Airport to train timing question - how long to allow
Landing international at Fukuoka around 12.30pm on a weekday. Then need to take shuttle to domestic terminal and subway to Hakata Station. At Hakata Station we need to collect our JR Pass (purchased online). I'm just wondering which train departing Hakata is realistic to book - one departing at 1.54pm or is 2.54pm more like it? Travelling as a family of 4 (always takes a bit longer than solo, plus also presumably a bit longer collecting the JR Passes). Thank you :)
Why don’t you book the train when you get the JR passes?
Yes, book the train when you activate your pass.
What train and when? Unless you're traveling during the peak, I wouldn't worry about booking in advance.
It's for 25 December. Ok, I will organise this one on the spot at Hakata Station. Thank you
Which JR Pass is this? JR Kyushu desk is located in the center of the concourse while JR West has it in Shinkansen ticket gate side. The peak will start from Dec 28 and 29 this year.
It's the regular JR Pass 14 days. I have it noted in my itinerary to collect it from Central Gate JR Reservation Ticket Office just behind the Hakata Station Information Centre. Does that sound right?
ETflyer, do you know what I can expect roughly for international processing times at Fukuoka airport around 12.30pm on a weekday?
Go to JR Kyushu Ticket Office. You can see a map here. Hakata is near the bottom:
https://japanrailpass.net/en/exchange/
Nobody can predict how long the immigration takes and if there is a delay with your flight. Don't pre-book. December 25th is a normal travel day. It doesn't get busy until the 27th.
The international arrival peak is early morning, 7 - 9 AM. Flights arrive from South East Asian countries (Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam) and morning flights from Taipei, Seoul, and Busan. Second peak is in the evening, later than 6 PM, also from Taiwan and South Korea. This is general information.
As you may imagine, it really depends on how much busy in your own and other aircrafts. Also as I mentioned in other post, South Korea has public holiday on Christmas day. This is another factor to consider.
Thank you ETflyer - seems we’ll be between the main peaks. Yes, I remember 25 Dec is public holiday in South Korea- I still find that rather interesting. We’re leaving that day, so it shouldn’t impact us much, but I have factored it into us getting from Seoul to Incheon. I guess also it might make Nagasaki and Fukuoka busier if lots travel there for holidays.
Do you know when school holidays start in Nagasaki? I’m asking because I notice the tram timetable there shows services run when it’s school holidays. Thank you ☺️
“Yes, I remember 25 Dec is public holiday in South Korea- I still find that rather interesting.”
Christianity is the largest religion in South Korea, with about 29.2% of the population identifying as Christian.
Winter public school is from Dec 25 to Jan 7. This can be said to other regions in Kyushu. Some shift one day earlier or later.
