Access to Fukuoka

From Tokyo

Our Favourite way

Means of transport	A to B	Price	Time
JR Keihin Tohoku line	Tokyo staiton to Hamamatsucho Station	<30,000 yen	3.5 hours

Our favourite way to get to Fukuoka from Tokyo will be by air! If you can get your hands on a cheap discount ticket, then we’d definitely recommend you travel by air between Tokyo and Fukuoka.
Nobody enjoys those long bus rides to and from an airport. Fukuoka airport is Japan’s most easily accessible airport and you are a mere 5 minute subway ride away from being in the town centre.
We’d suggest you fly from Haneda airport as it is easier to access than Narita airport. The actual flight takes a little less than 2 hours, and, although prices vary depending on the season, with a bit of research you should be able to find return flights for less than 50,000 yen.

The Quickest Way

Means of transport	A to B	Price	Time
Air	Tokyo station to Hakata station	<50,000 yen	3.5 hours
Shinkansen Nozomi	Tokyo station to Hakata staion	>21,810 yen	5 hours

In terms of how quickly you can get to Fukuoka from Tokyo, air travel steals the show. If you are flying from Haneda airport, it will take you around 3.5 hours to get from Tokyo station to Hakata station. With a bit of research you should be able to find return flights for less than 31,000 yen.
The Shinkansen comes a close second, with the direct line connecting Tokyo station and Hakata station in just 5 hours! The Shinkansen Nozomi bullet train will cost you 21,810 yen. Also, if you’re going to take the Shinkansen, check out the JR Pass holder & Special deals section!

The Cheapest Way

Means of transport	A to B	Price	Time
LCC	Tokyo To Hakata via Narita Airport	> 6000 yen	5.2 hours

As the overnight bus would take you 15 hours, we would strongly recommend you fly with a Low‐Cost Carrier. There isn’t much of a difference in terms of price, and even having to go to Narita airport for your flight seems like nothing compared to the prospect of having to be in the same bus for 15 hours. Prices generally start from around 7,500 yen.

 

The Easiest Way

Means of transport	A to B	Price	Time
JR Tokaido Shinkansen line Nozomi	Tokyo station to Hakata station	>21,810 yen	5 hours

The easiest way to get to Fukuoka from Tokyo will be by the direct to Hakata Shinkansen. The Nozomi bullet train will take you straight to Hakata station in 5 hours without any transfers or stopovers. Fares start from 21,810 yen for non‐reserved seating tickets. If you plan on taking the Shinkansen, check out the JR Pass holder & Special deals section!

JR Pass & Special Deals

If you have a JR Pass then we’d recommend you take the Shinkansen, however, seeing that the JR Pass doesn’t let you board the Nozomi, you will have to take the Hikari bullet train from Tokyo station to Shin‐Osaka station then transfer to the Sakura bullet train from Shin‐Osaka station to Hakata station. The trip will take about an hour longer than if you took the Nozomi but at least you won’t have to pay any extra fees.

For non JR Pass holders, JR offers a 10% discount on roundtrip tickets for their Shinkansen line when the distance between point of departure and point of arrival is over 600km.
You can also look for various roundtrip special deals offered by various operators. These deals usually comprise of a return Shinkansen ticket and a hotel room.

And, if you’re looking for something quite different, how about a 30+ hour ferry trip from Tokyo to northern Kyushu? The ferries are run by Ocean Tokyu Ferry and fares start from 16,980 yen.