9 Things You Need To Know About the JR Kyushu Rail Pass | Japan Explained 

Hi @helentan659, thank you for the comment!

Hi @nulaohapoonrungsi1526, no problem! Glad that you found it useful! I plan to share more of my travel experiences and tips in my future videos too, so stay tuned!

Hi @old-soul! Thanks for the comment! Glad that you found it useful! :)

Hi @arare5678! Thanks for the great suggestion! ^_^

Hi @kuhvalentin, thanks for the question! First of all, the Yufuin No Mori train only runs between Hakata (Fukuoka) and Beppu (Oita), which means it is out of the coverage area of the JR Kyushu Rail Pass (Southern Kyushu) as both prefectures are in Northern Kyushu. Hence, you will need to pay the full fare for this train if you have this Pass. However, if you have the JR Kyushu Rail (Northern Kyushu or All-Kyushu), you can reserve seats on this train. (Additional fees such as online booking fees are separately charged.) Hope this helps! (Source: www.jrkyushu.co.jp/english/railpass/railpass.html)

Hi @88digitalelf, thanks for the question! Yes, there are luggage racks and spaces on both the Relay-Kamome (Hakata > Takeo-onsen) and Kamome (Takeo-onsen > Nagasaki)! (Source: I was personally on both the Relay-Kamome and Kamome (Nishi-Kyushu Shinkansen) earlier this week.)

@gridlock2120, thank you for the request! I will add that to my production plan!

Hi @JO-nh6mo, thank you for the questions! (1) Yes, that sticker is the physical visa! (If you passed through the automatic gates, there would not be a sticker or anything new on the pages of your passport.) You will need that as a physical proof to qualify for such privileges for foreign tourists, such as getting the JR Kyushu Rail Pass. (This is a sample of how it looks like: commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Japan_Landing_Permission_90_Days_2011.jpg) (2) When you buy the Exchange Order voucher for a rail pass, the start dates are not fixed. (ie. The dates are open.) The actual point of time where you have to declare the start date would be when you are exchanging your voucher for the actual rail pass in Japan at a ticket office or ticket machine. (Typically, the start date has to be within 30 days from the point of exchange, but you will need to check this in the terms and conditions of your Exchange Order voucher.) Hope this helps!

Hi @maryannerivera9896, thanks for the questions! However, I do not provide personalized travel planning services, so I will answer only the questions related to the theme of this video. (1) Huis Ten Bosch is in Nagasaki Prefecture and Tosu Premium Outlet is in Saga Prefecture, and both prefectures are in North Kyushu. Hence, you can make use of the JR Kyushu Rail Pass (Northern Kyushu) to visit these 2 places. (4) I will be preparing a video introducing the different IC cards and their functions in the future. Meanwhile, you can refer to this video to see what IC card you should purchase, depending on which airport you land in: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-5wyIWegSLVo.html. (5) It depends on various factors (How many days you are in Japan? What form of transport you are using to move around? When are you going? The size and type of group you are traveling with? What is your travel style? etc.) However, it seems that you already have some specific locations in your list, so you can just arrange them in a plan that suits your needs. :)

Hi @tiffy623, thanks for the question! Hope I am not too late for this! Kumamoto to Kagoshima-chuo via Kyushu Shinkansen (Reserved Seat): 6,870 JPY Kagoshima-chuo to Hakata via Kyushu Shinkansen (Reserved Seat): 10,640 JPY (All prices are estimates. Source: Navitime.) 3-Day JR Kyushu Rail Pass (All-Kyushu): 20,000 JPY/adult (There's an ongoing promotion until 31 Mar 2024 if you buy it via the JR Kyushu Rail Pass Online Booking website. The 3-Day JR Kyushu Rail Pass (All-Kyushu) is at 19,000 JPY/adult under this promotion.) Hence, if you are buying the Pass just for these 2 journeys, it is not worth it since the main journeys are just 17,510 JPY. However, if you are also taking other JR lines during your 3 days in Kumamoto/Kagoshima/Fukuoka or if you want to pay extra for the flexibility the Pass offers, then it MAY be worth it. For your consideration. Hope it is useful!

