Monday, November 27, 2023

Northern Kyushu Trip 2023 - Day 1 - How to take bus from Fukuoka International Airport to Nagasaki? (2 and half hour journey)

After exiting from the arrival hall of Fukuoka International Airport, we could see the Bus Counter. Original plan was to take the shuttle bus from Fukuoka International Airport to Fukuoka Domestic Airport to take the subway to Hakata Station to purchase Northern Kyushu 3 day pass(will explain about the pass in later posts) and then take the Shinkansen from Hakata Station to Nagasaki Station (need change 2 trains) - total journey would be 2 hours including the subway, shuttle bus etc. 

This option seems too chaotic especially for first timer visiting Fukuoka.
So we decided the next thing to do was take the bus from Fukuoka International Airport all the way to Nagasaki (there's few stops in between). No need to change bus etc. Just leave our luggage in the bus compartment and we just take nap in the bus from Fukuoka Aiport all the way to Nagasaki. The whole journey will be 2 and half hour and cost half of what we would pay to take the Shinkansen.

We can purchase the bus ticket via vending machine or go to the counter. We prefer the counter service and find out more about the bus service.

It is very easy to look at the bus schedule on the board. Looked at the circled Nagasaki and the timing. We missed the 11.02 am bus so we take the next available bus which is 11.42 am. The bus is not full, only half filled. Very smooth and comfortable ride.

After purchasing the bus ticket, we just followed the sign to the bus stop outside the airport.

We need take the bus from Bus Stop No.2. There are serveral buses at Bus Stop 2 that goes different places but there is a staff at the bus stop to guide us so we wont board the wrong bus.


The bus is here and there's free wifi onboard and we sit according to the assigned seat number.

There is a 5 minute toilet break after one hour journey.

Finally after two and half hour we arrived at Nagasaki Bus Terminal.

We just drag our luggage and walked one minute to the main road, we could see our hotel in the opposite direction from the bus terminal.

No need to climb the stairs with our heavy luggage, there's an elevator to bring us up the pedestrian bridge that leads to our hotel.

Our hotel (circled) next to mall and Nagasaki Train Station.

Another option is to make Fukuoka the base of the trip, and just make Nagasaki a day trip instead of staying overnight.

Nagasaki is not too crowded as Fukuoka and lesser people so we prefer to stay 2 nights in Nagasaki for a relaxing trip instead of all the rush and noises. 
 

Monday, November 20, 2023

Northern Kyushu 2023 - Day 1 - Singapore to Fukuoka Airport Japan and transit at Incheon Airport, Seoul, South Korea by Asiana Airlines. How to transfer at Incheon Airport (Transit)?

Yippee, finally after four years since the Covid Pandemic, I started travelling again. 

 As mentioned in previous post I am taking Asiana Airlines to Fukuoka from Singapore. The flight time from Singapore to Seoul is about 6 hours 25 mins, the transit time is less than 2 hours and the flight time from Seoul to Fukuoka is about 1 hour 20 minutes. Total flight hours will be less than 10 hours (including transit time).
First time taking Asiana Airlines, the seats are very spacious and lots of leg room. 

Finally, we arrived Incheon Airport from Singapore after more than 6 hours. We just followed the Green TRANSFER sign and to transfer our flight from Incheon Airport to Fukuoka. We dont have to collect our check in luggages, they were auto transfer to the next flight. We just carried all our hand carried bags.


Just walked into the passageway that had the sign TRANSFER. Super easy.



We need to go through security check again before allowed to go to our boarding gate. Before security check, remember to look out for the gate number of the next flight.

After security, we just enter into the departure hall of Incheon Airport. (No stamping of passport as we did not leave the airport)

There's drinking water located near the toilet, can refill water bottles.

Our next flight from Seoul to Fukuoka was Asiana Airlines and the seats were very spacious too.


Although it is an hour flight, we were served lunch. From Korea to Japan, the lunch was Beef Bulgogi with rice and water.

In no time, we arrived at Fukuoka Airport. Very smooth flight.