Kyushu Railway Company

lit. "Kyushu Passenger Railway Share Company"

• }} (privatization of JNR) Hakata-ku, Fukuoka, Fukuoka Prefecture freight services bus transportation Real estate development other related services Public float (2016–present) Kyushu Shinkansen & Nishi Kyushu Shinkansen

The , also referred to as JR Kyushu, 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 line

• [[File:Shinkansen jrk.svg|25px|■]]Kyushu Shinkansen (Hakata - Kagoshima-Chūō)
• [[File:Shinkansen jrk.svg|25px|■]]Nishi Kyushu Shinkansen (Takeo-Onsen - Nagasaki) ("Nagasaki Shinkansen")

Main lines

• [[File:JRK number JA.svg|25px]] [[File:JRK number JB.svg|25px]]Kagoshima Main Line
• [[File:JRK number JH.svg|25px]]Nagasaki Main Line
• [[File:JRK number JF.svg|25px]]Nippō Main Line
• [[File:JRK number JE.svg|25px]] [[File:JRK number JC.svg|25px]] [[File:JRK number JG.svg|25px]]Chikuhō Main Line: Divided to three segments with different nicknames, namely Haruda Line, Fukuhoku Yutaka Line, and Wakamatsu Line.
• Kyūdai Main Line: Nicknamed Yufu Kōgen Line
• Hōhi Main Line: Nicknamed Aso Kōgen Line

Other lines

• [[File:JRK number JK.svg|25px]]Chikuhi Line
• [[File:JRK number JC.svg|25px]] [[File:JRK number JA.svg|25px]]Fukuhoku Yutaka Line: A nickname for the route formed by portions of Kagoshima Main Line, Chikuhō Main Line, and the whole part of Sasaguri Line.
• [[File:JRK number JJ.svg|25px]]Gotōji Line
• [[File:JRK number JI.svg|25px]]Hitahikosan Line
• [[File:JRK number JE.svg|25px]]Kashii Line
• Hisatsu Line
• Karatsu Line
• Kitto Line
• Misumi Line
• Miyazaki Kūkō Line
• Nichinan Line
• Ōmura Line
• Sasaguri Line
• Sasebo Line
• Ibusuki Makurazaki 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)

Notes

References

References

1. "2024 Integrated Report / ESG Data Book {{!}} Investor Relations {{!}} Kyushu Railway Company".
2. "2024 Integrated Report / ESG Data Book {{!}} Investor Relations {{!}} Kyushu Railway Company".
3. "2024 Integrated Report / ESG Data Book {{!}} Investor Relations {{!}} Kyushu Railway Company".
4. "2024 Integrated Report / ESG Data Book {{!}} Investor Relations {{!}} Kyushu Railway Company".
5. "2024 Integrated Report / ESG Data Book {{!}} Investor Relations {{!}} Kyushu Railway Company".
6. "2024 Integrated Report / ESG Data Book {{!}} Investor Relations {{!}} Kyushu Railway Company".
7. "2024 Integrated Report / ESG Data Book {{!}} Investor Relations {{!}} Kyushu Railway Company".
8. (October 16, 2016). "JR Kyushu Prices IPO at Top End of Range to Raise $4 Billion". Bloomberg L.P..
9. (March 13, 2017). "Company Overview of JR Kyushu Drug Eleven Co., Ltd.". Bloomberg.
10. "[http://www.jrkyushu.co.jp/english/summary.html Corporate Summary] {{webarchive. link. (2009-12-09 ." Kyushu Railway Company. Retrieved on March 27, 2010.)
11. (26 March 2015). "Japan rail company diversifies its way around disadvantages". Nikkei Asian Review.