SunQ Pass, Bus Reservations, Nimmai & Yonmai Tickets

The hidden weapon for Kyushu travel! SunQ Pass (Digital Ticket)

1) Coverage Area

• Northern Kyushu SunQ Pass: Fukuoka, Nagasaki, Kumamoto, Aso, Yufuin, Beppu, Oita, and other northern Kyushu areas
• All Kyushu SunQ Pass: Valid across all of Kyushu
• Southern Kyushu SunQ Pass: Kagoshima, Miyazaki, Takachiho, and southern Kyushu areas
• Northern Kyushu / All Kyushu passes are also valid up to Shimonoseki Station (Yamaguchi Prefecture)

2) Available Routes

• Most local bus routes and some ferry routes within the coverage area
• Vehicles and ferries displaying the SunQ Pass logo can be used

3) Types and Prices

• Northern Kyushu
  • 2-day pass: 8,000 yen
  • 3-day pass: 10,000 yen
• All Kyushu
  • 3-day pass: 12,000 yen
  • 4-day pass: 15,000 yen
• Southern Kyushu
  • 3-day pass: 8,500 yen
• No child pass available → Compare with local fares to decide if it is worth it

4) Key Features

• Pros
  • Cheaper than rail passes
  • Covers many routes including city buses, so it is very flexible
  • Seat reservations can be made online, at counters, or by phone
  • Can be used directly from Fukuoka Airport, Hakata Bus Terminal, and Tenjin
• Cons
  • Bus terminals can be complex, so you must check the exact stop location carefully

5) Valid Day Selection Rules

• 2-day pass: Choose 2 days within 3 days (Example: Start on 4/1 → use again on 4/2 or 4/3)
• 3-day pass: Choose 3 days within 5 days (Example: Start on 4/1 → choose 2 more days between 4/2 and 4/5)
• 4-day pass: Choose 4 days within 7 days (Example: Start on 4/1 → choose 3 more days between 4/2 and 4/7)
• Advance reservation is required for major routes. Check the reservation required routes
  • Fukuoka Airport ↔ Yufuin, Beppu, Nagasaki, Huis Ten Bosch
  • Kyushu Trans-Island Bus, Fukuoka ↔ Kagoshima, Miyazaki, Nobeoka

SunQ Pass Purchase Decision: 1-Minute Guide

Transport passes are especially useful when you travel long distances or use transport many times.

For example, if you only travel around Fukuoka city and Dazaifu on a 2-night, 3-day trip, is the SunQ Pass worth it?

The answer is No. For short-distance travel, it is more efficient to travel without the SunQ Pass and instead use small local passes for that area.
(See the Fukuoka introduction section for details)

Another example: suppose two people travel from Fukuoka to Yufuin.

• Fukuoka ↔ Yufuin: 3,250 yen one way per person → 6,500 yen round trip
• SunQ Pass 2-day pass: 8,000 yen per person

In the past, round-trip discount tickets or multi-ride tickets (4-ticket set) were cheaper, but after July 2024, discount tickets for the Yufuin route were discontinued. Now only the regular one-way fare of 3,250 yen per person applies.

In addition, from October 1, 2024, the price of the SunQ Pass 2-day pass increased from 6,000 yen to 8,000 yen. So for a simple Yufuin round trip, the pass is actually more expensive.

However, if you plan to take additional bus rides worth more than 1,500 yen over two days, the SunQ Pass may be worth buying.

In short, whether the pass is worth it depends on where you go and how you travel in Kyushu.

Nimmai and Yonmai Tickets for Round Trips and Group Travel

2枚きっぷㆍ4枚きっぷ

• Discount tickets valid only for the same route
• 2-ticket set: Nimmai Kippu (2枚きっぷ) → round-trip discount ticket
• 4-ticket set: Yonmai Kippu (4枚きっぷ) → multi-ride ticket
• Kippu (きっぷ) means ticket in Japanese
• Validity: must be used within 10 days including the purchase date

Major Routes from Fukuoka

• Nimmai (2-ticket) and Yonmai (4-ticket) prices are shown per person for one-way travel.
• Child fares are not eligible for Nimmai or Yonmai tickets, and always apply a 50% discount from the regular fare.
• Meaning of prices in parentheses ():
• Nimmai Ticket: Web payment price
• Yonmai Ticket: Web multi-ticket price
• Smartphone-only prices available only through the Japanese app (バスもり) are not shown in this table

Save Time and Money by Booking Early!

"WEB Early Discount" is a system that lets you use a discounted fare if you complete your reservation and payment in advance, before the deadline.

