Nagasaki, Beppu and Yufuin from Fukuoka: trains, the JR Kyushu pass and what to see

Nagasaki or Beppu and Yufuin?

• Nagasaki is history: the atomic bomb sites and Peace Park, the Dutch trading post at Dejima, and the hillside Western houses of Glover Garden. Trams link them.
• Beppu is hot springs: the seven “hells” (jigoku), steaming pools you look at rather than bathe in, plus public baths.
• Yufuin is a smaller, quieter spa town in the hills, with Lake Kinrin and a main street of cafés and shops. It pairs with Beppu in one day.
• Both? Do them on different days from a Fukuoka base. There is no fast direct line between them, so Hakata is the natural hub.

To Nagasaki: Relay Kamome and Shinkansen

• The relay: the limited express Relay Kamome runs Hakata–Takeo-Onsen. At Takeo-Onsen the Nishi-Kyushu Shinkansen Kamome waits on the opposite side of the same platform: no stairs, no ticket gate.
• One ticket covers both trains. Station departure boards show the Relay Kamome as going to Nagasaki.
• Time: the fastest trains take 1 h 20 min including the change (JR Kyushu); others take longer (approx.).
• On board: neither train has a trolley or a Green Car. The Shinkansen has non-reserved cars (4–6) and luggage space near every door.

One way, reserved seats on both trains, regular season, from JR Kyushu, checked 24 October 2026. Online-only tickets are sold on JR Kyushu Internet Train Reservation (free JR Kyushu Web membership) with a limited number of seats per train. Busy-season surcharges apply to regular prices.

To Beppu and Yufuin: SONIC and Yufuin no Mori

• SONIC (Hakata–Beppu–Oita): the workhorse, about 31 trains a day each way via Kokura, from about 2 hours to Beppu (approx.). ¥6,910 at the regular price, ¥3,500 with the online-only Kyushu Net Kippu.
• Yufuin no Mori (Hakata–Yufuin, some trains on to Beppu): JR Kyushu’s sightseeing train through the hills. All seats are reserved; seats go on sale one month ahead at 10:00. ¥6,130 at the regular price, ¥5,600 online only.
• When it’s full: JR Kyushu says the Yufuin no Mori is fully booked day after day and suggests going via Kokura and Oita: SONIC to Oita, then a local train to Yufuin. Its online-only Yufuin ticket for that route is ¥4,300.

JR Kyushu’s published timetable, checked 24 October 2026. Nos. 3 and 4 do not run every day; on days when a Yufuin no Mori doesn’t run, the limited express Yufu runs at the same times. Check the operating calendar before you book.

JR Kyushu Rail Pass or single tickets?

The Northern Kyushu pass (¥15,000 for 3 days, ¥17,000 for 5) covers the Relay Kamome, the Nishi-Kyushu Shinkansen, the SONIC and the Yufuin no Mori. Our arithmetic on the prices above, adult, regular season:

The third row leaves out the short Yufuin–Beppu hop, which the pass also covers. If you do go straight from Nagasaki to Beppu, JR Kyushu’s online-only ticket is ¥6,840.

• Who can buy it: temporary visitors with a non-Japanese passport. Days are consecutive.
• Seats: up to six free seat reservations at stations with the Northern pass. A reserved seat is essential on the Yufuin no Mori, so reserve it as soon as you have the pass.
• Going further: add Kumamoto or Kagoshima and compare the All Kyushu pass (from ¥22,000); see Kumamoto and Kagoshima from Fukuoka for those fares and sights, and JR Pass vs regional passes if you are coming from Honshu.

Nagasaki in a day

From each venue’s own site, checked 24 October 2026; last entry is 20–30 minutes before closing. The museum closes 29–31 December.

1. Morning: tram north from Nagasaki Station to the Atomic Bomb Museum, the Hypocenter and the Peace Park. Allow two hours or more.
2. Midday: back south to Dejima, then lunch in Chinatown nearby.
3. Afternoon: up to Oura and Glover Garden for the harbour view. Catch an evening Kamome back to Hakata.

Beppu and Yufuin in a day

• Beppu Hells (jigoku meguri): seven hot-spring “hells”, 8:00–17:00 every day. The common ticket for all seven is ¥2,400, sold at each one. Five are close together in Kannawa; Chinoike and Tatsumaki are about 3 km away by bus. From Beppu Station’s west exit, Kamenoi buses 2, 5, 24 and 41 reach Kannawa in about 20 minutes.
• Bathing: the hells are for looking. For a soak, Beppu’s public baths and sand baths are the thing; read our onsen etiquette and tattoo guide first.
• Yufuin: walk from the station along the shopping street to Lake Kinrin, where hot springs and spring water rise from the lake bed. There is a footbath at Yufuin Station.
• One day for both: Yufuin no Mori No. 1 or 3 to Yufuin in the morning, on to Beppu for the hells, and the SONIC back to Hakata. If the Yufuin no Mori is full, reverse it: SONIC to Beppu first.

