Take the Tokaido/Sanyo Shinkansen from Tokyo to Kokura Station and transfer to the Sonic limited express train for Beppu. The entire one way trip takes about 6 hours and costs around 25,000 yen. Japan Rail Pass holders will require an additional hour, because they cannot use Nozomi trains along the Tokaido/Sanyo Shinkansen, and should instead travel by Hikari and Sakura trains with an additional transfer at Shin-Osaka Station.
By air
JAL, ANA, Solaseed and Jetstar Japan operate frequent flights between Tokyo (mostly Haneda Airport, except Jetstar which uses Narita Airport) and Oita Airport near Beppu. Flight duration is 90 minutes. The regular one way fare by JAL and ANA is about 40,000 yen, but discount tickets are usually available for around 11,500 to 27,000 yen. Fares by Solaseed Air are typically 20 percent lower than those by JAL and ANA, while Jetstar's fares start around 5,000 yen.
The one way bus journey between Oita Airport and Beppu takes 40 minutes and costs 1500 yen. All buses stop at Beppu Kitahama, and a few buses also serve JR Beppu Station. Several rental car companies have an outlet at Oita Airport.
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How to travel between Beppu and Fukuoka
By train
The one way journey by Sonic limited express train between Fukuoka's Hakata Station and Beppu takes two hours, costs around 5,500 yen and is fully covered by the Japan Rail Pass and Kyushu Rail Pass. A set of two tickets (2枚きっぷ, nimaikippu) for use by one or two persons in either direction within a one month period is available for only 6,300 yen.
By bus
Nishitetsu Bus operates numerous highway buses per day between Fukuoka and Beppu. The one way journey takes 2.5 hours and costs 3,250 yen. In Fukuoka, all buses stop at Hakata Station and Tenjin Station, and a few also stop at Fukuoka Airport. In Beppu, buses stop at the Beppu Kitahama bus stop.
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How to travel between Beppu and Kyoto
By train
Take the Tokaido/Sanyo Shinkansen from Kyoto to Kokura Station and transfer to the Sonic limited express train for Beppu. The entire one way trip takes about 4 hours and costs around 17,500 yen. Japan Rail Pass holders will require an additional 30 minutes, because they cannot use Nozomi trains along the Tokaido/Sanyo Shinkansen, but should travel by Hikari (or Kodama) and Sakura trains instead.
By air
JAL and ANA operate several flights per day between Itami Airport near Kyoto and Oita Airport near Beppu. Flight duration is around one hour. The regular one way fare is about 21,500 yen, but discount tickets are usually available for around 16,000 yen.
The one way bus journey between Oita Airport and Beppu takes 40 minutes and costs 1500 yen. All buses stop at Beppu Kitahama, and a few buses also serve JR Beppu Station. Several rental car companies have an outlet at Oita Airport.
By ferry
Ferry Sunflower operates daily ferries between Osaka's South Port and Beppu Port. The one way journey takes about 12 hours and costs around 12,000 yen in the cheapest class. Osaka's South Port can be reached from Kyoto in about one hour and for around 1000 yen by train.
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How to travel between Beppu and Osaka
By train
Take the Sanyo Shinkansen from Osaka (Shin-Osaka Station) to Kokura Station and transfer to the Sonic limited express train for Beppu. The entire one way trip takes about 3.5 hours and costs around 17,000 yen. The Japan Rail Pass is valid on Sakura trains, but it is not valid on the slightly faster Nozomi and Mizuho trains.
By air
JAL and ANA operate several flights per day between Osaka's Itami Airport and Oita Airport near Beppu. Flight duration is around one hour. The regular one way fare by JAL and ANA is about 21,500 yen, but discount tickets are usually available for around 16,000 yen.
The one way bus journey between Oita Airport and Beppu takes 40 minutes and costs 1500 yen. All buses stop at Beppu Kitahama, and a few buses also serve JR Beppu Station. Several rental car companies have an outlet at Oita Airport.
By ferry
Ferry Sunflower operates daily ferries between Osaka's South Port and Beppu Port. The one way journey takes about 12 hours and costs around 12,000 yen in the cheapest class.
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How to travel between Beppu and Yufuin
By bus
Kamenoi Bus operates 1-2 buses per hour between Beppu and Yufuin Stations. The one way trip takes 50 minutes and costs 900 yen.
By train
Train travel between Beppu and Yufuin requires a transfer of trains at Oita Station. By local trains, the one way journey takes about 80 minutes, costs 1110 yen and is fully covered by the Japan Rail Pass and Kyushu Rail Pass.
By Kyusanko Kyushu Odan Bus
The Kyushu Odan Bus operates between Beppu and Kumamoto, stopping at Yufuin along the way. The one way journey between Beppu and Yufuin takes one hour, costs 1000 yen and is covered by the Sun Q Pass. Click here for timetables and online reservations.
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How to travel between Beppu and Kumamoto
By train via Kokura (or Hakata)
Take the shinkansen from Kumamoto to Kokura (one hour) and transfer to a limited express train to Beppu (75 minutes). The entire one way trip takes about 2.5 hours, costs around 11,000 yen and is fully covered by the Japan Rail Pass if using a Sakura train between Kumamoto and Kokura.
