Mt. Aso - 1/2 day sight-seeing bus or how ?

I found the following link, a 1/2 day tour cost just 2,000 yen. Looks good but will I have enough time for the car or ropeway ?

http://www.kyusanko.co.jp/sankobus/aso_teikan/route/index.html

I read about another bus from Beppu(dep. 11.42am) to Kumamoto that stop at Aso(for 90 mins meant the ropeway sight-seeing. Anyone know which Company or any link to it ?

Are there any other way to see Mt Aso on my own if I do not have a car ? I intend to get a Sun Q Bus Pass.

I can't understand Japanese, about tour, can I book it when I will be there .without booking day before?

Your first option is fine. There isn't a whole lot to do there (it is worth the visit though) but you can go for a walk around the crater to get a slightly better view to see some lava or if you just like to hike on a moon like surface with the strong smell of rotten eggs?

The 11:42 is the Kyushu Odan and is a train and now leaves at 11:44 (see the first option below). Other options by bus from Beppu are below too.
There is also this page http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e4552.html

(The JR Kyushu)
● Kyushu Odan Tokkyu
4 services / day (the deperture time at Beppu station: 7:52,11:44,14:46,18:30)
*Transfer to a local bus at JR Aso station to get Mt. Aso.
　
● Aso Yufu Kogen bus
1 service / day (departs from Beppu station at 9:45)
　 *Advanced reservations required.

(The Kyushu Sanko Bus)
●　Kyushu Odan Bus
2 services / day (departs from Beppu Beppu station at 8:11, 9:19)
*Advanced reservations required.

Sorry to hijack this thread.

With regards to 1/2 day Mt Aso tour, is there any guided tour that start and end from Kumamoto (preferably near train station)?

preferably in english, but if only in Japanese, I'm fine too, as this is much more convenient due to the few express train between Aso and Kumamoto, and less transfer of transportation needed.

thanks

To you know is there time for ropeway in the 1/2 day tour ? What is no, 3 & no. 7 that have 30 mins and 40 mins respectively ? How can I check what's those in English ?

Do you have the websites(even if no English) for the 2 bus lines that you provided ?

Thank you.

Well the morning tour return at 12:42 and the bus to the ropeway takes 30-40mins and then if you walk the rest of the way it's about 30mins so travel time there and back is about 1.5~2hrs depending on how you want to do it. Then it's just a matter of how long you want to spend there. 1hr and you should be back at Aso station before 4pm.

The bus from Beppu to Kumamoto that stops at Aso for 90 minutes is run by Sanko, check this link:

http://www.kyusanko.co.jp/sankobus/kyushu_odan/
(it's in Japanese but google translator works reasonably good with it).

and this other for the timetable:
http://www.kyusanko.co.jp/sankobus/kyushu_odan/table/tt2.html

For what I understand in the timetable, the bus that stops in Aso for 90 minutes (nº 4)departs Beppu at 9:08 (you can find the gap in time between arrival and depart in the 4th pink file, 2º column (it arrives at Asosan Nishi Station at 12:50 and departs 90 minutes later, at 14:20). In any case, don't take this info at face value as I don't speak a word of Japanese and try to confirm the timetable with either Beppu or Kumamoto Tourist Information if you plan on use it.