Exploring Atami by Bus: A Guide for International Visitors
28 May 2025
Atami, a coastal town famous for its hot springs, beautiful scenery and cultural sites, offers a convenient and economical way to explore its attractions through the local bus service. This article explains how to take a local bus in Atami.
Two Bus Operators
Travelling around Atami is most easily done by bus. There are two bus operators:
Tokai Bus
Izu Hakone Bus
These two bus operators cover different routes. Visitors usually use a combination of both companies when sightseeing in Atami. Each operator has its own ticketing system. Tickets for the Tokai Bus cannot be used on the Izu Hakone Bus and vice versa. In addition, you can use IC cards such as SUICA and PASMO with both operators.
Recommendations for using IC cards
When taking the bus in Atami, it is strongly recommended to purchase an IC card such as 'SUICA'. Although these require advance payment, they allow you to take the bus by simply touching in with the card. You do not need to purchase tickets or have cash ready. In addition, the fare is calculated automatically when you use the IC card.
Travelling on the bus
Here are some tips for travelling in Atami. An important thing to remember is that in Atami, you board the bus from the front, get off from the front, and pay the fare when you get off. The fare varies depending on the distance.
Find the bus stop
In Atami, there is usually a green or orange sign at the bus stop, as shown in the picture below. You just wait for the bus to come.
Get on and off through the front door of the bus
In Japan, the rules for getting on the bus vary from region to region, for example, which doors to use. In Atami, you get on and off a bus via the front door. Please note that, although there is a door in the middle of the bus, it does not open.
Pay the fare: The fare is calculated at the end of the journey
As we mentioned earlier, local buses in Atami charge fares based on the distance travelled, and you pay when you get off. The boarding procedure is different depending on whether you use an IC card like SUICA or pay with cash.
IC card users (Suica)
Fares are determined according to the distance you travel, not the number of journeys. For this reason, IC card users need to touch the card on a blue reader both when getting on and off the bus. There are separate readers to use, both of which are blue. One is used when getting on and the other when getting off the bus, as shown in the picture below.
When getting off the bus, touch your IC card again on the card reader next to the driver’s seat. Please note that the card reader used when getting off is different from the one used when boarding.
Paying by cash
First, when you board the bus, you take a numbered ticket from a machine colored orange near the driver. Your number will be displayed on the electronic board at the front of the bus. This board is updated frequently and shows the fare corresponding to each number.
As you approach your final stop, check the board for the price you need to pay. When you get off, put the fare and the numbered ticket into the fare box. If you intend to pay by cash, you should make sure you have coins with you as the driver cannot give you any change.
One-day tickets
The Tokai Bus and Izu Hakone Bus both offer one-day tickets, which are valid on their own routes only. In order for these to be worth purchasing, you would have to make at least five journeys in one day. Therefore, unless you plan to take multiple journeys, single fares will probably work out best for you.