Note that Kyushu Rail Pass holders will have to transfer from the shinkansen to the limited express at Hakata Station instead of Kokura Station because their pass does not cover the shinkansen between Hakata and Kokura. This increases travel time by about half an hour.
By train via the JR Hohi Line
The railway tracks of the JR Hohi Line were damaged in the Kumamoto Earthquakes in 2016 between Higo-Ozu and Aso stations. The train line is expected to fully reopen by spring 2021. In the meantime, it is possible to use buses between Higo-Ozu and Aso stations (50-60 minutes, 1020 yen one way, not covered by JR passes, departures every 1-2 hours).
By bus
Kyushu Sanko operates Kyushu Odan Buses ("Trans Kyushu Buses") between Kumamoto and Beppu via Aso, Kurokawa Onsen and Yufuin. The one way journey takes six hours, costs 4500 yen and is covered by the Sun Q Pass. Click here for timetables and online reservations.
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How to travel between Beppu and Aso
By Kyusanko Kyushu Odan Bus
The Kyushu Odan Bus by Kyusanko travels from Beppu to Aso Station before continuing to Kumamoto. The one way journey between Beppu and Aso Station takes about 3.5 hours, cost 2980 yen and is covered by the Sun Q Pass. Click here for timetables and online reservations.
By train
The one way journey between Beppu and Aso via the JR Hohi Line takes around two hours and costs about 3500 yen by limited express train or takes about 3.5 hours and costs 2130 yen by local trains. All the trains are covered by the Japan Rail Pass and Kyushu Rail Pass.
Uwajima Unyu operates multiple ferries per day in both directions between Beppu Sightseeing Port and Yawatahama Port on Shikoku (165 minutes, 3100 yen one way). The cost for a regular sized car is around 12,500 yen one way. Yawatahama Port is a five minute bus or taxi ride from Yawatahama Station, which can be reached from Matsuyama by limited express (45 minutes, about 2500 yen) or by local trains (100-120 minutes, 1280 yen). Online reservations can be made through Direct Ferries.
By train
Traveling between Matsuyama and Beppu by train involves a big detour via Okayama and is only recommended to Japan Rail Pass holders and travelers prone to seasickness.
Take a JR Shiokaze limited express train from Matsuyama to Okayama (2.5 hours), transfer to the JR Sanyo Shinkansen to Kokura (90 minutes) and finally take the JR Sonic limited express to Beppu (75 minutes). The entire one way trip takes around six hours and costs about 18,000 yen. Because the Japan Rail Pass is not valid on Nozomi and Mizuho trains, pass holders have to use Sakura trains between Okayama and Kokura, which might add some time to the journey. Otherwise, the pass fully covers the trip.
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How to travel between Beppu and Tokyo
By train
Take the Tokaido/Sanyo Shinkansen from Tokyo to Kokura Station and transfer to the Sonic limited express train for Beppu. The entire one way trip takes about 6 hours and costs around 25,000 yen. Japan Rail Pass holders will require an additional hour, because they cannot use Nozomi trains along the Tokaido/Sanyo Shinkansen, and should instead travel by Hikari and Sakura trains with an additional transfer at Shin-Osaka Station.
By air
JAL, ANA, Solaseed and Jetstar Japan operate frequent flights between Tokyo (mostly Haneda Airport, except Jetstar which uses Narita Airport) and Oita Airport near Beppu. Flight duration is 90 minutes. The regular one way fare by JAL and ANA is about 40,000 yen, but discount tickets are usually available for around 11,500 to 27,000 yen. Fares by Solaseed Air are typically 20 percent lower than those by JAL and ANA, while Jetstar's fares start around 5,000 yen.
The one way bus journey between Oita Airport and Beppu takes 40 minutes and costs 1500 yen. All buses stop at Beppu Kitahama, and a few buses also serve JR Beppu Station. Several rental car companies have an outlet at Oita Airport.
Above fees and schedules are subject to change. For the current yen exchange rate, click here.
Orientation
Beppu's attractions are spread all across the city and are best explored by rental car or bus. The city's bus network is operated by two companies: Kamenoi Bus and Oita Kotsu.
Kamenoi Bus provides access to most places in Beppu except the Takasakiyama Monkey Park and the Umitamago Aquarium. Kamenoi also offers practical one day and two day unlimited bus passes (900 and 1500 yen respectively) that cover all of the sites within central Beppu. Special wide versions of the passes (1600 and 2400 yen) include the buses to Yufuin. Oita Kotsu operates bus lines from central Beppu to the monkey park, the aquarium and to Oita Airport.
Highway buses and most airport buses stop at the Kitahama bus terminal, which can be reached from Beppu Station in about a 5-10 minute walk. Beppu Port, with ferry connections to Shikoku and Osaka, can be reached in a ten minute bus ride from Beppu Station or the Kitahama bus terminal.
The closest airport to Beppu is Oita Airport. Buses connect the airport with Beppu's Kitahama bus terminal in 45 minutes and for 1500 yen one way.
