The Kyushu Railway Company, also referred to as JR Kyushu (JR九州, Jeiāru Kyūshū), is one of the seven constituent companies of Japan Railways Group (JR Group). It operates intercity rail services within Kyushu, Japan. It formerly operated the Beetle hydrofoil service across the Tsushima Strait between Fukuoka and Busan, South Korea, before its discontinuation in 2024. It also operates hotels, restaurants, and drugstores across its service region. JR Kyushu's headquarters are in Hakata-ku, Fukuoka.
History
When Japanese National Railways was divided in 1987, Kyushu Railway Company inherited its assets and operations on the island of Kyushu 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 high-speed rail line and the Seven Stars in Kyushu luxury excursion train.
The company introduced SUGOCA, a smart card ticketing system, from 1 March 2009.
JR Kyushu executed its initial public offering in October 2016. Non-railway operations account for roughly 60% of the company's sales and most of its profits.
Lines
Shinkansen lines
Main lines
Other lines
- Chikuhi Line
- Fukuhoku Yutaka Line (a service name for the route formed by the Sasaguri Line and portions of the Kagoshima and Chikuhō main lines)
- Gotōji Line
- Hitahikosan Line
- Kashii Line
- Hisatsu Line
- Ibusuki Makurazaki Line
- Karatsu Line
- Kitto Line
- Misumi Line
- Miyazaki Kūkō Line
- Nichinan Line
- Ōmura Line
- Sasebo Line
Limited express and tourist train services
- Ariake (Hakata - Kumamoto)
- Aru Ressha (Ōita - Hita April to June)(Sasebo - Nagasaki July to September)
- Aso Boy (Kumamoto - Miyaji)
- A-Train (Kumamoto - Misumi)
- Hayato no Kaze (Kagoshima-Chūō - Yoshimatsu)
- Huis Ten Bosch (Hakata - Huis Ten Bosch)
- Ibusuki no Tamatebako (Kagoshima-Chūō - Ibusuki)
- Isaburo & Shinpei (Hitoyoshi - Yoshimatsu)
- Kaiō (Hakata - Nōgata)
- Kasasagi (Hakata - Hizen-Kashima)
- Kawasemi Yamasemi (Kumamoto - Hitoyoshi)
- Kirameki (Mojikō - Hakata)
- Kirishima (Miyazaki - Kagoshima-Chūō)
- Kumagawa (Kumamoto - Hitoyoshi)
- Midori (Hakata - Sasebo)
- Nichirin/Nichirin Seagaia (Kokura - Miyazaki Kūkō)
- Relay Kamome (Hakata - Takeo-Onsen)
- Seven Stars in Kyushu (Circular tours of Kyushu)
- SL Hitoyoshi (Kumamoto - Hitoyoshi/Kumamoto - Tosu)
- Sonic (Hakata - Ōita)
- Trans-Kyushu Limited Express (Hitoyoshi - Ōita)
- Umisachi-Yamasachi (Miyazaki - Nangō)
- Yufu / Yufu DX/Yufuin-no-mori (Hakata - Ōita)
