How to get to city centre Hakata and Tenjin from Fukuoka Airport

Select transportation to your terminal and accommodation location

On-board journey time does not include immigration, baggage collection, walking to the bus stop, ticketing, waiting, or walking to the accommodation. Especially on international flights, if you calculate the entire travel time based on only ‘5 minutes by subway’, shuttle and transfer times are omitted.

International arrivals: take the free shuttle from stop 5 to the subway

International 1st floor arrival hall → Free connecting bus No. 5 → Domestic connecting bus loading/unloading area → Airport station entrance → Ticketing/ticket → Airport line → Destination station → Accommodation

1. After completing immigration, baggage pickup, and customs, go outside on the first floor and look for the ‘Domestic Connecting Bus’ sign No. 5. This is different from the paid bus stop for Hakata and Tenjin.
2. Get off the free bus at the ‘Domestic Terminal Connecting Bus Stop’. Based on the airport guide map, the car journey takes approximately 10 to 15 minutes.
3. According to official airport information, the nearest subway entrances are 1A and 1B. Go down the escalator/stairs, and use the south elevator line for domestic flights for suitcases/strollers.
4. Select your destination at the airport station ticket machine or go through the ticket gate with a supported transport IC card. Take the Airport Line toward city centre/Meinohama and get off at the station that suits your accommodation: Hakata, Nakasu-Kawabata, or Tenjin.

Shuttles from the international terminal are from 06:17 to 23:21. From 07 to 18, the interval is about 6 to 7 minutes, but the interval is different in the morning and night. Do not confuse with the domestic departure 06:00~23:19 table. Travel times in both directions are not the same.

If you are arriving on a domestic flight, go down to the subway station.

Use the south elevator on the south side of the arrival hall on the 1st floor of domestic flights or the escalator directly to the access hall to go down to the B2F access hall, which leads to the airport station ticket gate. If you leave the North Arrival Hall, move toward the south side of the terminal. If you have a large suitcase, use the elevator and follow the station's elevator signs on the platform.

Hakata, Nakasu-Kawabata, and Tenjin can be reached by one airport line, and an adult regular ticket costs 260 yen each. Choose between a vending machine ticket or a supported transport IC card. If you purchase a pass, check whether the airport line is included and the date of use, and do not assume that you can ride the bus with the same ticket.

Map of airport terminals and city centre drop-off points

This is a conceptual diagram of the movement route above the Geospatial Information Authority of Japan (GSI) background map. Purple is free shuttle, blue is subway, orange is Nishitetsu direct bus, pink is HEARTS, and green is transportation leading to the station. Dotted lines and arrows are directions of movement and are not actual roads, tracks, or routes inside the terminal. The numbers are approximate reference locations; check the official map and on-site signs for the actual boarding area and exit.

Hakata Station Accommodation: Distinguish between east and west first.

Hakata Station · 博多駅 has Chikushi Exit to the east and Hakata Exit to the west. It's easy to pick a drop-off point by opening the address of your accommodation reservation on a map to see which way it is.

International Terminal 6, 7 → Chikushiguchi direct bus

International arrival hall → No. 6 and 7 on the 1st floor → Nishitetsu Hakata Station bound for Chikushiguchi → Get off at Chikushiguchi → East accommodation

The current operator fee is 400 yen, and payment by supported credit card or transport IC card is 380 yen. For airport departures, you board at the front door and pay when you board. This route is indicated as a completely cashless payment verification route, so prepare a transport IC card or ticket in advance.

If you only have cash, you must first tell the driver and pay according to the official FAQ. From April 26, 2025, the arrival point has changed from Hakata Bus Terminal to Chikushiguchi. Distinguish it from the old bus terminal information.

If you are staying on the west side of the station, you will need to cross the east-west aisle of the station. For directions on walking to your accommodation after getting off, please change the map below to the address. For exact stopping locations and travel times for each bus, use the operator's route and timetable.

Subway → Hakata Station → Exit towards the accommodation

Get off at Hakata Station on the Airport Line and compare the Hakata Exit and Chikushi Exit signs with your accommodation address. One station exit number is not common to all hotels. The walking distances from hotels in front of Hakata Station on the west and towards Canal City are also different.

Tenjin and Tenjin Minami are different stations

Tenjin Station · 天神駅 is a station on the Airport Line, and Tenjin-minami Station · 天神南駅 is a station on the Nanakuma Line. You cannot get off directly at Tenjin Minami from the airport line. Compare the walking distance after getting off at Tenjin Station for hotels in the north, and in front of the bus terminal/city hall for hotels in the south.

If you take the subway near Tenjin Minami Station, you can transfer to the Nanakuma Line at Hakata or walk from Tenjin Station. If you have large luggage, choose based on your accommodation address and elevator location. Walking sections are not included in the train on-board journey time.

International Terminal bus stop 8 → Tenjin Airport Express

International 1st floor arrival hall → No. 8 → Airport Express → Nishitetsu Tenjin Express Bus Terminal → Accommodation

Go to Nishitetsu Tenjin Expressway Bus Terminal · 西鉄天神高速バスターミナル without any intermediate stops. The regular fare is 500 yen, transport IC card is 480 yen, and credit card payment is not possible on the car.

There is no discount if you pay with a combination of cash and transport IC card.

Pay while boarding at the front door, and touch the transport IC card in the order of boarding and alighting. Put the suitcase into the trunk yourself and ask a staff member if you need assistance. Not all routes are covered by the general unlimited ride pass, so check the coverage of your pass.

