Highway Bus / Long-Distance Bus in Japan

Highway Bus in Japan

Highway bus or the long-distance bus is considered as a nice alternative for a trip of medium and long distance in Japan. As air travel and Shinkansen are the best ways for shutting between two cities, bus is more cost-efficient and more proper for travel to the circumjacent area from a city, or trips between two places nearby. In particular, bus is very convenient when you go to some attractions in the countryside, such as heritage sites of ancient village.

Although the highway/long-distance bus ride is usually slower in Japan, and there may be serious delays due to local weather and traffic, it is cheaper than air or rail fares with much more options. The buses run day and night so that it is a good choice if your time is flexible. An overnight bus can also save on the cost of accommodation.

Major Routes

The bus network covers the whole Japan, with a number of routes operated by different bus companies. Here are some popular routes of highway/long-distance bus and sightseeing bus in Japan.

Route between Two Places		Duration	Fare
Tokyo	Mt. Fuji / Lake Kawaguchi	2h 5-37min	JPY 2,060-2,390
Narita Airport	Mt. Fuji / Lake Kawaguchi	3h 25-40min	JPY 5,000
Haneda Airport	Mt. Fuji / Lake Kawaguchi	2h 52-54min	JPY 1,830-2,520
Shinjuku	Hakone / Gotemba	2h 20-40min	JPY 2,480
Tokyo / Oji / Roppongi Hills	Nagoya	7h 50min – 8h 25min	JPY 2,500-5,000
Yokohama	Hakone / Gotemba	1h 45min – 2h 52min	JPY 1,400-2,600
Kyoto / Osaka	Takayama, Gifu	5h 32-42min	JPY 3,800-9,500
Kyoto	Universal Studios Japan, Osaka	1h 43-46min	JPY 300-900
Osaka / Universal Studios Japan	Nagoya	3h 25min – 4h 15min	JPY 2,000-3,000
Nagoya	Takayama, Gifu	2h 45-50min	JPY 2,200-3,100
Takayama, Gifu / Shirakawa-go	Kanazawa	1h 25min – 2h 15min	JPY 2,000-4,000

Notes:

• The duration is metered from the starting station to the final destination. There are some stops on the route, you can get off when arriving at the site you want to reach.

• The fare is counted for the distance you travelled. The more stops, the more fares.

• If there are more than one bus running on the route, not every bus would run throughout the course. Some may run on a section of the route only, while some may not stop at a few bus stops.

• The information might be subject to change.

How to Buy Tickets

Firstly, you should determine the bus to take. The routes and timetables of the highway bus or long-distance bus can be found on the official website of the corresponding operator. Run by different operators, the stops and route may be different even if there are the same departure and arrival sites. Otherwise, you can find the information at nearby bus station on spot.

Highway Bus Depature Timings

Ticketing Machines in the Terminal

Remember the bus number and buy the ticket on the day that you’re going to have your bus trip, and choose a departing time if there are multiple number of runs. You can book or buy a ticket on the official website, or the way provided by the website. Besides, you can also call the ticket center of the corresponding bus operator, and buy a ticket at the bus station or bus stop. Or, local bus terminus usually has ticketing service. Please confirm the cut-off time of buying a ticket and stipulations about ticket changing and refunding carefully.

How to Take a Highway/Long-Distance Bus in Japan

In most cities and places in Japan, it is easy to find the bus terminus, for which it is often located by the local railway station. But for other stops, you should arrive there a little earlier and find the one of your bus. At one site, there might be a few bus stops belonging to different operators separately. You may also get the street map, location map, or the detailed address information from where you buy the ticket with your demand.

Before the bus ride, you should get your ticket, press your electronic ticket, or make sure that you can show the electronic ticket with QR code to check in if you have booked a ticket. Moreover, please consult the bus operator about luggage allowance before your journey.

It’s suggested to reach the bus station or bus stop 30 minutes before the departure, as the boarding usually starts 10 minutes before departure. Bus number is helpful to find the one you should take. Then take the seat according to your ticket.

Highway Bus Tickets

Tips

•  No smoking and no alcoholic beverage on long-distance buses / highway buses, sightseeing buses and airport shuttle buses in Japan.

•  For luggage, detailed luggage regulations varied with each operating company.

•  Most of long-distance/highway buses are equipped with a toilet. If not, it would stopover at one or several service areas, for 15 minutes per time. You can go to the bathroom, buy some snacks and drinks, or smoke at the smoking area in a service area.

Regional Bus Passes

Bus passes that offer unlimited travel in a certain region for a period of time are very common in Japan. If you plan to travel frequently in a particular area, the bus pass is an economical option.

The Tohoku Highway Bus Ticket entitles you to unlimited bus rides in the six prefectures of Tohoku, including Aomori, Akita, Iwate, Yamagata, Miyagi and Fukushima. The 2-day/3-day pass can be used onto buses with a sticker of Tohoku Highway Bus Ticket on the front window.

Sun Q Pass, used in Kyushu, is practicable for bus routes as well as ferries there. There are 3-day Sun Q Pass for northern Kyushu, 3-day Sun Q Pass for southern Kyushu, and 3-day & 4-day pass for entire Kyushu with Shimonoseki and Nagoto in Yamaguchi.