Izumo Dream Hakata is an overnight express bus operated by JR Kyushu Bus and Chugoku JR Bus, with all three rows of independent seats inside the bus.

The interior is dark during operation, and the bus is equipped with an on-board restroom without the need to stop at a rest stop, making it a reliable night bus even in times of emergency.

Izumo Dream Hakata is a highway bus that has been operating on the Fukuoka – Izumo City section since October 1, 2015, connecting Shimane to Fukuoka and Fukuoka to Shimane.

This time we boarded the JR Kyushu Bus RED LINER (Izumo Dream Hakata), which is wrapped in red!
In this article, we will introduce the know-how you need to know in advance to enjoy the boat trip, as well as our impressions of the actual ride.

Izumo Dream Hakata : Introduction of Specifications

1. Name: JR Kyushu Bus Izumo Dream Hakata
2. Size: Length – 11.99m , Width – 2.49m , Height – 3.47m
3. Gross Tonnage: 15.6 tons
4. Operating Speed: 60km~80km
5. Seating Capacity: 28 seats

Introduction of the Interior of Izumo Dream Hakata

Seat

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Seat

photo by mitemil

Seats inside the JR Kyushu Bus Red Liner Izumo Dream Hakata

photo by mitemil

Booklet inside the JR Kyushu Bus Red Liner Izumo Dream Hakata

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There are three rows of independent seats in the car.
The seats on the left and right have interior curtains, but the middle seat does not.

However, the interior is dark during operation, so there was no problem without curtains.
The lever on the left side was for the leg rest and the lever on the right side was for reclining.

In the pockets of the seats were handouts with rules for riding the bus and campaign flyers.

Problem with leg rests not working with large luggage

There was a small light in front of the seat.

It is fixed, not movable, so it could be used to brighten your hand and help you get your luggage out of your bag.
If you are looking for something and want to brighten up your hand, try using it.

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Consent

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Consent

photo by mitemil

Electricity socket in the armrest of the seat in the JR Kyushu Bus Red Liner Izumo Dream Hakata

There was a power outlet attached to the elbow rest on the right side.
They told us to turn the top cover 90 degrees to use it, but it was difficult to see the plug hole because of the dark interior of the car, and we had a hard time turning the cover.

When the lights are off, it might be a good idea to plug it in as soon as you get on board because the difficulty of plugging it into the outlet hole increases dramatically.
It is difficult to find the plug hole when it is dark, so if you plug it in as soon as you get on board, you can supply power smoothly.

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Drink holder

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Drink holder

photo by mitemil

Drink holders at the foot of seats in the JR Kyushu Bus Red Liner Izumo Dream Hakata

There was a foldable drink holder on the right side around the knee.
This was helpful because I didn’t have to fish out of my bag every time I got thirsty during the flight.

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Toilet

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Toilet

photo by mitemil

Restrooms on board the JR Kyushu Bus Red Liner Izumo Dream Hakata

There was one restroom in the car.
It is located in the center of the car, next to seats 4B and 5B.

The toilet symbol is on the top of the toilet, so it is easy to find.
The inside of the toilet is small, but it is not so small that you are almost against the wall when you sit down.

The button to flush the water is the flashing yellow button on the left side, and the tap water comes out by pressing the non-flashing green button on the right side.
Incidentally, the water from the faucet would stop about 5 seconds after the button was pressed.

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Izumo Dream Hakata’s Timetable & Travel Time

Izumo Dream Hakata rest stops and stop times

The arrival and departure times of rest stops vary depending on road conditions and should be used only as a guide!

Izumo→Hakata

Hakata→Izumo

How to make reservations for the Izumo Dream Hakata

Telephone Reservations

Reservations can be made by phone through the Chugoku JR Bus Telephone Reservation Center.

Telephone number: 0570-666-012
Business hours: 9:30-18:00, seven days a week

Online Reservations

When boarding the bus, I showed the reservation screen to the conductor because it was not possible to board the bus simply by giving the reservation number and name.

You can reserve a seat on the train by using the “departing-alley-net” service.

With seat selection, you can get on the train where you want, so it is good to decide whether you want a window seat or a center seat that is easy to get on and off from both sides of the train.

▼Japan Bus Online

https://japanbusonline.com/en

How much is the fare/fee/price for boarding the Izumo Dream Hakata?

Prices vary in alphabetical order from A~F. The cheapest fare is 7,000 yen for the A period, and the most expensive is 10,200 yen for the F period.

Please check the fare calendar on the official website of Chugoku JR Bus!

▼Chugoku JR Bus official website Fare calendar

https://www.chugoku-jrbus.co.jp/highway/detail/pdf/izumodreamhakata_calendar.pdf

Ride comfort of the Izumo Dream Hakata Bus

As for the seat, it does not recline 180 degrees to a flat position, but it does tilt down enough to allow me to sleep without much strain on my back.

However, the disadvantage is that you can’t use the footrest because you can’t put your luggage on it.

I hung my luggage on a hook on the seat, but when the person sitting in front of me fully reclined the seat, my foot got caught in the luggage. (lol)

I had to put both feet out on the aisle because it was very narrow with my own baggage.

I would like to keep my baggage as small as possible, but I usually have so much baggage that I could not say so, so there was no way to avoid this.

Wi-Fi on the Izumo Dream Hakata

There was free Wi-Fi called “Kyushu Bus Free Wi-Fi” in the train.

It was usable during the bus service.

Izumo Dream Hakata’s Latest information and operation status

You can check the latest operation status and cancellation rate of JR Kyushu Bus Izumo Dream Hakata from Kyushu Norimono Info.

▼Kyushu Norimono Info official website

http://www.norimono-info.com

Exquisitely unpleasant disadvantages I noticed when I boarded the JR Kyushu Bus Izumo Dream Hakata

The bus had curtain rails stretched across the ceiling, but pieces of unused curtain rails started moving when the bus started and stopped, and the “shhhhhh” sound echoed in the bus from start to finish.

Once it started bothering me, I could not sleep, so I put on earphones and went to sleep on the way.

I wish they would take countermeasures such as fixing the rails that are not in use with cable ties (lol)

My impressions of the Izumo Dream Hakata

This time, I took the Izumo Dream Hakata bus of JR Kyushu Bus from Izumo to Hakata.

The seats are 3-row independent seats, so I personally found them comfortable because I did not have any of the anxiety that I might hit the legs of the person next to me, which is characteristic of 4-row seats, and the reclining functioned reasonably well.

I think luggage space is an issue, so it might be a good idea to reduce the amount of baggage as much as possible.

If you are going to take the Izumo Dream Hakata, please be careful!

Have a nice bus trip!(^o^)/