How Do You Get to Yufuin from Fukuoka? The Yufuin no Mori Train and Driving Tips

Published 2026-10-04 · Sources checked 2026-10-04 · Treasure Hunting Co., Ltd.

This guide is for visitors travelling to Yufuin, a hot spring town in Yufu City, Oita Prefecture, usually from Hakata in Fukuoka. It covers the Yufuin no Mori train, what the railway says about crowded trains, tips for driving in and out of town and the rules for visitors.

We used pages from JR Kyushu and from the Yufu City Tourism Bureau, which runs the official Yufu travel guide, all read on 2026-10-04. Timetables and notices change, so check the current ones before you travel.

The short answer: the Yufuin no Mori train, if you can get a seat

JR Kyushu runs a resort train called Yufuin no Mori. It describes it as a train that leads you to Yufuin, with a warm wooden interior. A cabin attendant gives travel information on some services shortly before arrival. The train has a bar counter that sells lunch boxes, drinks and sweets. Some lunch boxes and sweets can only be bought by booking in advance.

JR Kyushu's timetable, as of January 2026, shows two round trips a day between Hakata and Yufuin, and one between Hakata and Beppu. The operating hours changed from 14 March 2026, so check the current timetable. We did not copy times here.

A warning about full trains

JR Kyushu's page carries a notice. It says the limited expresses Yufuin no Mori and Yufu are in high demand, and seats are fully booked day after day. For customers travelling to Yufuin, it encourages them to consider the route via Kokura and Oita.

JR Kyushu's page gives no detail on that route's times or fares, so we did not check them. Book early if you want the Yufuin no Mori.

On board and at the station

• Because the train is a double-decker, there are steps to board. The aisles are narrow, at 550 mm. JR Kyushu says a wheelchair may not fit and asks passengers to tell staff in advance.
• On the way, JR Kyushu says you can see the Minou Mountains between Kurume and Hita. After Amagase, the Jion-no-taki Falls appear on the right side on the way to Yufuin. The falls are lit at night.
• There is a footbath on Platform 1 at Yufuin Station. JR Kyushu says it uses hot spring water straight from the source, so you can use it while waiting for a train.

If you come by car

The Yufuin tourism guide posted driving tips for the Silver Week holidays in September 2026. They apply to busy days in general:

• Heavy traffic builds up in central Yufuin, especially on Route 216. Allow plenty of extra time.
• If you leave the Oita Expressway at Yufuin IC, the road straight ahead (Route 216) can jam badly at some hours. The guide suggests turning right at the signal in front of the IC exit, onto Route 210, and then joining Route 11 (the Beppu–Ichinomiya line) to avoid the jam.
• Many roads in Yufuin are narrow, one-way or dead ends. A route shown by GPS may be a private path too narrow for a car.
• Use the designated paid car parks. Parking on private land or on the street illegally is strictly prohibited.

The guide also links an AI camera service with live video of the town centre, shown from 9 am to 5 pm. We did not check how to use it.

Luggage and information

The Yufu City Tourism Bureau runs the Tourist Information Center in Yufuin. It lists services for sightseeing information, travel products, bike hire and a luggage service called Yufuin Chikki, which holds and delivers bags. We did not check prices or hours.

What the city asks of visitors

Yufu City's litter ordinance has been in force since 1 April 2025. Across the whole city:

• Littering of any kind is prohibited. This includes cans, plastic bottles, paper scraps and cigarette butts.
• Dog owners must pick up their pet's waste in public places.
• Visitors should not smoke while walking, or where there is no public ashtray. The guide suggests a portable ashtray.

In a priority zone around Yufuin town and the Yunotsubo street, some acts can bring a fine. The Japanese text of the notice gives the fine as 2,000 yen for littering, for not picking up pet waste and for smoking outside designated places.

What we could not verify, and therefore left out

• Journey times and fares between Hakata and Yufuin, by train or bus.
• Whether a direct highway bus is running now, and its operator. We found no official page for it.
• The current Yufuin no Mori timetable. JR Kyushu's page shows an older table and a notice of changes.
• How the Kokura and Oita route works for a visitor.
• Whether the Kyushu Shinkansen, which was partly suspended after the earthquake of 28 July 2026, affects trips to Yufuin. JR Kyushu says it resumed on the whole line from 18 September 2026.

Related guides

• What are the five hot spring areas of Yufu? Yufuin, Yunohira, Tsukahara, Shonai and Hasama
• How do you stay safe in Yufuin? Mountain roads, volcanoes and heavy rain

Sources

All URLs retrieved 2026-10-04.

1. YUFUIN NO MORI (JR Kyushu) — (the train; demand notice; Kokura–Oita route; steps and aisle width; footbath; timetable summary)
2. 連休中の渋滞時には裏道の活用を！ Holiday Traffic Peak (9/20–9/23) (Yufu City Tourism Bureau) — (driving tips for Yufuin)
3. 「由布市ポイ捨て等の防止に関する条例」2025年4月1日施行されました Litter Prevention Ordinance in Yufu City (Yufu City Tourism Bureau) — (litter ordinance; priority zone; fines)
4. 運営団体について (Yufu City Tourism Bureau) — (Tourist Information Center services)
5. Future Service Outlook Following the Kumamoto Earthquake (JR Kyushu) — (Kyushu Shinkansen resumed on the whole line from 18 September 2026)