Kumamoto Will Cut Your Bus and Tram Fare in Half, If You Tap the Right Card

Kumamoto is about to make getting around noticeably cheaper for visitors. Starting October 29, 2026, buses, trams and local trains run by seven operators take 50 percent off fares when riders pay by tapping a contactless credit or debit card, or a phone or wearable set up with one. Japan Travel News gives examples: a ride from Kumamoto Station to Torichosuji drops from 200 yen to 100 yen, and the Hinokuni-go highway bus from Sakuramachi to Tenjin falls from 2,500 yen to 1,250 yen.

No registration is needed, but how you pay matters. The same card or device must be tapped on boarding and again on leaving, except on the Kumamoto City Tram where you tap only when getting off. Tinpan Blog reports that cards from seven brands qualify, including Visa, Mastercard, JCB and American Express, along with debit and prepaid cards. Cash and transit IC cards such as Suica do not count, nor do tickets bought with a credit card at machines or counters.

Some services are excluded. The Kumamoto Airport limousine bus is not part of the scheme, and neither are certain other routes, including the Aso-san line and the Yamabiko and Takachiho buses, according to the Tinpan Blog guide. Travelers heading to Mount Aso or other scenic areas should check each route before assuming the discount applies, and keep a little cash or an IC card handy for the services that fall outside the campaign.

There is also no fixed end date. The promotion runs until the campaign budget is used up, and the budget amount has not been published. That makes it difficult to plan around, so visitors who want to benefit should use it early in a trip rather than counting on it lasting. A trip to Kumamoto Castle, the city’s main attraction, becomes a little cheaper while the offer lasts.

Sources: Japan Travel News, Tinpan Blog