Introduction
Fukuoka’s subway map is very simple compared to Tokyo or Osaka.However, you should never take it lightly just because it looks simple.
That simplicity is only about the subway map. In reality, if you do not understand how the rail system works and how trains operate, it becomes difficult to use transport passes later, and even Google Maps directions can be hard to interpret.
- This guide is based on 'Common Part 2 - Japan Transport System', so it is best to read that section first before this one.
Complete guide to IC transport cards
There are three main IC cards you can use in Fukuoka, and each card has different places to buy, refund rules, and usage conditions.
Let’s clearly sort out where to buy them, how refunds work, and what the differences are.
1) nimoca
① Where to buy / refund
- Fukuoka Airport International Terminal (bus counter)
- Fukuoka Airport Domestic Terminal (north bus counter)
- Hakata Port International Terminal information counter
- Tenjin / Hakata bus terminal
- No refunds at the International Terminal bus counter or Hakata Port
② Notes
- Child cards can be issued only for local children, so foreign travelers cannot get a child card
2) SUGOCA
① Where to buy / refund
- Ticket machines or counters on JR Kyushu lines (Ticket Office, Midori-no-Madoguchi)
② Notes
- Child cards can be issued at the counter
- Hakata Station can be crowded, so it may take time
3) Hayakaken (はやかけん)
① Where to buy / refund
- Ticket machines with the Hayakaken mark on all three Fukuoka Subway lines
- Ticket machine at Fukuoka Airport Domestic Terminal
② Notes
- Adults can buy an unregistered card, but children must get a registered card, and staff confirmation is required (see 'How to buy a registered card' below)
- For an unregistered card: select 'ICカード発売' → '無記名ICカード'
4) Where IC cards can be used
Can you travel from Hakata Station to Yufuin by local train using an IC card?Yufuin is a non-IC card station, so you must buy a paper ticket in advance. In general, IC cards can be used as far as Karatsu, Kumamoto, Beppu, Oita, and parts of Kitakyushu.
For details, check each card’s 'Service Area'. Also remember: for buses, you can usually ride if you see the IC card mark (except highway buses).
Exclusive TourCast Tips!
How to save up to 90 yen on bus transfers
In the Fukuoka area, buses generally do not have free transfers, but if you transfer using a nimoca IC card, you can get up to a 90 yen discount per transfer. This is a fixed discount, applied by subtracting the amount from your fare.
- Up to 90 yen off per transfer, with no limit on the number of transfers
- Valid when you board again at a stop in the same group (同一グループ) within 60 minutes after getting off
- A “group” means nearby stops that are treated as one set
Nishitetsu provides a PDF list of grouped stops (Japanese), but in real use, it is enough to understand it as:“If you got off at a major hub stop, transfers are usually possible at nearby stops too.”
View Nishitetsu bus discount boarding guideThe difference between railway and subway
In Japan, the difference between 'railway' and 'subway' is clear. In simple terms, lines that run above ground are 'railways', and lines that run underground are 'subways'. They also differ in fare systems and transfer rules.
- JR lines
- Private railway (私有鐵道): Nishitetsu Line
- Subway: Airport Line, Hakozaki Line, Nanakuma Line
Because these lines have different operators, transfers are only seamless within the same system. If you transfer to a different operator, you usually must exit the ticket gate and enter again, and you must pay a new fare.
- Example: transferring from the JR Kagoshima Main Line to the Subway Airport Line → exit the gate and buy a new ticket
1) JR lines
JR lines around Hakata Station include the JR Kagoshima Main Line and the JR Chikuhi Line, which runs through to the Subway Airport Line.
2) Private railways
In Fukuoka, the main private railway you need to remember is Nishitetsu.
3) Subway
Fukuoka Subway has three lines. The Airport Line is the core line, with the Hakozaki Line (blue) and the Nanakuma Line (green) connected to it.
- You do not need to memorize the names of the two lines besides the Airport Line.
- The only two stations where subway-to-subway transfers are possible are 'Hakata Station' and 'Nakasu-Kawabata Station'.
Exclusive TourCast Tips!
The green gate is gone — here is how to transfer now
From March 27, 2023, the Nanakuma Line was extended from Tenjin-Minami Station to Hakata Station, and the route map changed.
Some older sources may still show maps without this section, or say you need the 'green gate' for a free transfer.
But the green gate has been abolished. Today, Tenjin Station ↔ Tenjin-Minami Station is treated as a separate connection, even though both are subway stations, and you must exit the gate and walk. To avoid this transfer, transfer at Hakata Station, which directly connects the Airport Line and the Nanakuma Line.
Three “Tenjin Stations” on one map?
On Google Maps, Tenjin Station appears as a C-shaped area. The stations are connected by underground shopping streets, but at first glance, they look like one station.
In reality, you must separate them clearly, because the operators and lines are different.
- Top of the C shape: Subway Airport Line Tenjin Station
- Vertical spine of the C: Railway line Nishitetsu Fukuoka (Tenjin) Station
- Bottom of the C shape: Subway Green Line Tenjin-Minami Station
They may look like the same location on Google Maps, but they are different systems, and you must exit the ticket gate and enter again when switching between them.
For example, to go from Subway Tenjin Station (Airport Line) to the Nishitetsu railway, you must exit the subway gate, walk to Nishitetsu Fukuoka (Tenjin) Station, and then buy a new ticket or tap in again with an IC card.