How to travel from Kumamoto to Tanabe, Japan

The distance between Kumamoto and Tanabe is around 680km (422 miles) and the quickest way to get there is to fly and then take the train which takes around 4h 60m.

6 routes found

We've found 6 different ways to get from Kumamoto to Tanabe by train, bus, car and plane. The recommended routes, which include information on duration, ticket price, and level of difficulty, can be found below.

👋 Also check out TanabeKumamoto if you're planning a return trip.

🚀 Fastest
1
plane
+
3 x train
+

Plane and Train

Fly from Kumamoto (KMJ) to Osaka Itami (ITM) then take the train to Osaka then Tennoji and then to Kiitanabe.

  • Duration4h 60m
  • Flight time1hr
  • Typical cost
    ¥22,725($165)
Operated by

Multiple operators

2 similiar routes

We’ve grouped similar routes together, click the arrows to see the other options.

2
train
+
train
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Train

Take the train to Shin-Osaka and then to Kiitanabe.

  • Duration5h 35m
  • Departsevery 3 hours
  • Typical cost
    ¥21,220($155)
Operated by

Multiple train operators

💰 Cheapest
3
bus
+
bus
+

Bus

Take the bus to Ōsaka and then to Tanabe City Hall.

  • Duration14h 20m
  • Departsonce daily
  • Typical cost
    ¥14,785($110)
Operated by

Multiple bus operators

4
car
+

Drive

Drive to Tanabe.

  • Duration9h 20m
  • Distance835km (519 miles)
Get turn-by-turn directions

Frequently asked questionsabout travel between Kumamoto and Tanabe

There are several options for getting from Kumamoto to Tanabe by train, bus, car and plane. The cheapest option is to take the bus which costs around ¥14,785 ($110) and will take around 14h 20m. If you need to get there more quickly, you can fly and then take the train and arrive in approximately 4h 60m, though it is a bit more costly at approximately ¥22,725 ($165).

The distance between Kumamoto and Tanabe is around 680km (422 miles). In a direct line (as the crow flies), the distance is 458km (284 miles)

It takes around 5h 35m to get from Kumamoto and Tanabe by train. If you are travelling by car it will take around 9h 20m to drive there.

The quickest way to get from Kumamoto to Tanabe is to fly and then take the train which takes around 4h 60m and will set you back approx ¥22,725 ($165).

The cheapest way to travel between Kumamoto and Tanabe, if you exclude driving, is to take the bus which will typically cost around ¥14,785 ($110) for a standard one-way ticket.

Train travel

Yes there is a train service that runs between Kumamoto and Tanabe. It typically takes around 5h 35m and departs every 3 hours.

There are no direct train services that runs from Kumamoto to Tanabe. However, you can instead can take several connecting trains with a changeover in Shin-Osaka. These services run every 3 hours and will take a minimum of 5h 35m.

Japan Railways Shinkansen and Japan Railways Limited Express run train services between Kumamoto and Tanabe. Trains depart every 3 hours and will take around 5h 35m, however, this may vary depending on the particular service and whether it runs express or stops all stations.

Bus travel

Yes there is a bus that runs regularly from Kumamoto and Tanabe. It typically takes around 14h 20m and departs once daily.

There are no direct bus services that runs from Kumamoto to Tanabe. However, you can instead can take several connecting buses with changeovers in Ōsaka. These services run once daily and will take a minimum of 14h 20m.

Kintetsu Bus and Meiko Bus run regular bus services between Kumamoto and Tanabe. Buses run once daily and take around 14h 20m on average but will vary depending on you book with.

Flights and Airlines

It doesn't look like you can fly directly from Kumamoto to Tanabe. We recommend that you fly from Kumamoto (KMJ) to Osaka Itami (ITM) then take the train to Osaka then Tennoji and then to Kiitanabe. instead which will take 4h 60m.

The closest major airport to Tanabe is Shirahama Airport (SHM) (SHM) which is approximately 8km (5 miles) from Tanabe. Kansai International Airport (KIX) (KIX) and Tokushima Awaodori Airport (TKS) (TKS) are also nearby and might be a better alternative airport depending on where you are flying from.

Drive yourself

Yes it is possible to drive from Kumamoto and Tanabe. The distance is around 835km (519 miles) by road and it will take around 9h 20m in normal traffic conditons.

If you don't have a car, the easiest way to get from Kumamoto to Tanabe is to take the train which takes, on average, 5h 35m and will usually cost around ¥21,220 ($155).

How do I get from Kumamoto to Tanabe

Compare travel optionsbetween Kumamoto and Tanabe

Transport options from Kumamoto to Tanabe
Transport optionDurationCostFrequencyDistance
Plane and Train + 2 similar
4h 60m
¥22,725($165)
every 3 hours680km (422 miles)
Train and Plane5h 10m
¥25,055($185)
every 3 hours766km (476 miles)
Fly to Chūbu Centrair (NGO), train5h 55m
¥36,280($265)
every 3 hours993km (617 miles)
Train
5h 35m
¥21,220($155)
every 3 hours815km (507 miles)
Bus
14h 20m
¥14,785($110)
once daily859km (534 miles)
Drive
9h 20m
¥12,460($90)
on demand835km (519 miles)

Top Carriersoperating between Kumamoto and Tanabe

Airlines

Bus companies

Train operators

Airports near Tanabe

The following major airports near Tanabe offer regular flights to various popular destinations within Japan and internationally.

SHM
Shirahama Airport (SHM)
Domestic Airport
Distance
8km (5 miles) from Tanabe
KIX
Kansai International Airport (KIX)
International Airport
Distance
80km (49 miles) from Tanabe
TKS
Tokushima Awaodori Airport (TKS)
Domestic Airport
Distance
85km (53 miles) from Tanabe