Getting Around Beppu
Beppu is a compact hot-spring city on the coast of Beppu Bay in Ōita Prefecture, Kyushu. Its main urban area sits on a narrow strip of land between the sea and the mountains, which means most of the places a visitor wants to reach are close together — but the city also climbs westward into the hills, so some destinations sit up slopes rather than along the flat. That geography shapes how you get around: walking works well in the center, buses do the heavy lifting for the hot springs and outlying sights, and trains connect Beppu with the rest of Kyushu.
On Foot
The town itself is walkable, and strolling is a realistic way to cover the central area around JR Beppu Station, the shopping streets, and Beppu Park, which is about a 15-minute walk from the station. Walking is also a genuine option for reaching the Hells, though they may be a bit far for most visitors to find it convenient — it's a possibility for those who don't mind the distance and aren't in a hurry. Given the slopes on the east–west axis of the city, expect some uphill stretches if you head toward the mountain side.
Rail
Beppu is served by JR Kyushu's Nippō Main Line, with stations at Kamegawa, Beppu Daigaku, Beppu, and Higashi-Beppu. JR Beppu Station is the main gateway and the natural reference point for the city center. The line is how you connect to neighbouring Ōita, the prefectural capital, and to the wider Kyushu network.
For longer journeys, the Sonic limited express is the key service: it runs from Fukuoka (Hakata Station) and Kokura, stops at Beppu, and terminates in Ōita. If you're coming from Honshu, the usual approach is to take the San'yo Shinkansen and transfer to the Sonic at Kokura. A Japan Rail Pass covers the Sonic, which makes it a convenient choice for pass holders. Discounted multi-ticket bundles (nimai kippu for a round trip, yonmai kippu for two travellers) are available for the Fukuoka and Kokura legs and can work out cheaper than buying single tickets — worth asking about at the station.
Beppu has no metro or tram network; rail here means the JR line, and local movement within the city is handled by buses and on foot rather than by urban rail.
Buses
Buses are the practical way to reach the Hells and other scattered sights. The tourist-oriented bus system departs from outside JR Beppu Station, and the Foreign Tourist Information Office inside the station sells one-day bus passes — likely the best deal for most visitors. The office can also tell you the departure time and number of the next bus to your destination, and provide maps detailing the route. On the Hells route itself, schedules are clearly posted at the stops, and the longest intervals between buses run to around half an hour, so it pays to check times before you set out.
Some attractions are explicitly bus-oriented: Takasakiyama Monkey Park, for example, is about 10 minutes from the center of Beppu by bus. The two Hells in the Shibaseki district are roughly a five-minute bus or car ride from the Kannawa district Hells, while five of the seven Hells sit in Kannawa within walking distance of each other — so a common pattern is to walk between the Kannawa Hells and take a short bus hop for the remaining two.
Taxis and Ride-Hailing
Taxis are a straightforward fallback for short trips, for reaching the Hells when bus timing doesn't suit, or for the slopes on the western side of the city where walking is less appealing. The source material does not describe app-based ride-hailing services in Beppu, so plan on conventional taxis rather than assuming a ride-hailing app will work.
Getting There from the Airport
Ōita Airport is the nearby airport for Beppu, and shuttle buses run from it to Beppu downtown — roughly 40 minutes, at around ¥1,450. This is the simplest arrival route for most visitors flying in.
Fukuoka Airport is a viable alternative, thanks to a bus service that runs from the airport through the Oita Expressway to Kannawa Onsen and Beppu downtown. It takes about 110 minutes, and a four-coupon ticket costs around ¥2,000. This option is useful if Fukuoka works better for your flights, or if you want to arrive directly at the Kannawa hot-spring area rather than the city center.
Arriving by Train, Car, or Boat
By train, JR Beppu Station on the Nippō Main Line is the arrival point, with the Sonic limited express connecting from Fukuoka and Kokura and continuing to Ōita. By car, the Oita Expressway passes a few miles west of the city — exit at the Beppu Interchange — and National Route 10 runs north–south through the city center along the shore of Beppu Bay. By boat, Uwajima-un'yu operates frequent ferry service from Yawatahama to Beppu port, and Kansai-kisen runs an overnight service from Osaka direct to Beppu.
Practical Tips
- Start at the Foreign Tourist Information Office inside JR Beppu Station: it sells one-day bus passes, gives departure times and bus numbers for your destination, and provides route maps.
- Buy the one-day bus pass if you plan to visit the Hells or other outlying sights — it's likely the best value for most visitors.
- Check bus schedules at the stops on the Hells route; intervals can stretch to about half an hour.
- Consider the Fukuoka Airport bus if you want to arrive directly at Kannawa Onsen rather than downtown Beppu.
- Bring comfortable shoes: the center is walkable, but the city has slopes running east–west toward the mountains.