Sun Q Pass

The Sun Q Pass is a pass for unlimited use of most buses on Kyushu. The pass is valid on local buses and long-distance buses and can get travelers to most places around the island. It is sold inside Japan or as a digital ticket and can be used by foreign tourists and residents of Japan. It is an interesting alternative to the Kyushu Rail Pass.

In addition to the "All Kyushu" version of the pass, there exist also versions for "Northern Kyushu" and "Southern Kyushu", which can be used just in the respective halves of Kyushu.

Purchase the Sun Q Pass

Sun Q Pass
Type	Duration	Digital ticket	Paper ticket
All Kyushu	3 days	12,000 yen	14,000 yen
	4 days	15,000 yen	17,000 yen
Northern Kyushu	2 days	8,000 yen	n/a
	3 days	10,000 yen	12,000 yen
Southern Kyushu	3 days	8,500 yen	10,000 yen

The map below shows major long distance bus lines which are covered by the Sun Q Pass:

Validity

1. Unlimited use of local buses and highway buses of participating companies, which, according to the bus operators, account for over 2000 routes and 99 percent of all bus lines on Kyushu. The pass is not valid on bus lines which start or end outside of Kyushu, except a few lines to the Shimonoseki area on the westernmost tip of Honshu.
2. The pass is also valid on a small number of ferries, including between Kagoshima and Sakurajima and between Kumamoto and the Shimabara Peninsula.
3. Seat reservations can be made for free for long distance buses that require seat reservations.
4. Digital tickets are valid flexibly on two days within a 3-day period, three days within a 5-day period or four days within a 7-day period, while paper tickets need to be used on consecutive days. A day is defined to start and end at 3am, and the pass needs to be valid at the time of bording the bus (as opposed to getting off). In other words: if you board an ovenight bus before 3am, you are allowed to keep riding the bus until the following morning without using another day of your pass.
5. The "Northern Kyushu" pass is valid only in Fukuoka, Saga, Nagasaki, Oita and Kumamoto prefectures and the Shimonoseki area, while the "Southern Kyushu" pass is valid only in Kumamoto, Miyazaki and Kagoshima prefectures.
6. The pass can be used by foreign tourists and residents of Japan alike.
7. Pass holders are entitled to discounts and free gifts at designated sightseeing spots, hotels and restaurants across Kyushu.

Point of sale

The Sun Q Pass can be purchased either as a digital ticket to be used on a smartphone or as a paper ticket. Digital tickets are sold on the official website or through websites such as Japan Experience and Klook. Paper tickets are more expensive and sold at bus terminals across Kyushu and at a few bus terminals in the rest of Japan.

Purchase the Sun Q Pass

Assessment

In Kyushu, highway buses are often an attractive alternative to trains, because buses tend to be considerably cheaper than express trains and they are about equally fast as trains (except the shinkansen). On some routes, buses are even faster. The Sun Q Pass makes bus travel in Kyushu easier and more convenient and can also make it cheaper.

However, for the pass to pay off, the pass holder has to cover long distances within a short time period. For example, even a round trip between Fukuoka and distant Kagoshima still comes cheaper by regular ticket (8,000 yen) than by the 3-day pass (12,000 yen). On the positive side, the pass also covers most urban and local bus transportation and provides comfort over purchasing single tickets.

Alternative tickets

The Kyushu Rail Pass is the almost identical offer for trains in Kyushu. Depending on the individual itinerary, either pass could be more suitable. Unlike the Sun Q Pass, the Kyushu Rail Pass is not available to residents of Japan.