Highway Bus Travel from Tokyo

Highway bus, aka expressway bus or long-distance bus, is also an importation means of transportation in Tokyo. It links Tokyo city and surrounding areas, peripheral attractions as well as farther cities around Japan. Shinjuku Expressway Bus Terminal is the major and biggest hub of highway buses in Tokyo.

Bus ticket is often cheaper than a train ticket, especially much cheaper than the Shinkansen, but it takes longer time on the way.

Apart from the ordinary buses running during the day, overnight bus that arrives at the destination early the next morning is also popular among budget travelers as it may save one night’s hotel expense.

Highway Bus in Tokyo

Where Can We Go by Highway Bus from Tokyo?

Destinations include:

Tohoku region: Sendai, Fukushima, Akita, Aomori

Kanto region near Tokyo: Chiba, Narita Airport, Kanagawa

Mt. Fuji & its environs: Mt. Fuji/Lake Kawaguchi, Hakone, Gotemba

Kansai region: Kyoto, Osaka, Nara, Kobe, Himeji

Nagoya, Shizuoka, Nagano, Matsumoto, Gifu, Niigata, Kanazawa, Takayama, Okayama, Hiroshima, Fukuoka...

Major Highway Bus Routes to/from Tokyo:

Destination	Approx. Duration	Ticket Fare
Haneda Airport	50-60min	JPY 1,400
Narita Airport	1h 47-55min	JPY 1,800-3,600
Lake Kawaguchi / Mt. Fuji	2h	JPY 2,200 at least
Gotemba	1.5h	JPY 1,800
Hakone	2h	JPY 2,240-2,480
Karuizawa	3h 15-23min	JPY 2,600-3,300
Sendai	5h 45min	JPY 4,900
Nagoya	6h	JPY 3,800-5,200
Osaka / Kyoto	7.5-9h (overnight)	JPY 6,900-9,000

How to Buy or Book the Ticket?

Get a Bus Ticket at a Bus Station

At an expressway bus station like Shinjuku Expressway Bus Terminal, you can step into the station to buy the ticket on spot. The ticket counters and ticket vending machines are applicable, with both cashes and credit card can be utilized.

Ticket Dispensers at Shinjuku Bus Station

Online Booking of Bus Tickets

As there are multitudinous bus operators as well as third-party bus booking platforms, online booking becomes easy but also eye-dazzling to choose. Searching on their website, you could find the bus you want. Some bus operators have their ticketing machine in convenience stores as well.

Popular Highway Bus Booking Platform: Japan Bus (Nihon Bus), Japan Bus Lines, Highway Bus, Japan Bus Online

If the electronic ticket you get is attached with the QR code, you can scam the QR code at designated check-in counter directly.
If your electronic ticket has no QR code or you are asked to print the ticket, you have to print the ticket beforehand and show the paper document to the ticket inspector or the driver.

Can I Use a Transportation IC Card to Take Highway Bus in Tokyo?

On the long-distance bus to a destination far away from Tokyo, such as that to Osaka or Kyoto, a transportation card can’t be used for payment.

Usually, Suica card or PASMO card can be applied on the highway buses to Narita Airport, Haneda Airport, and nearby attractions like Mt. Fuji. However, it is not always applicable on every bus or at every station/stop. For example, on a Limousine bus to/from Narita Airport, you can swipe a transportation IC card if it departs from the airport terminals. On the contrary, it is hardly usable if you go from Tokyo downtown to the airport, with only a few departure stops allow passengers to use transportation cards.

Where to Take Highway Bus – Bus Stations in Tokyo

Shinjuku Expressway Bus Terminal

Shinjuku Expressway Bus Terminal, with JR Shinjuku Station in the north adjacently, is the major highway bus station in Tokyo. You can take a bus there to your destination countrywide.

Shinjuku Expressway Bus Terminal

Location: south to JR Shinjuku Sta.; 2 minutes’ walk upstairs from New South Gate of JR Shinjuku Sta.

Service hours: 04:00-01:00 the next day (before 06:00 in the morning, there are only some buses to Haneda / Narita Airport, especially to Haneda Airport)
Ticketing systems stop service in succession, at 24:00 at latest

How to get there:

JR trains: to JR Shinjuku Sta. via Yamanote Line, Chuo-Sobu Line, or more JR lines;

Metro: to Shinjuku Station via Tokyo Metro Marunouchi Line, Toei Subway Shinjuku Line, or Toei Subway Oedo Line

Private Railways: to Shinjuku via Keio Line, Keio New Line, Odakyu Line

Destination	Duration	Ticket Fare
Haneda Airport	40-55min	JPY 1,400
Narita Airport	1h 37-50min	JPY 3,600
Hakone	2h 25-40min	JPY 2,480
Mt. Fuji / Lake Kawaguchi	1h 45min	JPY 2,200
Shizuoka Sta.	3h 13-37min	JPY 3,000-3,400
Kusatsu Onsen	4-5h	JPY 3,550-4,000
Nagoya	3h 52min - 5h 15min	JPY 3,300-5,700
Nagoya (overnight)	6h 35min - 7h 14min	JPY 3,900 at least
Osaka	7h 53min	JPY 4,800-6,700
Osaka (overnight)	About 8h	JPY 6,900-8,800
Kyoto	About 7h	JPY 4,800-6,500
Kyoto (overnight)	7h 7min	JPY 6,900-8,800

Small Bus Stations in Tokyo

Although Shinjuku Expressway Bus Terminal stands out in Tokyo, there are still some smaller highway bus stations, mainly including Tokyo Station JR Expressway Bus Station, Shibuya Mark City Bus Station and Ikebukuro Sunshine City Bus Station. Comparatively speaking, these stations are quite smaller, with ticket counters and not many parking space.

Highway Bus Station

Boarding at Bus Station

Tokyo Station JR Expressway Bus Station

Location: near Yaesu South Exit of Tokyo Station
Turn right at the Yaesu South Exit, next to bus stops

Service Hours: 06:00-00:30

How to get there:

JR city trains: to Tokyo Sta. via Yamanote Line
Metro: Tokyo Metro Marunouchi Line
City bus: 東42-1, 東15, 東16 to Tokyo Sta. Yaesuguchi (Yaesu Exit)

Destination	Duration	Ticket Fare
Narita Airport	1h 2-10min	JPY 1,300 / 2,600 (late night)
Gotemba Premium Outlets	1h 25min	JPY 2,000-2,200
Lake Kawaguchi (Kawaguchiko Sta.)	2h – 2h 22min	JPY 2,200
Ikaho-Onsen / Kusatsu-Onsen	2h 28min – 3h 19min to Ikaho-Onsen; 4h 2-53min to Kusatsu-Onsen Bus Terminal	JPY 3,000 to Ikaho-Onsen JPY 4,000 to Kusatsu-Onsen

Roadside Bus Stops in Tokyo City

According to different bus operators, there are also some roadside bus stops for passengers to get on/off. They are concentrated around large transportation hubs like Tokyo Station, Shibuya & Shinjuku, and popular spots like an attraction or a big hotel. The specific site for boarding is up to your bus route and the company.
For example, at the Yaesu North Exit, passengers can also catch the Airport Limousine bus and Keisei buses for Chiba.