How to travel from Sendai to Oita, Japan

The distance between Sendai and Oita is around 1,240km (770 miles) and the quickest way to get there is to fly and then take the train which takes around 5h 40m.

5 routes found

We've found 5 different ways to get from Sendai to Oita by train, bus, ferry, car and plane. The recommended routes, which include information on duration, ticket price, and level of difficulty, can be found below.

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

🚀 Fastest
1
plane
+
train
+

Plane and Train

Fly from Sendai (SDJ) to Kumamoto (KMJ) then take the train to Oita.

  • Duration5h 40m
  • Flight time2h 30m
  • Typical cost
    ¥86,930($635)
Operated by

Multiple operators

2
3 x train
+

Train

Take the train to Tokyo then Kokura and then to Oita.

  • Duration8h 10m
  • Departshourly
  • Typical cost
    ¥41,755($305)
Operated by

Multiple train operators

3
bus
+
ferry
+

Bus and Ferry

Take the bus to Kobe Sannomiya then take a ferry to Oita.

  • Duration1 day 1h
  • Departsonce daily
  • Typical cost
    ¥31,900($235)
Operated by

Multiple operators

💰 Cheapest
4
3 x bus
+

Bus

Take the bus to Shonaikankobussankan then Oosaka eki mae and then to Chuodori.

  • Duration1 day 1h
  • Departsonce daily
  • Typical cost
    ¥30,665($225)
Operated by

Multiple bus operators

5
car
+

Drive

Drive to Ōita.

  • Duration16h 25m
  • Distance1,412km (877 miles)
Get turn-by-turn directions

Frequently asked questionsabout travel between Sendai and Oita

There are several options for getting from Sendai to Oita by train, bus, ferry, car and plane. The cheapest option is to take the bus which costs around ¥30,665 ($225) and will take around 1 day 1h. If you need to get there more quickly, you can fly and then take the train and arrive in approximately 5h 40m, though it is a bit more costly at approximately ¥86,930 ($635).

The distance between Sendai and Oita is around 1,240km (770 miles). In a direct line (as the crow flies), the distance is 1,005km (624 miles)

It takes around 8h 10m to get from Sendai and Oita by train. If you are travelling by car it will take around 16h 25m to drive there.

The quickest way to get from Sendai to Oita is to fly and then take the train which takes around 5h 40m and will set you back approx ¥86,930 ($635).

The cheapest way to travel between Sendai and Oita, if you exclude driving, is to take the bus which will typically cost around ¥30,665 ($225) for a standard one-way ticket.

Train travel

Yes there is a train service that runs between Sendai and Oita. It typically takes around 8h 10m and departs hourly.

There are no direct train services that runs from Sendai to Oita. However, you can instead can take several connecting trains with a changeover in Tokyo and Kokura. These services run hourly and will take a minimum of 8h 10m.

Japan Railways Shinkansen and Japan Railways Limited Express run train services between Sendai and Oita. Trains depart hourly and will take around 8h 10m, 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 Sendai and Oita. It typically takes around 1 day 1h and departs once daily.

There are no direct bus services that runs from Sendai to Oita. However, you can instead can take several connecting buses with changeovers in Shonaikankobussankan and Oosaka eki mae. These services run once daily and will take a minimum of 1 day 1h.

Shonai Kotsu and Kintetsu Bus run regular bus services between Sendai and Oita. Buses run once daily and take around 1 day 1h on average but will vary depending on you book with.

Flights and Airlines

It doesn't look like you can fly directly from Sendai to Oita. We recommend that you fly from Sendai (SDJ) to Kumamoto (KMJ) then take the train to Oita. instead which will take 5h 40m.

The closest major airport to Oita is Oita Airport (OIT) (OIT) which is approximately 29km (18 miles) from Oita. Yamaguchi Ube Airport (UBJ) (UBJ) and Fukuoka Airport (FUK) (FUK) 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 Sendai and Oita. The distance is around 1,412km (877 miles) by road and it will take around 16h 25m in normal traffic conditons.

If you don't have a car, the easiest way to get from Sendai to Oita is to take the train which takes, on average, 8h 10m and will usually cost around ¥41,755 ($305).

How do I get from Sendai to Oita

Compare travel optionsbetween Sendai and Oita

Transport options from Sendai to Oita
Transport optionDurationCostFrequencyDistance
Plane and Train
5h 40m
¥86,930($635)
twice daily1,240km (770 miles)
Train
8h 10m
¥41,755($305)
hourly1,463km (909 miles)
Bus and Ferry
1 day 1h
¥31,900($235)
once daily1,250km (777 miles)
Bus
1 day 1h
¥30,665($225)
once daily1,514km (941 miles)
Drive
16h 25m
¥20,400($150)
on demand1,412km (877 miles)

Top Carriersoperating between Sendai and Oita

Ferry operators

Bus companies

Train operators

Airports near Oita

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

OIT
Oita Airport (OIT)
Domestic Airport
Distance
29km (18 miles) from Oita
UBJ
Yamaguchi Ube Airport (UBJ)
Domestic Airport
Distance
83km (52 miles) from Oita
FUK
Fukuoka Airport (FUK)
International Airport
Distance
115km (71 miles) from Oita