Getting from Kumamoto airport to Aso

Hi

I was wondering if someone might also be able to point me in the direction of the train timetable for trains from Kumamoto airport to Aso? The 'Kumamoto to Kurokawa' section of this website says that there's a limit express train that runs every 1-4 hours?

Thanks!!!

You can look up train timetables here:

http://www.hyperdia.com/

I do hope you are aware that the area around the crater is completely closed off due to volcanic activity. There are other areas like Kusasenri that you can see, but if you wanted to peer down the crater to see a live volcano, you won't be able to.
If you want to see what you'd be missing though, you can have a look at:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tyh_nKrv5tY

There are some very good places close by, although you'd really need a car to get to them. Daikanbo is an excellent lookout over the whole area. Nabegadaki is a beautiful waterfall near Oguni Town that you can actually walk behind, and the Kuju Flower Park while pricey is a gorgeous gem of a place.

There is no train station at Kumamoto Airport (KMJ), but it's located just to the SE of the Aso Caldera. The only way into or out of the airport is by car, taxi, or bus service.

http://www.kmj-ab.co.jp/eng/car_etc.html

If you have a window seat on the left side of the plane, you can get views down on the volcano as the approach is from the NE.

If you're going to Kurokawa, there is a bus from the airport to the onsen town. If you're going somewhere else in the Mt. Aso vicinity, you can get a bus to Otsu (closest train station to airport) or Tateno (on the edge of the caldera) and transfer to a train there. The train line in the south part of the caldera is a private line as far as Takamori; the JR train that runs along the north floor of the caldera goes through Aso and Miyaji (for Aso shrine), and continues to Taketa (castle and old town) and then Oita. The most frequent bus route runs to Kumamoto Station in Kumamoto City, but it's in the opposite direction from Mt. Aso and Kurokawa Onsen from the airport.

The closest train station to the airport is Higo-Ozu, not Otsu; my memory is failing. Ozu is where Miyamoto Musashi's grave is located (Book of 5 Rings author and swordsman).

Have you considered a direct bus from Kumamoto airport to Aso station , and Kurokawa onsen ?

I'm actually just trying to work out the quickest and most direct way of getting from Kumamoto Airport to our accommodation in Kurokawa Onsen. We are staying at Ryokan Wakaba.

We are flying from Tokyo on the 21/02/2016 at around 6:30am and arrive at Kumamoto airport at around 8:30am. Check in at the Ryokan is between 3pm and 6pm so I will need to see if I can request and earlier check in time. I just need to figure out approximately what time I will get there so I can let them know.

This website says that you can get a train from the airport to Aso and then a bus from Aso to Kurokawa Onsen (http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e4575.html) and that it only takes about 2 hours?

Has anyone else here stayed at Ryokan Wakaba before? Do they offer any sort of shuttle services from the airport?

Thanks :-)

http://www.ryokanwakaba.com/access-directions-maps

Bus would be the best choice:

Kyushu Odan Bus ‹ã�B‰¡’fƒoƒX
Kumamoto Airport Kurokawa Onsen
08:57 11:26
09:57 12:26
13:08 15:37

Again, there is no train at Kumamoto Airport. I've picked up and dropped off people there many times as well as driven under it on the way east (bypassing Kumamoto City on a shortcut).

There is a bus from the airport to Kurokawa. It starts at Kumamoto Station goes to Yufuin or Beppu, but makes stops at the airport and Kurokawa along the way. The link is given on the previous message link and here:

http://www.kyusanko.co.jp/sankobus/english/table/odantt1.pdf

The bus stops at the airport at 8:57, 9:57 and 13:08 (No.1, No.3, & No.7). The 3rd bus (11:28) doesn't go to Kurokawa Onsen but only as far as Aso Station. They arrive at Kurokawa at 10:44, 12:28, and 15:39 respectively.
The Odan bus requires reservations. Contact info for this is at:
http://www.explore-kumamoto.com/getting-to-kurokawa-onsen/

If you wanted you could take a bus or taxi to Higo-Ozu station, take the train to Aso Station, and pick up another bus there. If you use a Sanko bus from Aso station, there are some shuttles from the Town Hall (Yakuba mae) in Minami-Oguni, west of Kurokawa.
http://www.kurokawaonsen.or.jp/eng_new/access/#access02

From the bus stop in Kurokawa, the Ryokan Wakaba has a shuttle to the hotel for their guests. Check at the info counter by the stop to ID one or otherwise take a taxi or walk. No place is that far but there are a lot of steps from the parking lot down to the river. I don't think any ryokan in Kurokawa have a shuttle except from the town bus stop as this place is a long way from anywhere.

The easiest way to go would be to take a taxi from the airport but it would be expensive. 2 or 3 people would lower the per person cost, though. The best way to see the area would be to rent a car. That way you could drive up to Kusasenri on Mt Aso, Daikanbo on the caldera edge for some views of the floor and 5 peaks, and along the Yamanami Highway up to Mt. Kuju for some views of the countryside before heading to Kurokawa.

I haven't stayed at the Wakaba but if I remember right, it has a newer exterior and is to the east upstream from the main ryokan center of town. The new place might be in front of the Wakaba, though.

Ask them. Info@toryokanwakaba.Com

Looks like Ryokan Wakaba is only minutes walk from the Kurokawa bus stop.
When we visited Kurokawa onsen 2 years ago, we arrived about midday, too early for our accommodation. We decided to visit Yamamizuki and spend over one hour enjoying their beautiful rotenburo.
Yamamizuki ryokan provides free shuttle for day visitors from in front of the tourist information office, just few minutes walk from Ryokan Wakaba .