Bus to/from Kusatsu

Dear all

i am going to Kusatsu onsen in Dec 2024, and would be taking bus (a) from Karuizawa to Kusatsu, and (b) Kusatsu to Shinjuju.

can i buy the bus ticket online in advance please?
do i pay on the bus or from a counter somewhere in Karuizawa?
are the buses usually full?
how long before do i need to be at the bus stop at Karuizawa? I am trying to book my train ticket frol Kanazawa to Karuizawa so want to know how long before i need to be at the bus stop.

Thanks for all your help

can i buy the bus ticket online in advance please?

No.

do i pay on the bus or from a counter somewhere in Karuizawa?

You pay on the bus when exiting, as explained below:
https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2015.html
https://www.kkkg.co.jp/bus/timetable/en-timetable.pdf

IC cards are not allowed, but some credit cards can be used to tap and pay (I would be worried about foreign-issued credit cards being accepted).

I don't think they have ticket offices, but I am not 100% sure.

are the buses usually full?

I would assume that they provide enough capacity. When the bus is crowded, less comfortable seats can be turned down for sitting along the aisle.

how long before do i need to be at the bus stop at Karuizawa?

I recommend a minimum of 30 seconds (minimum of 2 minutes if you have luggage to be put into the luggage compartment) before departure. On busy days you may want to arrive a little earlier to increase your chances for better seats.

good morning

JR bus reservation from Kusatsu to Shinjuku can be made at
https://travel.rakuten.co.jp/bus/agt/5030.html#1480

the website contains long list of JR buses (both inbound and outbound)
so please search by the keyword ŒQ”n�E’·–ì�Ë“Œ‹ž�E�é‹Ê
and scroll down for the preferred departure time from ‘�’É·�ò BT (Kusatsu onsen bus terminal)
to ƒoƒXƒ^�V�h�i�V�h‰w�jBus terminal shinjuku at shinjuku station

ps
both Karuizawa and Kusatsu onsen are popular tourist destinations
with most of the Kusatsu onsen visitors travelling to/from Karuizawa also
i would personally line up for the local bus travelling between the 2 areas
20min on weekdays or 30minutes on weekend in advance as per the timetable below
(given i hate to be at the end of the queue :)
https://www.kkkg.co.jp/bus/timetable/en-timetable.pdf

however reading Uji-san's response brought back all the fun memories
yes that's what we did when we were in schools
arriving 30seconds prior to the scheduled bus departure
as everything in japan is so punctual and on time to perfection

have a wonderful trip~