Hi @erincraig2960, thanks for the question! You can see the news as announced by JR Kyushu here in this video: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-UH-mt4WqFzQ.html. Hope you find this useful!

Hi @azwraith8252, thanks for the question. Yes, you can! You can reserve a seat with a space in the oversized baggage area using the JR Kyushu Rail Pass (all variations) on the Shinkansen. I think it depends on whether you need the luggage in Nagasaki or not..maybe you have some things (eg. clothes, camera equipment) which you need in Nagasaki, or you are planning to buy a lot of souvenirs back from Nagasaki. If it gets too heavy and it becomes a burden to bring it back to Fukuoka, you can always forward your luggage from Nagasaki to Fukuoka. (Check with the hotel staff for more details.) Just my opinion. Hope it helps!

Hi @Dwarmmq, thanks for the question! If you are trying to take trains with cars with non-reserved seats (eg. the Nishi-Kyushu Shinkansen), the short answer is yes, you can just get in through the ticket gates and board the non-reserved seating cars. (However, you might not be able to find seats and have to stand.) However, I would recommend you to get reserved seats in advance (10 mins before the train departure time is considered 'in advance' too!) to secure your place and enjoy a comfortable ride. ^_^

Hi @dennislim5597, thanks for your comment! My opinion on the mode of transport within the Kyushu region would be (1) It depends on which areas within the region you are traveling to. Some urban areas such as Hakata are well-equipped with public transportation, so it may not be necessary to drive around. (In fact, it may be more inconvenient or expensive as you have to deal with traffic, find parking, etc.) However, driving in some areas such as Miyazaki and Saga prefectures may be better to explore the area as the places of interest are located farther from each other and the frequency of public transportation is not high. (2) It also depends on preferences as well. Some people prefer to take public transport so they don't have to focus on the road or deal with driving fatigue (especially if you are the sole driver in the group), while some people prefer to drive and enjoy the freedom of stopping anytime and anywhere they want. I am comparing between driving and public transport as this is the main choices you have highlighted. Unless your itinerary is centered on the JR Kyushu Rail Pass, my opinion is that the Pass is supposed to make your journey cheaper and should only be considered after you decided on a mode of transport. Hope my opinion helps!

Hi @Elsy1178, thanks for the question! If you purchase your JR Kyushu Rail Pass via the KR Kyushu Online Booking website, you can sign in using the Kyushu Rail Pass / MCO No. and make reservations for trains up to 30 days in advance, even before receiving the physical Pass in Japan. This includes the scenic trains such as the 36+3 and Yufuin no Mori. (The tickets for these trains are only open for reservations 30 days in advance as well.) You can check out the detailed procedures to make such reservations via this link to the JR Kyushu Rail Pass Online Booking website: www.jrkyushu.co.jp/english/booking/manual.html. Hope it helps!

Thank you so much! That has cleared a lot of doubts I had ☺️🙏🏻

No problem, glad that I helped! :)

Hi@kensutanto2809, thanks for the question. Yes, you can!

Hi @joelsongco8610, thanks for the question! I think you are refering to the JR Kyushu Rail Pass, right? The local JR Chikuhi Line runs through Itoshima City in Fukuoka, and both the Northern and All-Kyushu variations of the JR Kyushu Rail Pass covers that line. However, the Airport Line which connects the JR Chikuhi Line and Hakata Station is run by Kyushu Subway (a non-JR company). Hence, that journey on the Airport Line is not covered. You can see which line starts and ends where when you search for your journey on Google Maps. (Sample: maps.app.goo.gl/9iAtGLkCyfrEC3c67) In any case, if you are heading to a specific place in Itoshima, you will need to make a transfer after entering Itoshima City via JR trains to another form of transportation. Hope my answer helps!

@hifzhanfazfauzi8196, thank you for your request! I will add that to my production plan. However, the extension of the Hokuriku Shinkansen is estimated to be completed in Spring 2024, which will mean that the train passes covering that area may change their terms of use, so this video might only arrive next year.