Beppu Station Guide: Exits, Luggage Delivery & Buses to the Hells

Beppu Station at a glance

Beppu Station (別府駅) sits on the JR Kyushu Nippō Main Line. It is 120.8 km from Kokura, the starting point of that line, and opened on 16 July 1911. Today it is the main rail gateway for Beppu's hot spring districts. The address is Ekimaecho 12-13, Beppu-shi, Oita-ken.

Wikipedia's figure for fiscal 2016 is 5,933 boarding passengers a day. That is an older count, so treat it as a sense of scale rather than a current number. Limited express trains link the station with much of Kyushu, according to Japan's national tourism listing. Our Beppu attractions guide shows what to do once you leave the station.

• Operator: JR Kyushu, Nippō Main Line
• Distance: 120.8 km from Kokura
• Opened: 16 July 1911
• Address: Ekimaecho 12-13, Beppu-shi, Oita-ken

Beppu Station exits: east side versus west side

Pick the right exit before you walk anywhere. Our brief divides the station into two sides. The East Exit faces the sea and downtown. The West Exit faces the mountains and is where you find the buses to the Hells and the Beppu Ropeway.

For sightseeing near the coast, use the East Exit. Beppu Tower is the main landmark on that side. A statue of Kumahachi Aburaya, the pioneer of Beppu tourism, also stands in front of the station on the downtown side.

For Kannawa and the ropeway, head west. Visit Oita lists both trips as about 20 to 30 minutes by bus from the West Exit. If you are unsure, ask at the tourist information desk before you step outside.

• East Exit: sea side, downtown streets, Beppu Tower, Kumahachi Aburaya statue
• West Exit: mountain side, buses toward the Hells and Beppu Ropeway

Platforms, ticket offices and JR Pass exchange

Wikipedia describes two elevated island platforms and four tracks. Expect stairs or elevators to reach the trains. Platform use changes by service, so check the departure board. The station has a Midori no Madoguchi staffed ticket office, which is where you handle reservations and rail pass exchanges.

Opening hours differ between sources, so verify before a tight connection. The JR Kyushu station page lists ticketing counters from 7:00 to 19:00 daily. It lists ticket machines from 4:50 to 23:20. Japan's tourism listing gives the JR ticket office as 5:00 to 21:30. Plan around the shorter window if you need a counter.

The JR Kyushu page says passes can be both purchased and exchanged here. Covered passes include the JR Kyushu Rail Pass for all Kyushu and for northern Kyushu. Book seats early for popular scenic trains.

Coin lockers and same-day luggage delivery

Luggage is the biggest pain point for arrivals before hotel check-in. Beppu Station has coin-operated lockers, and Visit Oita also mentions a luggage storage service. Lockers suit a few hours of sightseeing.

For a hands-free day, use same-day delivery to your accommodation. Visit Oita says the service sends bags from the station to lodging in Beppu City. The Yamato Transport counter is in B-Passage at Ekimachi 1-chome. The phone number listed is 0570-200-000.

The deadline for same-day delivery is 16:30. Arrive earlier than that, not at the deadline. Some accommodations do not support the service, so confirm with your hotel before you hand over bags. Check the current fee at the counter, because the sources give no price.

• Coin lockers: inside the station for short stops
• Yamato Transport counter: B-Passage, Ekimachi 1-chome
• Same-day delivery cutoff: 16:30
• Ask your hotel first: not every property accepts deliveries

Tourist information, Wi-Fi and money

The Beppu Station Tourist Information Center has full-time staff who speak English. Japan's tourism listing says they advise on local sights, transport and lodging. They can also book accommodation. Free Wi-Fi is available for looking up routes.

The center is listed as open from 8:30 to 17:30. Arrive before closing if you need a hotel booked. A currency exchange point is about 2 to 3 minutes on foot from the station. Taxis wait at a stand just outside. Use the desk to confirm the correct bus stop for your destination.

Trains from Beppu Station

Limited express trains do most of the long-distance work here. Wikipedia lists four services. Check current timetables and seat availability, because patterns change.

• Sonic: Hakata to Oita
• Nichirin: Hakata to Miyazaki
• Yufuin-no-Mori and Yufu: Hakata to Beppu
• Trans-Kyushu Limited Express: Beppu to Hitoyoshi

Buses from the West Exit to the Hells and ropeway

The West Exit is the start for the Beppu Jigoku Tour. Visit Oita describes seven distinct hells around the Kannawa and Kamegawa areas. It lists the trip as about 20 to 30 minutes by bus from the West Exit. Our overview of the seven Hells explains which ones to prioritize.

The tour listing shows hours of 8:00 to 17:00 with no scheduled closures. The Beppu Ropeway is about 20 minutes by bus from the same exit. It climbs from about 500 m at Beppu Kogen Station to 1,300 m at Tsurumi Sanjo Station. The ride takes 10 minutes, and gondolas hold up to 101 passengers.

Ropeway hours depend on the season. From March 15 to November 14, the first departure is 9:00 and the last uphill is 17:00. From November 15 to March 14, the last uphill is 16:30. Service can stop for weather or maintenance.

Walk or take the bus to Beppu's eight onsen

Beppu Hatto means Beppu's eight famous onsen areas. Not all need a bus. Beppu Onsen is described by Visit Oita as near the station. It has retro buildings, shops and a wooden arcade that the site calls Japan's oldest. Walk there if you have energy and light bags.

Kannawa is the opposite case. Bus time is 20 to 30 minutes, so a bus saves effort. Myoban Onsen is the highest of the eight, set in the mountain foothills. Treat it as a bus or taxi trip, and confirm the route at the tourist desk. Taxis make sense for groups sharing a fare or when luggage is heavy.

Shopping and eating inside the station

Shops and restaurants fill the station building. Japan's tourism listing says most shopping areas open at 9:00 or 10:00 and close at 20:00. B-Passage and Ekimachi 1-chome are the two names to look for.

For a quick meal between transfers, eat inside and skip the walk into town. Buy a station bento for the ride back toward Fukuoka. Check what is on the shelves that day, since the sources name no specific product. Stores close at 20:00, so late trains may leave you without dinner options.

A car-free route from Beppu Station to Yufuin

Visit Oita's two-day, one-night public transport route starts at Beppu Station. Day 1 covers luggage handling, the Hells and an overnight in Beppu. Day 2 begins with the ropeway, about 20 minutes by bus from the West Exit. Use our two-day Beppu itinerary to fill in meals and onsen stops.

The Visit Oita route then travels about 30 minutes by bus from the ropeway to Takemoto stop. From there, Lake Kinrin is about 5 minutes on foot. Yufuin Station is about 20 minutes on foot from the lake. The station has a footbath on Platform 1 and is staffed from 7:00 to 19:00.

Book seats on Yufuin-no-Mori in advance. Drivers can instead follow scenic routes around Beppu Bay.

Where to stay: station side or Kannawa side

Staying near the station keeps trains, lockers and the tourist desk close. Visit Oita says the coastal strip from Beppu Station to National Route 10 has many ocean-view accommodations. It sits close to city life.

Kannawa suits a traditional onsen atmosphere and jigoku-mushi steamed cooking. The trade-off is a bus ride of 20 to 30 minutes each way to the station. If you arrive by sea instead, our guide to the Osaka to Beppu ferry covers that route. For wider Japan planning, see our Japan travel planning guide.

Common mistakes at Beppu Station

Most problems come from small planning gaps. Fix these before you arrive.

• Wrong exit: use the West Exit for the Hells and ropeway.
• Late luggage drop: same-day delivery stops at 16:30.
• Hotel not checked: some properties do not accept delivery.
• Unbooked scenic train: reserve Yufuin-no-Mori in advance.
• Tight counter timing: sources disagree on office hours, so allow a buffer.
• Late dinner plans: shops typically close around 20:00.