How to get to Fukuoka

そらみみ, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

JR Train (Shinkansen)

Fukuoka is connected to Shin-Osaka, Kyoto and Tokyo via the Tokaido/Sanyo Shinkansen. The journey from Tokyo takes about 6 hours, while from Shin-Osaka and Kyoto the journey is about 3 hours. The ticket from Tokyo costs 22220 Yen (non-reserved seat) while from Kyoto it costs 15400 Yen.

IMPORTANT: when you have to search for Fukuoka station in search engines such as Japan Transit Planner or Navitime, you must enter HAKATA.

Train of San'yo Shinkansen at Hakata Station

そらみみ, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Plane

Fukuoka Airport is a five-minute underground ride from the city. The Fukuoka-Tokyo route is the busiest in the world. The journey takes just under 2 hours.

If you are arriving on a domestic flight, you can take the underground and in 5 minutes you are at Hakata Station, the ticket costs 260 yen.

If you are arriving on an international flight, you have to take a Nishitetsu bus, which takes 15 minutes and costs 260 yen.

Official website of Fukuoka Airport

Fukuokakūkō (Airport) Station 1

Atsasebo, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Ferry

The Ocean Tokyu Ferry company operates the service between Tokyo and Kitakyushu. From here you can take the train to Fukuoka. The ferry trip takes 34 hours and costs about 15000 yen.

Official website of Ocean Tokyu Ferry

Bus

From Tokyo (Shinjuku Keio Highway Bus Terminal) the night bus of the Nishitetsu company departs. The journey takes 14 and a half hours and costs between 8000 and 19000 Yen.

Getting around Fukuoka

Subway

The best way to get around Fukuoka is by metro. Fukuoka has three lines: Kuko line (orange), Hakozaki line (blue), Nanakuma line (green).
The ticket costs between 210 and 380 yen depending on the distance travelled.

A day pass can be purchased for 640 Yen.

In addition, there is the Fukuoka Tourist City Pass, which is valid for 1 day and costs 2500 Yen and allows you to take buses, subways and have discounts for admission to various attractions in the city.

Official website
Fukuoka Tourist City Pass page

Fukuokacitysubway2000-23

武1102, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Bus

Another way of getting around is to use the ‘Green’ City Loop Bus. The bus makes a round trip in about 100 minutes, touching all the main points of the city. A day ticket costs 700 Yen and a single ticket costs 250 Yen.

The ‘100 Yen bus’ is a convenient and frequent bus line that runs through the city centre between Hakata and Tenjin stations, passing Canal City and the food stalls on Nakasu Island. Buses run at least once every 10 minutes and the fare is 100 yen per ride.

Nishitetsu bus 6914

Muyo, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons