The JR Kyushu Bus Izumo Dream Hakata Red Liner (RED LINER) has been in operation since October 1, 2015.

It is an overnight express bus with restrooms and three-row independent seats operated by Chugoku JR Bus between Shimane and Fukuoka prefectures.

I have no idea how to get on the Izumo Dream Hakata No., and I have no idea “where can I get on from?” or “what are the fares and how comfortable is the ride?” I am sure some of you may be wondering, “Where can I buy a ticket to take the night express bus?

I actually bought a ticket and rode the bus from Izumo City Station (bus stop) in Shimane Prefecture to Hakata Bus Terminal in Fukuoka Prefecture, and I have summarized my experience from departure to arrival.

Here is a brief description of the inside of the bus and my impressions of the actual ride!

Introduction of JR Kyushu Bus Red Liner

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

Boarding Stations and Timetables

Hakata→Izumo

Travel time: about 9 hours 03 minutes

Izumo→hakata

Travel time: about 8 hours 52 minutes

Reservation Method

Reservations by phone

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.

▼Departure Ourai Net

https://japanbusonline.com/en

Boarding Fare

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

Car Interior

Seats

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.

Problem of not being able to use the leg rests when luggage is large

Each seat is equipped with leg rests as standard equipment, but be careful if you have a lot of luggage.

Suitcases are checked into the trunk and backpacks and other baggage are placed in the storage space above the window seat, but if even the baggage is too large, it will not fit in the overhead storage space.

If you cannot place your luggage on the upper shelf, you have no choice but to place it under your legs.

Other passengers tried to put their luggage on the overhead shelves, but gave up and put it under their feet.

In the seat pockets were materials with rules for riding the bus and campaign flyers.

Lighting

There was a small light in front of the seat.

It could be turned on and off with a switch, so if you were looking for something, etc. and wanted to brighten up your hand, you could use it.

Ride comfort of concern

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 there is no way to avoid this.

Consent

There was an electrical outlet on the right elbow rest.

They told us to turn the top cover 90 degrees to use it, but it was difficult to see the slot because it was dark in the car, and I had a hard time turning the cover.

However, I was able to compromise because I could move around while charging!

Drink holder

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.

Wi-Fi

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

It was usable during the bus service.

Toilet

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 toilet 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.

An exquisite disadvantage I noticed when I boarded the bus

The bus has curtain rails stretched across the ceiling, but pieces of unused curtain rail started moving when the bus started and stopped, and the “shhhhhh” sound echoed throughout the bus.

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)

To close

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^)/