Expressway bus services on the Kyushu corridor resumed on 17 August 2026, marking a major step forward in the region’s recovery from the magnitude-6.9 earthquake that struck near Kumamoto city on 28 July.
The earthquake caused structural damage to sections of the Kyushu Expressway, forcing highway bus traffic onto slower ordinary roads for the better part of three weeks. After emergency repair work, the highway authority cleared the affected sections for full use on 14 August. Bus operators have now restored their original timetables.
What changed for travellers
Highway buses — including the Fukuoka–Beppu and Fukuoka–Kumamoto services — were rerouted after the earthquake, adding 30 to 60 minutes to journey times depending on traffic. From 17 August, those routes return to the expressway and timetables revert to pre-earthquake schedules.
Rail services on the JR Kyushu network were largely unaffected throughout the disruption. If you are arriving by road from Fukuoka and planning to visit Kumamoto city itself, some smaller local roads near the epicentre remain under repair. We recommend checking Japan Guide’s alerts page or Kumamoto Prefecture’s disaster information portal before driving into the city centre.
Visiting Kyushu now
The expressway reopening is good news for anyone with a Kyushu trip planned. Fukuoka is the main gateway to the island and is again connected to the rest of Kyushu by its full network of express buses. Beppu — Kyushu’s onsen capital — is reachable from Fukuoka by highway bus in roughly two hours under normal traffic conditions, the same as before the earthquake.
There is no reason to avoid the region. The main transport backbone is operating normally, accommodation in Kumamoto and Beppu reported no significant damage to visitor facilities, and popular onsen districts are open. Allow a little extra flexibility for localised roadworks near the epicentre if travelling by rental car.
See our guide to getting around Japan for advice on combining Shinkansen, regional rail, and highway buses when touring Kyushu.