Kyushu Rail Pass: Areas, Prices and Reservations

JGO! editorial team — WEBMARKS Inc. (Fujisawa, Kanagawa)

JR Kyushu offers All Kyushu, Northern Kyushu and Southern Kyushu rail passes. The right choice depends on which of your planned train journeys fall within each pass’s coverage, how many days you need, and the price available through the purchase channel you intend to use. Before buying, check the coverage map and compare the pass with tickets for the same journeys, dates and trains; the Shinkansen between Kokura and Hakata is not covered.

Kyushu Rail Pass: compare the options

The table below gives the adult prices listed on JR Kyushu’s product page, checked on 4 November 2026. JR Kyushu notes that the online purchase price differs from the product-page price, so treat these figures as a starting point rather than a guaranteed checkout total. Confirm the price shown by your selected purchase channel before paying. See JR Kyushu’s pass options and listed prices.

For children aged 6–11, JR Kyushu lists child fares. The listed three-day child prices are ¥11,000 for All Kyushu, ¥7,500 for Northern Kyushu and ¥6,000 for Southern Kyushu; check the product page for the exact price of the child pass and duration you need. A child aged five or younger who uses an individual reserved seat needs the applicable child ticket or fare under JR Kyushu’s pass FAQ. Check the current child-fare and pass conditions.

The price table alone cannot show whether a pass is worthwhile for a particular trip. First list every intended rail journey, then check whether each train and section is covered by the pass you are considering. Compare the pass’s actual purchase-channel price with the cost of tickets for those same journeys and dates, taking account of any separate fares you would still need to pay.

Kyushu Rail Pass: what is covered

The All Kyushu pass includes the Kyushu Shinkansen from Hakata to Kagoshima-Chuo and the West Kyushu Shinkansen. The Northern Kyushu pass covers the Kyushu Shinkansen section between Hakata and Kumamoto, while the Southern Kyushu pass covers the section between Kumamoto and Kagoshima-Chuo. Use JR Kyushu’s official coverage map to check the complete route of each planned journey, rather than relying only on the destination city or the name of the pass. The JR Kyushu product page provides the pass information and coverage details.

The Shinkansen between Kokura and Hakata is excluded. This is an important distinction when planning a journey involving northern Kyushu: do not assume that a pass covers every Shinkansen section serving Hakata or a nearby destination. If your itinerary includes Kokura–Hakata, identify that section separately and include its ticket cost in your comparison.

Subway services, buses and lines operated by other companies are also outside the pass. Add separate fares for those parts of a journey when calculating the total cost; the pass should not be treated as a general transport ticket for a city or region. For a special train or premium accommodation, check the conditions for the specific vehicle and ticket type. JR Kyushu states, for example, that the 36ぷらす3 requires a separate Green Car limited-express ticket, so do not assume that every train or accommodation is included in the same way as ordinary covered journeys.

A useful route-checking order is to identify the stations at both ends of each journey, trace the entire route on the official map, and note any section that falls outside the pass. Then check whether a subway, bus or another company’s line is part of the same trip. This gives you a clearer comparison than counting only the cities you hope to visit.

Kyushu Rail Pass: reserved seats

Reserved-seat rules differ between the passes. JR Kyushu’s FAQ says the All Kyushu pass allows unlimited reserved-seat use under the stated pass conditions. The Northern and Southern Kyushu passes each include six free seat reservations; from the seventh reservation onward, a separate limited-express ticket is required. Check the current rules for the pass and train you intend to use before planning around a particular seat or connection. Read JR Kyushu’s reserved-seat FAQ.

Advance online seat selection is a paid service. JR Kyushu says that these online reservations do not count toward the six free reservations included with the Northern and Southern passes. Keep the two processes distinct when making a plan: an online advance reservation has a charge, while the free-reservation allowance is a separate pass benefit with its own limit.

For a multi-person party, make a simple seat plan for each traveller and record which pass each person will use. This is especially important if some people in the group have Northern or Southern passes and others have All Kyushu passes, because their included reservation rules differ. Do not assume that a group’s reservations are all treated as one shared allowance; check the current terms for each pass and reservation method.

A child travelling on an adult’s lap is not the same as a child occupying an individual reserved seat. JR Kyushu says a child aged five or younger who uses an individual reserved seat needs the applicable child ticket or fare. Include the number of people and the number of individual seats required when comparing a family’s pass costs, and confirm the specific conditions before booking.

Kyushu Rail Pass: buying and comparing

JR Kyushu identifies three purchase routes: its official online service, overseas travel agencies and designated JR Kyushu counters. The FAQ says purchase generally opens at 10:00 one month in advance. Eligibility is for non-Japanese nationals visiting as short-term tourists; check JR Kyushu’s official conditions and the requirements for your chosen purchase route before paying. Review the pass FAQ and purchase information.

Prices can vary by channel. JR Kyushu’s product page gives the listed prices in the table above, while its official promotional page shows online prices of ¥21,000 for the three-day All Kyushu pass and ¥14,000 for the three-day Northern Kyushu pass. These are different from the corresponding product-page figures of ¥22,000 and ¥15,000. The promotional page’s end date and the final price available for a particular purchase were not established here, so verify the amount displayed on the route you choose before completing payment. Check JR Kyushu’s online promotional page. JR Kyushu also notes that prices vary by sales channel in its price-revision information.

