Getting Around, Nagasaki Travel, Transport and Car Rental

(Nagasaki, Kyushu, Japan)

Most international visitors travel to Nagasaki by air transport, after connecting with a domestic flight in Tokyo. Buses and trains can be caught from national destinations and offer a cheaper alternative to flying, although journeys can be long.

Nagasaki's airport is small but modern and offers reasonable facilities and a selection of ground transport. Once you arrive in the city of Nagasaki, you will find that taxis, while expensive, are the most convenient way to travel around.

Nagasaki Airport (NGS) / Arriving by Air

Address: F-593 Mishima, Omura, 856-0816, Japan, JP
Tel: +81 597 52 5555
Nagasaki Airport offers connections to Tokyo, Osaka, Kagoshima and Okinawa, as well as selection of other domestic destinations. It is located approximately 40 km / 25 miles from the city centre with ground transportation to the city taking approximately one hour. Transport options include bus travel, taxis and private car hire. Facilities are somewhat limited but do include shops, banks and a bureau de change, restaurants, a tourist information centre and car hire.

Car Rental

If you wish to hire and travel around by car whilst in Nagasaki, you will need to have either a Japanese driving licence or an International Driving Permit. There are a number of rental transport agencies to be found at the airport and in Nagasaki city centre, which include Mazda Rentacar, Toyota Rentalease and Orix Rentacar. International car rental companies such as Budget, Avis and Hertz can also be found, although their rates can be high. The minimum age for driving in Japan is 18 years.

Book your Nagasaki (Nagasaki) Car Rental here.

Buses and Coaches

It is possible to catch an overnight bus from Kyoto (eleven hours) and Osaka Umeda (ten hours) to Nagasaki. Additional bus transport travels from the Osaka Hankyu Bus Terminal to Nagasaki, with a journey time of around ten hours. There are also two regular buses that travel from Kobe Sannomiya (ten hours) and Himeji (nine hours). Public buses are found in the city centre and can be a little confusing for those who do not speak Japanese.

Trains

There are a number of train routes serving Nagasaki, including a regular half-hourly service from Fukuoka, taking just two hours. There is also train transport available from Kumamoto taking three hours and a bullet train from Tokyo, although this requires a change in Fukuoka. Travel time from Tokyo is approximately eight hours. Costs vary greatly according to class of travel.

Taxis

Taxis can be an expensive way to travel about the city, although they are more convenient than other public transport options. However, if you do not speak Japanese, it is wise to get your destination written down for you by someone who does, as only a handful of taxi drivers in Nagasaki speak English. At times the Japanese address system is confusing, even for local taxi drivers.