Fukuoka - Getting Around / Bus Questions

Hello,

It seems to me that getting around this city is predominately by bus? Or it's either to the closest station and walk for about 10-15 minutes to certain venues.

Do they have bathrooms at the bus stops? Or primarily at the major stations?

Any suggestions appreciated as we are older. Thanks

I usually use the subways to get around Fukuoka. But it is true that buses are useful to access some spots. There are generally no bathrooms at bus stops except at major bus terminals.

Regarding toilets:
Japan is a country with a very high number of public toilets. Many (even very small) parks have a toilet. So finding a toilet shouldn�ft be too much of a problem.

Thank you. The guide suggests that Taxi between Hakata and Airport to be pretty convenient, right? What about outskirts and other areas. Are Taxis abundant outside the Stations?

Also, is the bus network easy to follow and read (English / Direction/Route #)?

Thanks

I have only taken the subway in Fukuoka (Hakata/Tenjin area). What are you planning to visit that is not accessible by subway?

The guide suggests that Taxi between Hakata and Airport to be pretty convenient, right?

Yes, it is, especially if you have heavy luggage and/or mobility issues. Subway can be much faster though, but it only serves the domestic terminal.

Also, is the bus network easy to follow and read (English / Direction/Route #)?

I don't know for Fukuoka specifically, but I find that taking buses in big cities (not just in Japan) is more stressful and demands more preparation/homework compared to the subway. Using a navigation app helps a lot.

But in the outskirts (thinking of Dazaifu for example), taking the bus is easy because there are fewer bus lines, and only only bus stand for each stop. You are less likely to get on the wrong bus by accident.

Thanks. For example, going to Fukuoka Tower, Google shows:

306 & 312 NOKOTOSENBA [Gofuku-machi, Momochi Ramp]

What does 306 or 312 mean?

Hakata Station to YouMeTown Mall shows
15: Hakata Bus Terminal 1F(bus)

Does that mean, Bus #15? I guess our concern is, how do we take the bus in Fukuoka using Google Maps? We are fine with trains though. lol

Btw, any recommendations, insights, or even side trips is welcomed. Thank you for the kind responses, it means a lot to us.

Subway in fukuoka has its own charm
Bus in fukuoka has its own charm
Even JR kyushu in fukuoka has its own charm

So u can consider subway day pass=640 yen
Nishitetsu Bus day pass =1200 yen
Jr kyushu fukuoka wide area pass =3500 yen

Yes, 306 is a bus number.

You can play around with google street view to get an idea how it looks like. Here is the bus "stop" (or you could call it a platform or gate) for bus #306 at Hakata station. So this route has one gate all for itself.
https://maps.app.goo.gl/YUZmUZP6FtQqa9NP6

Here is a gate with multiple bus routes (gate #13, bus routes: 44, 45, 8, 17, 29, 40).
https://maps.app.goo.gl/WpUMV6RocTibUDKD6

And a bus stop on the street: https://maps.app.goo.gl/c56VWtePYr4QMFEc6
(The timetables & map would be on the other side)

I don't recommend "learning" the gates in advance, as they could very well have changed since 2016. But at least it gives you an idea what to look for when you want find a bus.

I was in Fukuoka in this November. I took a bus and train to Fukuoka Airport. It was plain sailing. The number is bus number and I found easy to get around there using public transport.

Whenever I visit Japan I use Jordan norikae annai . I used Japanese one, which I found immensely useful.
world.jorudan.co.jp

Hello,

Thank you both for the help and insight. We will take a look at it. We were able to manage metro trains and it seemed easier, especially having bathrooms and amenities around at the station.

But this time, we might need to familiarize ourselves a bit with the bus system.

Thanks for confirming the bus number.

So for gates that share multiple bus numbers, I would probably need to reconfirm that on the actual bus itself right? lol. As long as it matches.

Enter in back, tap IC card, exit in front tap IC Card.


We didn't know about the live view thing in Google and the visuals help.😅

Thanks

It seems to me that getting around this city is predominately by bus?

This depends entirely on where you want to go. There are several good places in the city you can easily reach by the subway or train. But there are other places where a bus makes more sense. A few places like Aburayama you'd need to rent a car or take a pricey taxi.
https://is.gd/k5PLnx