Overview of public transport in Japan

Japan’s public transport is operated by different companies: JR, subway operators, private railways and bus companies. This page serves as an entry point to transport topics, summarising verified information and linking to more detailed pages. For local transport in Fukuoka, see the Fukuoka transport guide.

Key points

• JR: Japan Railways Group consists of 6 JR companies, with a total network of more than 19,000 kilometres (according to the official JAPAN RAIL PASS website).
• Shinkansen: High-speed rail; see How to use the Shinkansen.
• Transport IC cards: Suica, Hayakaken and others can be used across interoperable regions nationwide. See Suica and transport IC cards.
• Rail passes: JR Pass and JR Kyushu Rail Pass. See Comparing the JR Pass and regional rail passes.
• Payments: Credit cards may not be accepted for short-distance train or subway fares. See Currency and payment methods.

Types of public transport

Type	Explanation	Fukuoka example
JR	Railway lines operated by JR Group companies, including Shinkansen and limited express services	JR Kyushu: Hakata to Chikuzen-Maebaru (through service with the subway), Yufuin no Mori limited express
Subway	Municipal underground railways	Fukuoka City Subway: Airport, Hakozaki and Nanakuma lines
Private railway	Privately operated railway companies	Nishitetsu: Tenjin Omuta Line, Dazaifu Line
Bus	Local and highway buses	Nishitetsu Bus, Showa Bus and buses covered by the SUNQ Pass

Verified examples from Fukuoka

The following figures were published by official operators (checked in October 2026). Actual times and fares vary by service and date:

Route	Journey time	Adult fare	Details
Fukuoka Airport to Hakata (subway)	About 5 minutes	260 yen	Airport to Hakata guide
Hakata to Chikuzen-Maebaru (subway through service to JR)	About 41 to 43 minutes	640 yen	Transport from Hakata to Itoshima
Tenjin to Dazaifu (Nishitetsu)	About 30 minutes	480 yen	Dazaifu day trip
Hakata to Yufuin (Yufuin no Mori limited express)	About 2 hours 14 minutes or more	6,130 yen	Yufuin no Mori
Shin-Osaka to Hakata (Shinkansen)	About 2 hours 30 minutes	Check JR’s official website	How to use the Shinkansen

Official timetable and fare tools

• Fukuoka City Subway: Route and fare search
• Nishitetsu: Train timetable and fare search
• JR Kyushu: JR-KYUSHU Train Reservation (seat reservations)

Transport IC cards

Fukuoka City Subway’s official page lists Hayakaken as interoperable with these cards: SUGOCA, nimoca, Kitaca, Suica, PASMO, TOICA, manaca, ICOCA and PiTaPa. Interoperability includes ticket gates, buses and adding value with cash. Refunds, reissuance and commuter pass purchases are not interoperable. See Suica and transport IC cards for details.

Guides for each mode of transport

• How to ride trains: JR, private railways and subways
• How to ride buses
• Taxis and ride-hailing services
• Route planning and timetable tools
• Driving: eligibility and documents

Further reading

• Japan travel essentials
• Fukuoka transport guide
• Comparing Fukuoka transport passes and day tickets