The , also referred to as , is one of the seven constituent companies of

Japan Railways Group The Japan Railways Group, more commonly known as the or simply JR, consists of seven for-profit stock companies that took over most of the assets and operations of the government-owned Japanese National Railways (JNR) on April 1, 1987. Mo ...

(JR Group). It operates

intercity rail Inter-city rail services are express passenger train services that run services that connect cities over longer distances than commuter or regional trains. There is no precise definition of inter-city rail; its meaning may vary from country ...

services within

Kyushu is the third-largest island of Japan's five main islands and the most southerly of the four largest islands ( i.e. excluding Okinawa). In the past, it has been known as , and . The historical regional name referred to Kyushu and its surroun ...

Japan Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...

and the

JR Kyushu Jet Ferry 250px, Beetle ferry is a hydrofoil ferry service that travels between Fukuoka, Japan and Busan, South Korea. It is operated by JR Kyushu Jet Ferry, a division of Kyushu Railway Company. Although journey times are longer, ferry travel is generally ...

Beetle

hydrofoil A hydrofoil is a lifting surface, or foil, that operates in water. They are similar in appearance and purpose to aerofoils used by aeroplanes. Boats that use hydrofoil technology are also simply termed hydrofoils. As a hydrofoil craft gains sp ...

service across the

Tsushima Strait or Eastern Channel (동수로 Dongsuro) is a channel of the Korea Strait, which lies between Korea and Japan, connecting the Sea of Japan, the Yellow Sea, and the East China Sea. The strait is the channel to the east and southeast of Tsushima ...

between

Fukuoka is the sixth-largest city in Japan, the second-largest port city after Yokohama, and the capital city of Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan. The city is built along the shores of Hakata Bay, and has been a center of international commerce since ancie ...

and

Busan Busan (), officially known as is South Korea's most populous city after Seoul, with a population of over 3.4 million inhabitants. Formerly romanized as Pusan, it is the economic, cultural and educational center of southeastern South Korea, w ...

South Korea South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea (ROK), is a country in East Asia, constituting the southern part of the Korea, Korean Peninsula and sharing a Korean Demilitarized Zone, land border with North Korea. Its western border is formed ...

. It also operates hotels, restaurants, and drugstores across its service region. JR Kyushu's headquarters are in

Hakata-ku, Fukuoka is a ward of the city of Fukuoka in Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan. Many of Fukuoka Prefecture and Fukuoka City's principal government, commercial, retail and entertainment establishments are located in the district. Hakata-ku is also the location o ...

.Corporate Summary
." Kyushu Railway Company. Retrieved on March 27, 2010.

History

When

Japanese National Railways The abbreviated JNR or , was the business entity that operated Japan's national railway network from 1949 to 1987. Network Railways As of June 1, 1949, the date of establishment of JNR, it operated of narrow gauge () railways in all 46 pref ...

was divided in 1987, Kyushu Railway Company inherited its assets and operations on the island of

along with losses of around 28.8 billion yen, exacerbated by a growing highway network in Kyushu and many lightly used rural lines. After privatization, JR Kyushu diversified its business into new ventures such as fish and mushroom farming and car sales. Two of its more successful side ventures were the ''Beetle'' ferry, started in 1991, and the Train d'or bakery chain, started in 1992. JR Kyushu also built up its premium rail services through the development of the

Kyushu Shinkansen The is a Japanese Shinkansen high-speed railway network. It is an extension of the San'yō Shinkansen from Honshu connecting the city of Fukuoka (Hakata Station) in the north of Japan's Kyushu Island to the city of Kagoshima ( Kagoshima-Chuo St ...

high-speed rail High-speed rail (HSR) is a type of rail system that runs significantly faster than traditional rail, using an integrated system of specialised rolling stock and dedicated tracks. While there is no single standard that applies worldwide, lines ...

line and the ''

Seven Stars in Kyushu The is a deluxe sleeping car excursion train operated by Kyushu Railway Company (JR Kyushu) in Japan since October 2013. Design The overall design concept of the train was overseen by industrial designer Eiji Mitooka. The name of the train is ...

'' luxury

excursion train An excursion train is a chartered train run for a special event or purpose. Examples are trains to major sporting event, trains run for railfans or tourists, and special trains operated by the railway company for employees and prominent customer ...

. The company introduced

SUGOCA is a Japanese rechargeable contactless smart card ticketing system for public transport in Fukuoka Prefecture and environs. The Kyūshū Railway Company (JR Kyūshū) introduced the system on 1 March 2009. The name is an acronym of "Smart Urban ...

