Japanese Overnight Buses

Express buses in Kyushu

Part1: Current Models for daytime services

Here are current models for daytime services on Kyushu Island. The island is called "the bus kingdom" and there are many advanced express bus services.

[Fukuoka Prefecture] [Saga Prefecture] [Nagasaki Prefecture] [Kumamoto Prefecture] [Oita Prefecture] [Miyazaki Prefecture] [Kagoshima Prefecture] [JR Kyushu Bus]

Fukuoka Prefecture

Nishi Nippon Railroad (The Nishitetsu Group)

This company also used different designs on their coaches for each route, but they have since been simplified.

Super high-decker buses

These buses are used for the Fukuoka ‹–› Miyazaki "Phoenix" service (see the photo), and the Fukuoka ‹–› Nobeoka "Gokase" service.

High-decker buses

These buses are used for the Fukuoka ‹–› Kagoshima "Sakurajima" service (see the photo), and the Fukuoka ‹–› Miyazaki "Phoenix" service.
These buses are used for several middle-distance routes within the Kyushu Island and the shape of design resembles a bird of fire.
These buses are used for short-distance routes around the Fukuoka Prefecture.
The special "Airport report bus" design was used on the Fukuoka Airport routes until recently.

Kyushu Kyuko Bus

The only express bus service is the Fukuoka ‹–› Nagasaki "Kyushu" service.

Top

Saga Prefecture

Showa Bus

These buses are used for the Fukuoka route.
These buses are used for the Karatsu ‹–› Nagasaki "Rainbow Iki" service.

Top

Nagasaki Prefecture

Nagasaki Bus

The only daytime service is the Nagasaki ‹–› Oita "Sun Light" service.

Nagasaki Kenei Bus (Nagasaki Prefecture Transportation Bureau)

These buses are used for several routes within the Kyushu Island.
These buses are used for the Nagasaki ‹–› Kumamoto "Rindo" service. These buses are 10 rows of 2+2 pair seats.

Saihi Bus

These "Highway Express" design buses are used for the Fukuoka and Kumamoto routes.
This vehicle was taken on by Kansai Airport Traffic Enterprise.
This bus is used for advertising the 99 Islands in Sasebo.

Past Kyushu Kyuko Bus vehicles

These vehicles were taken on by Kyushu Kyuko Bus and used for the Fukuoka route.

Shimabara Railway

The only express service is the Shimabara ‹–› Fukuoka "Shimabara" service.

Top

Kumamoto Prefecture

Kyushu Sanko Bus

This company also used different designs on their coaches for each route, but they have since been simplified.

Super High-decker buses

These super high-decker buses are used for the "Phoenix" service.

High-decker buses

These high-decker buses are used for the Kitakyushu, Nagasaki, Sasebo and Miyazaki routes.
These buses are used for the "Phoenix" service.

The Kumamoto ‹–› Fukuoka "Hinokuni" service and the Kumamoto ‹–› Kagoshima "Kirishima" service

Other high-decker buses are used for the "Hinokuni" service (top photo above and second photo down) and the "Kirishima" (bottom photo) service. These buses are 10 rows of 2+2 pair seats.

The Kumamoto ‹–› Oita "Yamabiko" service

These vehicles were taken on by the "Kirishima" service and were repainted with the Sunrise design.
The special "Yamabiko" design was commonly used with their co-operator the Oita Bus company until recently.

Top

Oita Prefecture

Oita Bus

This company also used different designs on their coaches for each route, but they have since been simplified.

New models after 2000~

These buses are used for the Oita ‹–› Fukuoka "Toyonokuni" service.
This bus is used for the "Yamabiko" service. These buses are 10 rows of 2+2 pair seats.
These buses are used for the Oita ‹–› Kagoshima "Tropical" service.

Old models

This company also used different designs for each route, but some of them were replaced by the Express Oita design.
The special "Toyonokuni" design buses were repainted with the Express Oita design.
This bus is used for advertising the Oita Marine Palace Aquarium Umitamago.
This vehicle was taken on by Kyushu Kyuko Bus and used for the "Yamabiko" service.

Oita Kotsu

These buses are used for the "Toyonokuni" service and the "Sun Light" service.
The special "Toyonokuni" design buses were repainted with the Yunokuni design.

Kamenoi Bus

These buses are used for the "Toyonokuni" service.
The special "Toyonokuni" design buses were repainted with the Melhen design.

Hita Bus

These buses are used for the Fukuoka route.
These buses are used for the "Toyonokuni" service.

Top

Miyazaki Prefecture (Miyazaki Kotsu)

This company also used different designs on their coaches for each route, but they have since been simplified.
These buses are used for the "Phoenix" service, the Miyazaki ‹–› Nagasaki "Blue Roman" service, the "Nanpu" service and the "Gokase" service.
These buses are used for the Kagoshima "Hamayu" service. And are 10 rows of 2+2 pair seats.

Top

Kagoshima Prefecture

Nangoku Kotsu

Super high-decker buses

These super high-decker buses are used for Fukuoka and Osaka routes.

The Iwasaki Group (*Iwasaki Bus Network and ^Kagoshima Kotsu Kanko)

Notes:

^Directly took over operation of one Kagoshima ‹–› Fukuoka "Sakurajima" service from its subsidiary, the Minami Kyushu Bus Network, in September 2006.

*Took over operation of the other "Sakurajima" service from the Hayashida Bus company in February 2008. 

Iwasaki Bus Network

These buses are used for the daytime services.
The NSK (Nishinippon Shatai Kogyo) manufactured vehicle is used for the overnight service.
The Kagoshima ‹–› Kumamoto "Kirishima" service was revived in April 2009. They use Hyundai's Univers'Express.

Kagoshima Kotsu Kanko

These buses were taken on by Minami Kyushu Bus Network.

Top

JR Kyushu Bus

The double-decker bus for the Fukuoka ‹–› Kobe, Osaka "Sanyo-do Noon Limited Express Hakata" service

Super high-decker buses

These super high-decker buses are used for the "Phoenix" service and the "Sakurajima" service.

High-decker buses

These high-decker buses are used for the Yamaguchi and Hiroshima routes.

Go to Part2 (Discontinued bus models)

Top

Index

Home