Departure from the airport in the table on April 1, 2026 is at 09:20 on weekdays and 09:22 on Saturdays, Sundays, and public holidays, and the last bus is at 18:35. According to the timetable, the ride is approximately 30 to 40 minutes, and is often not available for evening international arrivals.

HEARTS: Southwest of Hakata Station and in front of Tenjin City Hall

International Terminal 11 or Domestic Terminal 2 → HEARTS Bus Station Hakata → In front of Fukuoka City Hall

HEARTS Bus Station Hakata · HEARTS Bus Station 博多 博多 博多 博多 is located at 4-14-13 in front of Hakata Station. It is different from Hakata Bus Terminal.

The drop-off point for Tenjin is not Nishitetsu Bus Terminal, but in front of Fukuoka City Hall.

Adult one-way ticket is 600 yen. You can purchase it with cash, credit card, or QR payment at the dedicated counter on the first floor of the international and domestic flights. Advance seat reservations can be confirmed by contacting the operator, and online reservations on the site are currently ‘in preparation.’

You can ride without a reservation if there are empty seats, but you cannot stand when the seats are full, and seat numbers are not assigned.

In the revised table on November 17, 2025, the last bus from the international terminal leaves at 19:45 → Hakata 20:00 → 20:20 in front of City Hall, and the last bus from the domestic terminal leaves at 19:30. It takes about 15 to 20 minutes from the international terminal to Hakata, and about 35 to 40 minutes to the city hall. It may be delayed depending on road conditions. Extension in front of City Hall for international departures at 19:30 is limited from Wednesday to Sunday, so you must also check the notes for each bus departure.

Cancellation of reservations must be made by email at least 30 minutes prior to departure, and the official refund fee is 200 yen for adults. If you become aware of a flight delay, please contact [email protected] with your reservation number and new arrival time to see if changes can be made. [email protected]

The same rules do not apply to the conditions of the reserved vehicle or other sales outlets.

Nakasu-Kawabata: a direct ride on the Airport Line

Get off at Nakasu-Kawabata Station · 中洲川端駅. It costs 260 yen for adults from the airport station, and there is no need to get off at Hakata or transfer to another line. When arriving at an international flight, first take a shuttle to the domestic flight.

The direction of the accommodation is different on the Nakasu side and the Kawabata shopping street side across the river. Enter your accommodation address on the walking map below to check the exit/river crossing section. If you are travelling late at night with your luggage, save the hotel entrance and late check-in contact information.

Late international arrivals: check the last shuttle and onward services

In the airport station timetable on April 1, 2026, the last departure to the city on the airport line is at 00:35 on the day after weekdays and Saturdays, and at 00:00 on the day after Sundays and public holidays. 00:15·00:35 on the Saturday/Holiday ticket is marked as ‘Saturday only’, so it should not be assumed that it operates on Sundays as well.

The official station timetable for the day of travel takes precedence.

The last shuttle for the international line is at 23:21, so even if there are still trains, it does not mean that you can get from the international line to the subway. Please consider the time when you have finished entering the country and picking up your luggage, waiting for the shuttle, travelling for 10 to 15 minutes, and entering the ticket gate and platform. The judgment of the last departure for domestic and international arrivals is different.

Tenjin Airport Express lasts at 18:35, and the last HEARTS bus from the international terminal is at 19:45. For Hakata Chikushiguchi, the airport departure time is from 08:00 to 21:00 on all weekdays, Saturdays, and public holidays on April 1, 2026.

Please double-check the travel day timetable in the PDF below. Due to flight delays, we cannot guarantee that the last bus or train will be available.

If you missed public transportation, go to the official taxi stand.

Please use the official taxi rank on the first floor of the arrival terminal. Show the Japanese address of your accommodation, number of people and suitcases, and check card payment, loading space, tolls and late-night surcharges before boarding.

Please inform the property if late check-in is possible. For reserved vehicles, free waiting limits, extension costs, and no-show conditions vary depending on the company, so you must contact them based on the reservation confirmation.

Do not assume that service will be suspended just because a typhoon or heavy rain is forecast, but check subway operation notices, Nishitetsu bus notices, and airport flight status together. Subway operation notice · Nishitetsu Bus Notice · Airport flight status

Taxi and hire car: To get to the front of the accommodation

Arrival hall → Official taxi stand on the 1st floor of each terminal → Present accommodation address → Accommodation entrance

The general taxi stands for domestic flights are numbers 3 and 10. For international flights, use the taxi stand on the first floor as indicated in the official guide map, and for reserved vehicles, follow the meeting point designated by the company. We do not offer fixed prices for Hakata and Tenjin as airport data does not have up-to-date confirmed rates for each destination.

Verify costs separately from meter or actual company quote.

There is a common information desk on the first floor of the international terminal for hire cars, but there is no hire car counter on the domestic terminal. Please use the contact information of the company you made the reservation to confirm transportation to and from the pick-up branch and sales office, and processing upon arrival after business closes. Do not assume that you will collect your vehicle directly from the information office. You need to know the car park location, cost, and deadline for parking at your accommodation in the city.

Purchase tickets on the route you will actually use.

The following is the operator's official purchase and operation guide and is not an affiliate link. Buses to the city, subway tickets, Kyushu Rail Pass, and private vehicles are different products, so check first whether they are included in the airport transfer.

Getting from Fukuoka Airport, Frequently asked questions