, a

smart card A smart card, chip card, or integrated circuit card (ICC or IC card) is a physical electronic authentication device, used to control access to a resource. It is typically a plastic credit card-sized card with an embedded integrated circuit (IC) c ...

ticketing system, from 1 March 2009. JR Kyushu executed its

initial public offering An initial public offering (IPO) or stock launch is a public offering in which shares of a company are sold to institutional investors and usually also to retail (individual) investors. An IPO is typically underwritten by one or more investment ...

in October 2016. Non-railway operations account for roughly 60% of the company's sales and most of its profits.

Lines

Shinkansen line

(Kagoshima Route) *

Nishi Kyushu Shinkansen The is a Japanese Shinkansen high-speed rail line on the northwest part of Kyushu Island that is operated by the Kyushu Railway Company (JR Kyushu). A segment of the line that connects Nagasaki to commenced service on 23 September 2022. The ...

Main lines

Kagoshima Main Line The is a major railway line operated by the Kyushu Railway Company (JR Kyushu) between Mojikō in Kitakyushu, and Kagoshima Station in Kagoshima City, at the southern end of Kyushu. Until March 13, 2004, it extended 393 km between its two ...

Nagasaki Main Line The , or simply Nagasaki Line, is a railway line owned by the Kyushu Railway Company (JR Kyushu) connecting Tosu Station in Saga Prefecture to Nagasaki Station in Nagasaki Prefecture, Japan. There is a separate branch of this line from Kikitsu S ...

Kyūdai Main Line The is a railway line in Kyushu, Japan, operated by the Kyushu Railway Company (JR Kyushu). It connects Kurume Station, Kurume in Fukuoka Prefecture and Ōita Station, Ōita in Ōita Prefecture. It is also known as the Yufu Kōgen Line. The ...

: Nicknamed Yufu Kōgen Line *

Hōhi Main Line The is a railway line in Kyushu, southern Japan, operated by the Kyushu Railway Company (JR Kyushu). It connects the west and east coasts of the island. The line originates at Kumamoto Station in Kumamoto and ends at terminal of Ōita Station ...

: Nicknamed Aso Kōgen Line *

Nippō Main Line The is a railway line in Kyushu, in southern Japan, operated by Kyushu Railway Company (JR Kyushu). The line connects Kokura Station in Kitakyushu, Fukuoka, and Kagoshima Station in Kagoshima via the east coast of Kyushu, passing through the pr ...

Chikuhō Main Line The is a railway line in Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan, operated by Kyushu Railway Company (JR Kyushu). It connects Wakamatsu Station in Kitakyushu with Haruda Station in Chikushino. Between Orio Station and Haruda Station, as well as from Keisen S ...

: Divided to three segments with different nicknames, namely Haruda Line, Fukuhoku Yutaka Line, and Wakamatsu Line.

Other lines

Chikuhi Line The is a railway line in Kyushu, Japan, connecting Meinohama Station in Fukuoka, Fukuoka (and via a subway through service, Fukuoka itself) to Karatsu Station in Karatsu, Saga, and from Yamamoto Station in Karatsu to Imari Station in Imari, ...

Fukuhoku Yutaka Line The is the collective name for four sections of railway lines operated by Kyushu Railway Company (JR Kyushu) in Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan. It runs between Kurosaki Station and Hakata station (66.6 km). The sections called Fukuhoku Yutaka L ...

: A nickname for the route formed by portions of Kagoshima Main Line, Chikuhō Main Line, and the whole part of Sasaguri Line. *

Gotōji Line The is a Japanese railway line in Fukuoka Prefecture connecting Tagawa-Gotōji Station in the city of Tagawa and Shin-Iizuka Station in the city of Iizuka. It is part of the JR Kyushu network. Basic data *Operator, distances: **Kyushu Railway ...

Hisatsu Line The is a railway line in Kyushu, Japan, operated by the Kyushu Railway Company (JR Kyushu). It connects Yatsushiro, Kumamoto, Yatsushiro on the Kagoshima Main Line to Hayato station, Kirishima, Kagoshima , Kirishima on the Nippo Main Line. Fro ...

Hitahikosan Line The is a railway line in Japan, operated by Kyushu Railway Company (JR Kyushu). It connects Jōno Station in Kitakyushu, Fukuoka Prefecture with Yoake Station in Hita, Ōita Prefecture and features the 4380 m Shakadake Tunnel between Chikuzen ...

Ibusuki Makurazaki Line The is a railway line in Kagoshima Prefecture, Japan, operated by the Kyushu Railway Company (JR Kyushu). It connects Kagoshima-Chūō Station in Kagoshima, to Makurazaki Station in Makurazaki, paralleling the eastern and southern coasts of ...

Kashii Line The is a railway line in Japan operated by Kyushu Railway Company (JR Kyushu). It connects Saitozaki Station in Fukuoka with Umi Station in Umi. Stations History The Hakata Bay Railway Co. opened the Saitozaki - Sue section in 1904, extendin ...