• You must reserve a few days before boarding and complete payment within 3 days to receive the discount
• Not available on all routes. Only routes marked with "WEB割" are eligible
• WEB割 3 / WEB割 7 means the reservation deadline is 3 days or 7 days before departure
• Discounted routes and time slots are decided based on less popular times or remaining seat availability
• If you do not pay within 3 days after booking, the reservation is automatically canceled

📌 Example: Fukuoka ↔ Yufuin

• The WEB early discount one-way fare for Fukuoka–Yufuin is 2,880 yen, cheaper than the regular fare (3,250 yen).
• It does not apply to every departure. Only some time slots are eligible
• You must complete reservation and payment by 7 days before departure to get the discount
• The payment deadline is within 3 days after booking. If you miss it, it will be canceled automatically
• For example, the 16:48 departure from Fukuoka shows WEB Early Discount 7, so you can get the discount with advance payment.

Kyushu Highway Bus Reservations: From Sign-Up to Ticket Issuance

To reserve a highway bus in Kyushu, you need to use the HighwayBus website.
On translated pages (for example, English), route search is not available, so you must make reservations on the Japanese page. However, you can still use your browser’s auto-translate to complete sign-up, booking, and payment without much trouble.

• If you set the language to English, you will move to a separate English-only page, but route search does not work there.
• There is also a dedicated app, but it is difficult to use because it does not support English.

In general, you can book as a guest, but for WEB early discounts or checking your bookings, you must create an account.

To use the site, first accept the browser cookie consent pop-up by pressing 同意する (Agree).

1) Sign Up

• Main page → LOGIN → New Member Registration (green button) → Register here → agree to the terms.

• Enter your name in the same English spelling as your passport, and enter the same English name again in the field below.



• For the phone number, use the 010XXXXXXXX format. It is used like your booking number, so enter it carefully.

• Enter your email address and confirmation email, then click Go to confirmation screen.

• Postal code is not a required field, but if the postal code is not valid, you cannot proceed.

• Open the verification email and click the link. After email verification, you can log in with that account.

• After logging in, you can start the reservation process.

2) Booking Steps

(Example: Depart Fukuoka → Arrive Yufuin)

• Bookings open from 8:00 AM, one month before the travel date.

• Area: Fukuoka Prefecture (Fukuoka, Kitakyushu, etc.)

• Route: Fukuoka / Fukuoka Airport ↔ Yufuin Line (Yufuin-go)

• Boarding stop: Hakata Bus Terminal
• Drop-off stop: Yufuin Ekimae Bus Center
• Enter the travel date and number of passengers, then search



• If seats are available, it shows ○ Seats available. If only a few remain, it shows △ O seats left.

• Seat type:

  • General (WEB): Online booking only (discount may apply)
  • Regular (通常): Pay on site, or when using the SunQ Pass
• You can choose seats manually or automatically, and you can book one-way or round trip.
• On the final booking screen, press Book with these details, and make sure you check Agree to the terms to complete the booking.
• Important:
  • Return to the top page must be used. If you press the browser Back button, you may have to start again.

3) Check Booking Details, Payment / Cancellation

• Press Check booking details or Booking confirmation / Payment / Cancellation (予約確認・決濟・取り消し).
• Confirm that your booking was successfully received, then review the payment details below.
• There are four payment methods, but most travelers will use three methods, excluding convenience store payment.
• Online credit card payment: You can also use overseas-enabled debit cards and travel cards.
• WEB multi-ticket payment: Can be cheaper for round trips for two people or one-way trips for four people.
• Counter / on-board payment (on-site payment): SunQ Pass users can show their booking at the counter, receive a ticket, and then board.
• If there is a payment deadline, you must pay online by credit card

• The payment deadline can be checked at Booking page → Booking details → Change/Cancellation deadline, and it is often shown as up to 1 hour before departure.

• For on-site payment, you can pay using Nimmai or Yonmai ticket pricing based on the number of passengers. (Only for eligible routes)

• With online credit card or WEB multi-ticket payment, you can board directly using a WEB ticket (printout) or a mobile ticket (URL), without exchanging anything.

• A cancellation fee applies after payment.

4) How to Buy a WEB Multi-Ticket

• A WEB multi-ticket is purchased first, then linked to your reservation to complete payment.
• In your reservation details, press Pay with WEB multi-ticket, or on the main page select (WEB回数券で) Pay with WEB multi-ticket to buy a multi-ticket for the route.
• After purchase, link the multi-ticket to the reservation and complete payment.

5) Ticket Types

• WEB ticket: Print the reservation confirmation and show it
• Mobile ticket: Open and show the URL sent by email (left in the image below)
• App ticket: Log in on the dedicated app (ハイウェイバスドットコム, Japanese only) and check in the Ticket (乗車券) menu (right in the image below)

6) Cancellation

• If you paid online or with a WEB multi-ticket, a cancellation fee applies.
• If you paid by credit card, the fee is charged first, and then the full authorization is canceled afterward.

The Kyushu Trans-Island Bus Across Kyushu

九州横断バス

If you are planning a Northern Kyushu trip using the SunQ Pass, you should definitely check the "Kyushu Trans-Island Bus" route.

It follows a similar path to the Kyushu Trans-Island limited express train route, but the bus stops at Yufuin and Kurokawa, so it can be more efficient if you plan to visit those areas.

However, not all trans-island buses run the full Beppu–Kumamoto route.

Only one bus per day runs the full route from Kumamoto to Beppu. The other two buses run only between Kumamoto and Yufuin.

• Useful when moving from Kumamoto or Beppu sightseeing to mid-route areas such as Yufuin, Kurokawa, or Aso
• The SunQ Pass can be used on the Aso Station – Aso Sanjo Terminal section, but it does not apply to the Aso crater area.
• Operates as a reservation-only service without assigned seats
• Reservations open up to two months before the travel date
• The same timetable applies on weekdays, weekends, and holidays
• Discount tickets such as Nimmai and Yonmai are not valid

1) Online Booking and Payment

• Visit the "Trans-Island Bus Reservation" page. With your browser’s auto-translate, you can book without much difficulty.

• Select the Beppu–Kumamoto (別府–熊本) route and choose the travel date.

• Check the route and seat availability, then press "One-way booking".

• Select boarding and drop-off stops.

• Confirm the fare and select the number of passengers. (If it is translated as "adult height," it means an adult with a disability)

• Click "Next". If you do not have an account, you will continue to "New member registration".

• After agreeing to the terms and conditions, convert the English name on your passport into Katakana and enter it without spaces.

• Enter your email and mobile number, then complete registration.

• Click the verification link sent to your email to finish verification and log in. If you auto-translate the email, the verification link may not work properly.

• Select credit card payment and continue.

• Review the booking details, then click "Confirm booking" if everything is correct.

• If you do not have the SunQ Pass, complete online payment using the "Pay with Bus All-in-One Net" button at the bottom. If you have the pass, you can use it without extra payment.

• Print the reservation confirmation and show it together with your SunQ Pass.

• Changes or cancellations are available in My Page, and if you will not use it, you must cancel in advance.

• For the exact boarding stop location, check the route map and confirm it on Google Maps.

2) Booking by Phone

• Call using an international calling app, or dial +81-96-325-0352 (hours: 9:00 AM–5:00 PM).

• Note that phone booking can make it harder to confirm the exact date and time.

• The phone number you register becomes your booking number. At the ticket office, you will show the booking number, pay, and receive your ticket.

  • If there is no ticket office (for example, Kurokawa bus stop), you can pay cash on the bus.
  • 10,000 yen bills may be refused due to lack of change, so prepare 1,000 yen bills if possible.
  • From November 30, 2023, contactless cards with the 🛜 symbol can also be used, but Mastercard is not accepted.
  Contactless Payment Guide (PDF)

• If you use the SunQ Pass, show the driver your booking number and the pass when boarding.

3) Recommended Itinerary Using the Kyushu Trans-Island Bus

TourCast suggests a four-step method called "How to plan a Northern Kyushu itinerary easily". Use the sample below to build your own plan.

1. Choose your trip length and key places

• 3 nights, 4 days
• Visit Fukuoka, Kumamoto, Mt. Aso, Kurokawa, and Yufuin

2. Choose where to stay

• Stay in each area based on your travel flow

3. Choose your pass

• Use the SunQ Pass 3-day pass

4. Build your detailed schedule

• This sample assumes all Trans-Island buses are reserved in advance for the correct times.
• Missing the bus on Day 2 can break the whole plan, so be especially careful

📍 Day 1

• Arrive at Fukuoka Airport
• Travel directly to Kumamoto, then visit Kumamoto Castle and Suizenji Park
• Stay overnight in Kumamoto

📍 Day 2

• Board Kyushu Trans-Island Bus No. 3 departing 08:33 from Kumamoto Station → get off at Aso Station at 09:20
• 09:55 bus from Aso Station → arrive at Aso Sanjo Terminal at 10:30 (SunQ Pass valid)
• 10:40 shuttle from Aso Sanjo Terminal → arrive at Crater stop at 10:45 (SunQ Pass not valid, 600 yen one way)
• After sightseeing, return to Aso Sanjo Terminal by 12:00 via shuttle bus or on foot (about 15 minutes)
• 12:10 depart Aso Sanjo Terminal → get off near Kusasenri / Aso Volcano Museum, then lunch (Kumamoto is famous for horse meat)
• 13:25 depart Kusasenri → arrive at Aso Station at 13:53
• 14:10 depart Aso Station on Trans-Island Bus No. 7 → get off at Kurokawa at 15:00, check in, enjoy kaiseki dinner and onsen
• If you miss the bus, taxi costs are around 10,000–12,000 yen

📍 Day 3

• Breakfast, then check out
• Board Trans-Island Bus No. 1 from Kurokawa Onsen at 10:20 → arrive at Yufuin Station at 11:53
• If returning to Fukuoka after sightseeing in Yufuin, the last bus is at 17:20, so reserve in advance
• If you stay overnight in Yufuin, the SunQ Pass ends on Day 3, so you need a separate ticket for Day 4 to Fukuoka

📍 Day 4

• Sightseeing in Fukuoka city, then return home