Kyushu
How to ride the Hisatsu Orange Railway (Kumamoto–Kagoshima coast)
肥薩おれんじ鉄道の乗り方
Board at the rear, pay cash at the front — IC cards aren't accepted, and the fare box takes no notes bigger than ¥1,000.
- Board at the rear
- Exit at the front
- Pay when you get off
- No IC cards
- Fare by distance
The Hisatsu Orange Railway runs along the coast between Yatsushiro (Kumamoto) and Sendai (Kagoshima), the old Kagoshima Main Line now bypassed by the Kyushu Shinkansen. Its trains are mostly one-man and fares are paid in cash.
乗り方の流れ
Step by step
01Board at the rear
On one-car trains, board at the rear and get off at the front. On two-car trains, either only the front car's doors open or all doors do — the announcement says which.
02Take a numbered ticket where required
At certain stations take a numbered ticket when you board; don't take one if you already have a ticket or pass. At some stations you buy a ticket from the machine first.
03Pay in cash
Suica and SUGOCA can't be used. The fare box and change machine don't take ¥10,000, ¥5,000 or ¥2,000 notes.
04Pay and exit at the front
When only the front car's doors open, put your ticket, or fare and numbered ticket, into the fare box beside the driver. When all doors open, hand them to the station staff.
Good to know
- Changing to JR at Shin-Yatsushiro or Sendai? Pay into the fare box and you receive a fare-settled certificate (精算証明書) to hand to the JR Kyushu gate staff.
- Changing trains at Izumi? Ask the driver for a transfer numbered ticket (乗り継ぎ整理券).
- The JAPAN RAIL PASS is not valid on the Hisatsu Orange Railway.
Sources
- Hisatsu Orange Railway: How to ride (Japanese)
- Hisatsu Orange Railway: Banknotes on board (2 Jul 2024) (Japanese)
Rules differ between railways and change from time to time — last checked 3 Nov 2026. Follow signs and staff on the day.