Karatsu Line The is a regional railway line in Saga Prefecture, Japan, owned and operated by Kyushu Railway Company (JR Kyushu). It connects in Saga City to in Karatsu City, both in Saga Prefecture, Japan. The line was originally constructed to carry co ...

Kitto Line The is a railway line on the island of Kyushu, Japan. It connects Yoshimatsu Station in Yūsui, Kagoshima Prefecture with Miyakonojō Station in Miyakonojō, Miyazaki Prefecture. It is also known as together with the – segment of the H ...

Misumi Line is a railway line in Kyushu, Japan, operated by the Kyushu Railway Company (JR Kyushu). It connects Uto Station in Uto, Kumamoto Prefecture with Misumi Station in Uki Uki or UKI may refer to: *Uki Goñi, writer, journalist and musician *Uki, N ...

Miyazaki Kūkō Line The is a railway line in Kyushu, Japan, operated by Kyushu Railway Company (JR Kyushu). It connects Tayoshi Station in Miyazaki, Miyazaki with Miyazaki Airport Station. Trains continue to and from Minami-Miyazaki Station and Miyazaki Sta ...

Nichinan Line The is a railway line in south-eastern Kyushu, Japan, operated by Kyushu Railway Company (JR Kyushu). It connects Minami-Miyazaki Station in Miyazaki, Miyazaki to Shibushi Station in Shibushi, Kagoshima. History The Miyazaki Prefectural G ...

Ōmura Line is a railway line in Nagasaki Prefecture, Japan, operated by the Kyushu Railway Company (JR Kyushu). It connects Haiki Station in Sasebo to Isahaya Station in Isahaya. From 1898 the line was part of the Nagasaki Main Line until the Hizen Yamaguch ...

Sasaguri Line is a railway line in Japan operated by Kyushu Railway Company (JR Kyushu). It connects Keisen Station in Keisen, Fukuoka with Yoshizuka Station in Fukuoka, Fukuoka. Stations History The Kyushu Railway Co. opened the Yoshizuka - Sasaguri sec ...

Sasebo Line The is a railway line in Kyushu, Japan, operated by the Kyushu Railway Company (JR Kyushu). It connects Kōhoku Station in Kōhoku, Saga Prefecture to Sasebo Station in Sasebo, Nagasaki Prefecture. It is part of the route connecting Sasebo wit ...

Limited express and tourist train services

* ''

Ariake Ariake (有明: "daybreak") may refer to: Places in Japan *Ariake, Kagoshima, a former town in Kagoshima Prefecture *Ariake, Kumamoto, a former town in Kumamoto Prefecture *Ariake, Saga, a former town in Saga Prefecture *Ariake, Tokyo, a district w ...

'' ( Hakata -

Kumamoto is the capital city of Kumamoto Prefecture on the island of Kyushu, Japan. , the city has an estimated population of 738,907 and a population density of 1,893 people per km2. The total area is 390.32 km2. had a population of 1,461,000, ...

) * ''

Aru Ressha The is a replica of a J. G. Brill Company two-car deluxe coach operated as an excursion train by Kyushu Railway Company (JR Kyushu) in Japan since August 2015. Overview Details of the planned excursion train, provisionally called the "Sweets T ...

'' ( Ōita - Hita ''April to June'')(

Sasebo is a core city located in Nagasaki Prefecture, Japan. It is also the second largest city in Nagasaki Prefecture, after its capital, Nagasaki. On 1 June 2019, the city had an estimated population of 247,739 and a population density of 581 persons p ...

Nagasaki is the capital and the largest city of Nagasaki Prefecture on the island of Kyushu in Japan. It became the sole port used for trade with the Portuguese and Dutch during the 16th through 19th centuries. The Hidden Christian Sites in the ...

''July to September'') * ''

Aso Boy The is a limited express train service in Kyushu, Japan, operated by Kyushu Railway Company (JR Kyushu) since June 2011. The train normally runs between and via on the Hōhi Main Line. Service pattern and station stops Services normally op ...

'' (Kumamoto - Miyaji) * ''

A-Train is a series of business simulation video games developed and published by Japanese game developer Artdink in Japan. The first game in the series was published in 1985. The first release in the United States was ''Take the A-Train II'', published ...

'' (Kumamoto - Misumi) * ''

Hayato no Kaze The was a limited express service in Japan which ran between Kagoshima-Chūō Station and Yoshimatsu Station via the Kagoshima Main Line, Nippō Main Line, and Hisatsu Line. It was operated by Kyushu Railway Company (JR Kyushu). Its final ru ...

'' (Kagoshima-Chūō - Yoshimatsu) * ''

Huis Ten Bosch Huis ten Bosch ( nl, Paleis Huis ten Bosch, ; English: "House in the Woods") is a royal palace in The Hague, Netherlands. It is one of three official residences of the Dutch monarch; the two others being the Noordeinde Palace in The Hague and ...