When a tour is worth it

Both trips are easy by train. A guided tour in Nagasaki can help when:

• You want the history explained. A local guide at the Hypocenter and the Peace Park adds context that signs can’t.
• Hills and stairs are a problem. Glover Garden and Oura are steep; a car tour saves the climb.
• Not needed for Beppu and Yufuin if you can get a train seat; the hells’ common ticket is sold at the gate.

Quick answers

How do I get from Fukuoka to Nagasaki by train?

Take the limited express Relay Kamome from Hakata to Takeo-Onsen, then cross the platform to the Nishi-Kyushu Shinkansen Kamome to Nagasaki. One ticket covers both: ¥6,490 for an adult reserved seat at the regular price. The fastest trains take about 1 h 20 min (approx.).

Is Yufuin no Mori covered by the JR Kyushu Rail Pass?

Yes, by the Northern and All Kyushu passes, but every seat is reserved, so you need a seat reservation before boarding. JR Kyushu says the train is fully booked day after day and suggests the route via Kokura and Oita instead.

Is the JR Kyushu Rail Pass worth it for Nagasaki and Beppu?

For both, yes. A Nagasaki day trip plus Hakata → Yufuin → Beppu → Hakata comes to ¥26,020 at regular prices and ¥18,100 with online-only tickets, against ¥15,000 for the 3-day Northern Kyushu pass. For one day trip on its own, single tickets are cheaper.

Can I do Nagasaki as a day trip from Fukuoka?

Yes. The fastest trains take about 1 h 20 min (approx.) and run every hour or so. Peace Park, the Atomic Bomb Museum (¥200), Dejima and Glover Garden fit in one day by tram.

How do I get from Fukuoka to Beppu?

The limited express SONIC runs from Hakata to Beppu and Oita, about 31 trains a day each way, from about 2 hours (approx.). An adult reserved seat is ¥6,910 at the regular price; JR Kyushu’s online-only Kyushu Net Kippu is ¥3,500.

How much is the Beppu Hells ticket?

The common ticket for all seven hells is ¥2,400 for adults and can be bought at any of them. Open 8:00–17:00 every day. Five are within walking distance of each other in Kannawa; Chinoike and Tatsumaki are about 3 km away by bus or car.

Arriving from Honshu? See Hiroshima to Fukuoka and Kyushu and the Shinkansen how-to. Changing hotels? You can send your suitcase ahead.

Sources

Checked against these pages on 24 October 2026. Official pages take precedence over this summary.

1. JR Kyushu: Kamome Net Kippu: Hakata–Nagasaki regular price and online-only prices, Nagasaki–Beppu (Japanese)
   Railway operator.
2. JR Kyushu: Relay KAMOME: Hakata–Takeo-Onsen, cross-platform transfer, Rail Pass Online Booking not available
   Railway operator.
3. JR Kyushu: Nishi Kyushu Shinkansen KAMOME: seats, non-reserved cars, luggage space
   Railway operator.
4. JR Kyushu: Nishi-Kyushu Shinkansen opening timetable: Hakata–Nagasaki fastest 1 h 20 min, one ticket for the relay (Japanese, PDF)
   Railway operator.
5. JR Kyushu: Kyushu Net Kippu: regular and online-only prices, seasonal surcharges (Japanese)
   Railway operator.
6. JR Kyushu: Oita/Beppu–Fukuoka (Hakata) by limited express SONIC: fastest time and trains per day (Japanese)
   Railway operator.
7. JR Kyushu: YUFUIN NO MORI: all-reserved seats, timetable, operating calendar, Yufuin sights
   Railway operator.
8. JR Kyushu: Limited express Yufuin no Mori: regular and online-only prices, seat sales one month ahead (Japanese)
   Railway operator.
9. JR Kyushu: Kocchi demo ikeru yo! Yufuin Kippu: Hakata–Yufuin via Oita, online only (Japanese)
   Railway operator.
10. JR Kyushu: JR Kyushu Rail Pass (All, Northern, Southern Kyushu): prices, trains, reservations, refunds
    Railway operator.
11. Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Museum: Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Museum: hours, admission, audio guides
    Official venue site.
12. Dejima (Nagasaki City): Dejima: admission fee and opening hours
    Official venue site.
13. Glover Garden: Glover Garden: opening hours, night openings and admission (Japanese)
    Official venue site.
14. Beppu Jigoku Association: Beppu Hells (jigoku meguri): hours and common ticket prices (Japanese)
    Official venue site.
15. Beppu Jigoku Association: Beppu Hells: access by bus from Beppu Station, distances between the hells (Japanese)
    Official venue site.
16. JNTO: Nagasaki: destination overview
    National tourism organisation.

General information. Fares, timetables and opening hours change; the operator’s own page is always right. JapanBenri is not affiliated with JR Kyushu or any venue named here.