Shimabara Getting there & around

Getting there & around

JR trains on the Nagasaki line run from Nagasaki to Isahaya (kaisoku, ¥450, 25 minutes), which then connect with the private Shimabara-tetsudō line trains departing hourly to Shimabara (futsū, ¥1450, 1¼ hours). Shimabara station is about 350m east of the castle.

Ferries to the Kumamoto coast depart frequently from Shimabara port between 7am and 7pm. There’s a jet ferry (adult/child ¥800/400, 30 minutes) and the slower car ferry (adult/child ¥680/340, one hour). All boats are bound for Kumamoto Port, which is a 30-minute bus ride from the city (¥420).

Local buses shuttle between Shimabara station and the ferry terminal (¥100); a taxi is about ¥900. Bikes can also be rented at the ferry terminal and at the train station (per hour ¥150).