'' (Hakata -

) * ''

Ibusuki no Tamatebako The is a limited express service operated by Kyushu Railway Company (JR Kyushu) in Japan since March 2011. It operates between Kagoshima-Chūō Station and Ibusuki Station via the Ibusuki Makurazaki Line. Service pattern There are three return ...

'' (Kagoshima-Chūō -

Ibusuki is a city located in Kagoshima Prefecture, Japan, founded on April 1, 1954. In March 1, 2012, the city had an estimated population of 43,931, with 19,119 households and a population density of 294.82 persons per km2. However the census of 2020 con ...

) * '' Isaburo & Shinpei'' ( Hitoyoshi - Yoshimatsu) * '' Kaiō'' (Hakata - Nōgata) * ''Kasasagi'' (Hakata - Hizen-Kashima) * ''

Kawasemi Yamasemi is a two-car limited express train operated by Kyushu Railway Company (JR Kyushu) in Japan. Overview On November 9, 2016, JR Kyushu released a press release detailing its new themed limited express, ''Kawasemi Yamasemi'', scheduled to debut in spr ...

'' (Kumamoto - Hitoyoshi) * '' Kirameki'' ( Mojikō - Hakata) * '' Kirishima'' ( Miyazaki - Kagoshima-Chūō) * ''

Kumagawa The is a limited express train service in Japan operated by Kyushu Railway Company The , also referred to as , is one of the seven constituent companies of Japan Railways Group (JR Group). It operates intercity rail services within Kyushu, J ...

'' (Kumamoto - Hitoyoshi) * ''

Midori Midori (みどり, ミドリ, , , ) is the Japanese word for "green" and may refer to: Places * Midori, Gunma * Midori-ku, Chiba * Midori-ku, Nagoya * Midori-ku, Sagamihara * Midori-ku, Saitama * Midori-ku, Yokohama People Given name * Mi ...

'' (Hakata - Sasebo) * ''

Nichirin The and are limited express train services in Japan operated by JR Kyushu which run from Miyazaki Airport station to Oita and the Sea Gaia service continues to Beppu and Hakata. The ''Dream Nichirin'' overnight train service from Hakata and M ...

''/'' Nichirin Seagaia'' (

Kokura is an ancient castle town and the center of Kitakyushu, Japan, guarding the Straits of Shimonoseki between Honshu and Kyushu with its suburb Moji. Kokura is also the name of the penultimate station on the southbound San'yō Shinkansen lin ...

- Miyazaki Kūkō) * ''

Relay Kamome is a limited express train operated by JR Kyushu in Japan. It operates between Hakata and Nagasaki on the Kagoshima Main Line and the Nagasaki Main Line. ''Kamome'' means seagull in Japanese. As of 23 September 2022, the name was inherited by ...

'' (Hakata - Takeo-Onsen) * ''

'' (Circular tours of Kyushu) * ''

SL Hitoyoshi The SL Hitoyoshi (SL 人吉) is a named steam hauled excursion train operated by the Kyushu Railway Company ( JR Kyushu) on the Kagoshima Main Line and the Hisatsu Line since April 2009. Overview The SL Hitoyoshi runs a return journey between K ...

'' (Kumamoto - Hitoyoshi/Kumamoto - Tosu) * ''

Sonic Sonic or Sonics may refer to: Companies *Sonic Drive-In, an American drive-in fast-food restaurant chain *Sonic (ISP), an Internet provider and CLEC, serving more than 100 California communities *Sonic Foundry, a computer software company whic ...

'' (Hakata - Ōita) * ''

Trans-Kyushu Limited Express The is a limited express train service in Japan operated by Kyushu Railway Company (JR Kyushu) which runs between Beppu and Kumamoto, via . Rolling stock * KiHa 185 series DMU: 1992 - present History The ''Trans-Kyushu Limited Express'' was int ...

'' (Hitoyoshi - Ōita) * '' Umisachi-Yamasachi'' (Miyazaki - Nangō) * ''

Yufu is a city in Ōita Prefecture, Japan. The modern city of Yufu was established on October 1, 2005, from the merger of the towns of Hasama, Shōnai, and Yufuin (all from Ōita District). , the city has an estimated population of 33,120, and ...

'' / '' Yufu DX''/''

Yufuin-no-mori , , and are limited express train services operated by Kyushu Railway Company (JR Kyushu) which run from Hakata via Yufuin to Ōita and Beppu on the Kyudai Main Line. Rolling stock * KiHa 71 series DMU: 1989–present (''Yufuin no Mori'') ...

'' (Hakata - Ōita)

Notes

References

External links

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{{Authority control Railway companies established in 1987 Companies based in Fukuoka Prefecture Transport in Fukuoka