To compare options, use the same journey list for all calculations. First check that the pass covers every rail section you want to include; next record the pass price shown by your chosen seller; then add the cost of uncovered transport and any separate tickets required for your plans. Compare that total with the cost of buying tickets for the same covered and uncovered journeys individually. No single pass can be declared the cheapest without those route, date, train and purchase-channel details.

Use the official coverage map while making that comparison, and check the precise train conditions for any service that may require an additional ticket. Where the pass price differs between online and other sales routes, compare the price actually offered to you rather than an older example or an amount shown on a different page. This is particularly important if your decision depends on a small difference between the pass cost and the tickets you would otherwise buy.

Kyushu Rail Pass: online booking details

JR Kyushu’s online booking FAQ says that an email address and payment by a registered card are required. The online system supports English, Korean, simplified Chinese and traditional Chinese, and allows up to seven people in one operation. JR Kyushu says virtual cards without a physical card cannot be used, so check that your payment method meets the stated requirement before starting a group booking. Review the online booking FAQ.

The FAQ says applications made between 23:00 and 05:30 may receive a result the following morning. It lists 05:30–23:00 as the service hours for online changes and refunds. These are online-service conditions; they do not establish the opening hours of a station counter or collection location. Check the current hours of the location relevant to your plans separately, and read the instructions shown for your booking before relying on a particular service time.

Before using the online route, confirm that your group size can be handled in the permitted number of operations, that you have an email address available, and that the registered payment card is accepted. If you plan to make changes or request a refund, consult the online FAQ and current booking instructions rather than assuming that every booking can be changed in the same way. The FAQ’s listed hours describe when the online service accepts those requests, not whether a specific request is eligible or what charges may apply.

Kyushu Rail Pass: questions before buying

Which pass covers the Kyushu Shinkansen between Hakata and Kagoshima-Chuo?

The All Kyushu pass includes the Kyushu Shinkansen between Hakata and Kagoshima-Chuo. The Northern Kyushu pass covers the section between Hakata and Kumamoto, and the Southern Kyushu pass covers the section between Kumamoto and Kagoshima-Chuo. Check the official coverage map for every leg of your route, including any journey to or from the Shinkansen station.

Is the Shinkansen between Kokura and Hakata included?

No. The Kokura–Hakata Shinkansen section is excluded from these passes. If your planned journey includes that section, check the separate ticket you would need and include its cost in your comparison. Do not confuse this excluded section with the covered Kyushu Shinkansen south from Hakata.

How many reserved seats are included?

The All Kyushu pass allows unlimited reserved-seat use under JR Kyushu’s listed rules. The Northern and Southern Kyushu passes each include six free reservations, and a separate limited-express ticket is required from the seventh reservation onward. Advance online seat selection is a paid service and does not count toward the six free reservations; check the current terms for your train and reservation method.

Does a child aged five or younger need a ticket for a reserved seat?

JR Kyushu says that a child aged five or younger who uses an individual reserved seat needs the applicable child ticket or fare. A child travelling on an adult’s lap is different from a child occupying an individual seat, so make the distinction when planning a family booking. Check the current FAQ and conditions for the exact pass and train before purchasing.

Is the online price always lower than the product-page price?

No general rule should be inferred from the examples. The product page says that online purchase prices differ, and the promotional page lists ¥21,000 for the three-day All Kyushu pass and ¥14,000 for the three-day Northern Kyushu pass, compared with listed product-page prices of ¥22,000 and ¥15,000. The end date and final applicable online price were not established, so check the amount displayed for your purchase before paying.

When can I buy the pass, and what does the online service require?

JR Kyushu says that purchase generally opens at 10:00 one month in advance, and that pass buyers must meet the short-term-tourist eligibility conditions. For online booking, the FAQ lists an email address, a registered card and a limit of seven people in one operation; it also says that virtual cards without a physical card cannot be used. Check the relevant official conditions and booking screen for your purchase route before proceeding.

What should I check about online changes or refunds?

JR Kyushu lists 05:30–23:00 as the online service hours for changes and refunds, but that schedule alone does not determine whether a specific booking qualifies or what charges apply. Check the current terms for your pass and transaction, and follow the instructions attached to your booking. Do not assume that the online service hours are also the opening hours of a station counter or collection location.

For further trip planning, compare your proposed rail journeys with JR Kyushu’s current pass map and train information. The related guides below cover other transport and sightseeing topics in Beppu and the surrounding area; they are separate from the pass’s coverage conditions.

Pass discussions from travellers

These videos and social posts discuss different Kyushu pass choices, journeys and practical topics such as claiming a pass ticket. They reflect the creators’ own trips and conditions, which may differ from yours. Use JR Kyushu’s current official pages for coverage, eligibility, prices and booking conditions.

• Oni Travel: JR Kyushu Pass guide
• Japan Explained: key pass information
• Bouken Robin: Northern Kyushu and Nagasaki
• Kyushu Live: travelling with the All Kyushu Pass
• r m: claiming a pass ticket
• The Travel Intern: a seven-day Kyushu itinerary
• @klooktravel: introduction to the three JR Kyushu pass areas
• Japan All Pass: Northern Kyushu in Thai