Nishitetsu Express Bus Sakurajima-go started its service on March 22, 1990.

On December 17, 2018, the Sakurajima-go was newly reborn with the new “HARMONY” bus color, which was introduced to buses mainly on express routes to commemorate the 110th anniversary of Nishi-Nippon Railroad Co.

Express buses are known as the most cost-effective means of transportation for long-distance travel when your wallet is tight, but if you have never ridden on one before, you may be wondering what it is like inside the bus and from departure to arrival.

How much is the fare? How do I make reservations? What types of seats are available? Is it safe for women? I am sure there are a number of things you are wondering about.

This time, I boarded the Nishitetsu Highway Bus “Non-Stop Sakurajima-go” from Tenjin, Fukuoka Prefecture to Kagoshima Main Port (High Speed Boat Terminal), Kagoshima Prefecture.

Here is a quick look at the inside of the bus and my impressions of the actual ride!

Introduction of Nishitetsu Express Bus

1. Name: Nishitetsu Highway Bus Non-Stop Sakurajima-go
2. Length: 88.93 meters
3. Gross Tonnage: 580 tons
4. Operating Speed: 60km~80km
5. Number of Seats: 35

When can I make a reservation?

You can purchase a reservation-based express bus ticket up to 8:00 a.m. (or the first day of the month if there is no same day in the previous month) of the month prior to the boarding date (two months prior for Fukuoka to Tokyo and Fukuoka to HTB).

To explain the first day of the month in simple terms, if you want to book a flight on January 31 for February 28, there are only 31 days in January and 28 days in February, so no two days are the same.

It is not possible to make a reservation for February 28th on January 31st, but it is possible to make a reservation for February 28th starting February 1st.

How to make a reservation

Reservation by phone

Fukuoka

Kyushu Express Bus Reservation Center : 0120-489-939 (8:00-19:00)
From cell phones, PHS, IP phones: 092-734-2727

Kagoshima

Kagoshima Main Port Highway Bus Reservation Center : 099-222-1220 (9:00-19:00)
Kagoshima Chuo Station (Nangoku Kotsu Highway Bus Reservation Center) : 099-259-6781 (9:00-17:00)

Reservations online

I wanted to ride at an even lower price, so I made an online reservation for Nishitetsu Express Bus No. 54104 Sakurajima at highway-bus.com, where a web discount is applied.

Credit Card Payment

To pay by credit card, select “Credit” as the payment method on the reservation screen, and enter your credit card information in the credit card information field.

Convenience Store Payment

To pay at a convenience store, select “Convenience Store” on the reservation screen to display the convenience stores where you can make your payment.

The five convenience stores that accept payment are Lawson, Mini Stop, Family Mart, and Seven-Eleven.

Boarding Fare

Sakurajima-go

(*1) Children over 12 years old who are still in elementary school will be charged the child’s fare.

(*2) Those who wish to use the senior discount must present an official certificate (driver’s license, etc.) showing the date of birth when purchasing tickets at the ticket counter.

(*3) Even if the child is 12 years old or older, if the child is still in elementary school, the child’s fare is the same as in (*1) above.

I made a reservation on the web this time, and the one-way fare was 3,550 yen with the web discount.

Please check the official website for information on Nishitetsu highway bus routes and fares other than those between Fukuoka and Kagoshima!

▼ Nishitetsu Group Express Bus Information

http://jik.nishitetsu.jp/

Boarding and alighting points

Bus stop and drop-off locations vary depending on the type of route.

Non-stop buses pass through most stations, so you can head smoothly to your destination.

Buses passing through airports do not stop at Kagoshima Airport, while buses via airports can get off at Kagoshima Airport!

Fukuoka → Kagoshima

Kagoshima→Fukuoka

Please check the Nishitetsu Highway Bus’s time information between Fukuoka and Kagoshima on its official website!

▼ Nishitetsu Group Highway Bus Information

http://jik.nishitetsu.jp/

This time we took the bus from “Nishitetsu Tenjin Express Bus Terminal” in Fukuoka Prefecture to “Temmonkan (bus stop)” in Kagoshima Prefecture.

Here is a brief introduction of the inside of the bus!

Introduction of the train interior

Seats

Inside the bus were four rows of seats, two on each side.

I heard that there is also a 3-row seat type, but the bus I boarded was the 4-row type.

The overhead air conditioning was self-adjustable.

It would be cool in summer, warm in winter, and comfortable during the trip.

The get off button is also located overhead, so it looks like you can get off by pressing it in an area where it is possible to get off.

Seat spacing was wide, and there was a table in front of me that could be stowed away.

On the left side of the storage table, there was a shallow recess where paper cups sold at convenience stores could be placed.

On the right side, a plastic bottle could be inserted.

Equipment

It was a translucent type bag to put in case of nausea due to motion sickness or garbage, but it was light blue so it was difficult to see what was inside.

There were three booklets that contained information on driving precautions, minimum required manners, driver error response system, and emergency braking.

USB port

The window seat had a USB port on the wall and the aisle seat had a USB port under the arm rest on the right side for charging.

This is great for those who want to listen to music on their phones or tablets while traveling.

Free Wi-Fi

There was a free Wi-Fi available while the bus was in operation.

The name of the Wi-Fi network is “Kyushu_Bus_Network_FreeWi-Fi.

It was easy to register by simply entering a computer e-mail address and other information.

It is nice to have Wi-Fi because using map apps with GPS functions while on the move can quickly limit your speed.

To close

This time we introduced how we took the Nishitetsu Express Bus from Fukuoka to Kagoshima.

This time I took the highway bus because I had plenty of time to spare, and although it takes longer, the price is just so cheap and great!

The Shinkansen takes about 1 hour and 48 minutes and costs 10,640 yen, while the highway bus takes about 4 hours and 20 minutes and costs 3,550 yen, so the fare was only 1/3 of the Shinkansen fare!

If you have time to spare, I recommend the highway bus!

If you are considering taking the Nishitetsu highway bus, I hope this will be helpful to you.

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