minutes before departure; mainly for ease of booking tickets. Can also give slight discounts on long-distance round-trip tickets.
- Hayatoku: Up to 3 days before departure; ‘Nozomi’ trains
- Hayatoku-21: Up to 21 days before departure; ‘Nozomi’ trains at certain times of day; most economical for Nozomi
- Hayatoku-Green: Green cars (First Class); up to 3 days before departure; early morning ‘Nozomi’ or all-day ‘Hikari’ trains
- Hayatoku-Green KODAMA: Green cars (First Class); up to 3 days before departure; ‘Kodama’ (slower) trains
- Hayatoku-Family NOZOMI: minimum of 2 people (max 6); up to 3 days before departure; Nozomi trains
- Hayatoku-Family KODAMA: minimum of 2 people (max 6); up to 3 days before departure; Kodama trains
- You can often find the cheapest bullet train tickets with Kodama trains, particularly with the Bari-Otoku scheme. Kodama trains are the slowest bullet trains from Fukuoka but you can get tickets for less than half the price of the fast Nozomi/Mizuho trains! Recommended if you are willing to sacrifice a couple of hours for big savings.
Travel between two stations (daily commute):
- For commuting between two stations, you may be able to get a commuter pass (teikiken 定期券). This commuter pass allows you to go from one station to your destination station (on the same company, for example, JR) using a discounted price as a daily commuter. This pass may save you money in the long run! Ask your supervisor or another JET participant in your area about whether these services are available to you on your commute.
- Example: Hakata <–> Sasaguri (based on avg. 22 working days/month i.e. 44 rides/month)
- One-way ticket: 280￥/ roundtrip: 560￥ (12,320￥)
- Teikiken (1 month): 8180￥ (approx. 185￥ per ride)
- You end up saving 4,140￥ per month!
- Example: Hakata <–> Sasaguri (based on avg. 22 working days/month i.e. 44 rides/month)
These are a few websites that are also helpful in planning your travels in and around Fukuoka: