Fukuoka Airport to Yufuin Bus Booking, Return to Tenjin

Hello! Today I’m writing down information I personally needed during my trip to Fukuoka, Japan. For this Fukuoka trip, I planned my route so that I would go straight to Yufuin after arriving at the airport. That meant I needed details for the route from Fukuoka Airport to Yufuin Station. There are several ways to get there, including bus, train, and bus tour. Since I wanted to look around Yufuin comfortably and stay there for one night, I ruled out a bus tour. I also heard that the bus is faster than the train, so I chose the bus. After booking my flight and planning the itinerary, I reserved my bus tickets in advance. I saw many reviews saying that if your trip includes a weekend or a popular time slot, bus seats can sell out even two to three weeks beforehand.

The reservation page I used was Japan’s highway bus booking page, Highway Bus. I booked there too, and if you use the translation function carefully, it is surprisingly simple. I really recommend reserving in advance. I made my reservation about two weeks before the trip, and because it was a weekend, the seats were already almost full. The time I wanted was sold out, so I had to book a bus 30 minutes later. I reserved two tickets: one for Fukuoka Airport to Yufuin Station, and one for Yufuin Station to Tenjin Station. As long as you choose the correct stations, the booking process is easy.

Once the reservation is complete, a link is sent by email. When you open the link, the screen shows the exact time, departure point, seat, and other details, so make sure to check everything. Later, when boarding the bus, you show this screen to the driver. They check it and let you on.

Finding the boarding area inside Fukuoka Airport

After landing at Fukuoka Airport and continuing outside, you will see a booth marked “Bus Ticket.” There are staff members and unmanned kiosks, so you can use whichever is more convenient. The kiosk display can be changed to Korean. If you were not able to reserve in advance, you can also buy tickets here. However, when I went, every same-day bus ticket to Yufuin was sold out. Advance reservation really is essential.

The platform where the bus to Yufuin stops is number 10. If you watch the electronic board, it also displays information in Korean, so you can check when the bus will arrive. I checked my bus ticket one more time and waited in front of Gate 10. Each gate had sofas, and the sofas had charging spots, so waiting was comfortable.

When it is time, there is an announcement, and a staff member comes to the front of the gate to let passengers know that the bus to Yufuin has arrived. Then you just stand in line with the reservation screen open, the same one mentioned earlier. The driver loads the luggage, and the ticket check is quick. After that, you just find your seat and sit down.

This is roughly what the inside of the bus looked like. It was more pleasant than I expected, though the seat area felt a little small. It was not especially spacious or super comfortable, but it was perfectly manageable.

There was also a restroom at the very back of the bus. Since the ride takes about two hours, having a restroom felt reassuring. When I returned from Yufuin to Tenjin, the bus type was different, but that bus also had a restroom inside.

There was a small booklet and one hygiene bag inside. For the bus from Yufuin to Tenjin, you board at the place called “Yufuin Station-front bus terminal.” Prepare your ticket in the same way, wait, and show it to the driver. When taking the bus from Yufuin, the route went in this order: Fukuoka Airport, Hakata Station, then Tenjin. I got off at the final stop, Tenjin, and the ride took about 2 hours and 30 minutes. The times I checked when making the reservation were mostly accurate, so my schedule was not disrupted. Traveling by bus was easier than I expected, so reserve in advance and plan a comfortable trip!