FAQs

Make a reservation as soon as you decide on your route and date. You can reserve online (PC or smart phone) or by telephone (to the Meiko Bus Reservation Center). For the Osaka route, reservations are accepted starting one month and one day in advance of your travel date. For the Tokyo and Kyoto routes, reservations are accepted starting one month in advance. (Note that different buses start taking reservations at different times.)
All seating is reserved. You can make same-day reservations but you must purchase a bus ticket first.
Round-trip bus tickets are valid for 10 days after using the outward portion of the ticket. (Except on the Tokyo route)
After making a reservation by phone, buy your ticket at the Tanabe Station Information Center or the Shirahama Office of Meiko Bus, at ticket counters of Meiko Bus transport partners, or at Lawson or Family Mart convenience stores.
You can pay by credit card at the Tanabe Station Information Center or the Shirahama Office of Meiko Bus. (Note that certain credit cards are not accepted.)
Meiko Bus Reservation Center
Tel: 0739-33-7001　Hours: 9:00–18:00 (open year round)
Make online reservations at the websites below.
Japan Bus Online　Japan Expressway Bus Net

Where to buy bus tickets

• Meiko Bus Shirahama Office (open 9:00–17:00)
• Tanabe Station Information Center (open 7:50–20:00)
• Nanki-Shirahama Airport (open 9:00–19:00)
• Kinki Nippon Tourist, JTB, Nippon Travel Agency, and other major travel agencies

Osaka buses

• JR Express Bus Terminal, Osaka Station (open 6:15–23:50)
• Namba (OCAT) (open 5:45–23:30)

Kyoto buses

• Meiko Bus office, Kintetsu Kyoto Station (open 10:00–19:00; 9:00–18:00 on Saturdays, Sundays, and public holidays)

Tokyo buses

• Shinjuku Expressway Bus Terminal (open 5:00–24:55)
• Seibu Intercity Bus Ikebukuro Ticket Information Desk (open 6:50–23:30)
• West Information Center, Omiya Station (open 10:00–19:00; 10:00–18:00 on Saturdays, Sundays, and public holidays)
• Yokohama (YCAT) (open 9:30–18:00)

Reserving and issuing tickets at convenience stores

You can reserve and print out tickets at nationwide Lawson convenience stores (using in-store Loppi ticket machine) and Family Mart convenience stores (using in-store FamiPort ticket machine).
You can also print out tickets on these machines after booking by phone or Internet.

About using JTB HTA to purchase tickets

• Tickets purchased using JTB HTA cannot be changed or refunded at convenience stores or bus companies. Contact the JTB HTA Sales Center for inquiries.
• For tickets purchased using JTB HTA, you may not be able to make reservations or print tickets after the first bus departs.

Internet bus ticket vouchers

Internet bus ticket vouchers are a convenient way to issue bus ticket vouchers from a printer at your home or office. On Nippon Travel Agency’s Bus Plaza* website, you can view available seating on express buses, make reservations, pay, and even print out your ticket voucher, all using your own PC and printer.

• To use this site, you must first register as a member. This page is in Japanese only.

Before the ticket is issued, you can cancel by telephone.

To cancel after the ticket has been issued, inquire at the ticket counter of the bus company. (Note: For tickets purchased using JTB HTA, inquire at the JTB HTA Sales Center.)

You can purchase a round-trip discount ticket (not available on certain routes) or coupon tickets (available only for the Shirahama-Osaka route).
For details, refer to the Meiko Bus home page, the pages for each route, bus timetables, or leaflets.
(For round-trip discount ticket fares, refer to the pages for each route.)
To be eligible for the round-trip discount ticket fare, you must purchase it in advance. The outward and return portions of your trip must take the same route, and pass between the same bus stops or between equal fare zones. You cannot purchase them when paying at the bus stop or on the bus on the day you ride.

Prior to the date and time shown on the bus ticket, you can change the date and time of your ticket once, free of charge, to a ticket on the same route and in the same fare zone. This cannot be done by phone: you must do it where you bought the ticket or at a designated ticket sales location. Tickets cannot be changed after the date and time written on the ticket.

• In some cases, you may not be able to change tickets purchased at convenience stores or on the Internet. In that case, use the contact information written on the ticket.

You can either place your luggage on the racks above the seats in the bus, or have it put in the cargo space of the bus. Please keep valuables on your person. Note that for luggage placed in the cargo space, Meiko Bus accepts no responsibility for items damaged, soiled, lost, or stolen. Due to space limitations, only one piece of luggage per person is allowed.
Note that we cannot accept the following items as carry-on luggage or in the cargo space: large items such as folding bicycles and surfboards, skis, snowboards, golf bags, large backpacks for mountain climbing, valuables, dangerous articles, items susceptible to damage, items that may damage the bus, and any other items that may endanger or inconvenience other passengers.

• Wheelchairs that cannot fit in the cargo space cannot be taken on the bus. (Powered wheelchairs cannot be loaded in the cargo space.)

There may be cases when there are major delays arriving at the bus stops or the bus destination due to things like traffic conditions or weather.

• There are no refunds for delays.

Bus service may be suspended if we feel that passenger safety cannot be guaranteed. In such a case, we will contact you via the contact information you provided us when you booked your ticket to inform you of the suspension of service. (If service is suspended, tickets will be refunded with no service charge.)

Except in the case of extra buses running during the busy season, all buses have washrooms. The bus stops at a service area or other location after a certain length of time for the bus driver’s break or a bus inspection. In certain cases like these, passengers may also be allowed to get off the bus for a break.

• Rest stop locations, rest times, and number of rest stops will vary depending on the route. These factors may also vary depending on traffic conditions.

There is one bus driver for the routes between Shirahama and Osaka and Shirahama and Kyoto, and two bus drivers for the routes between Shirahama and Tokyo. On routes, we strive to ensure drivers do not get tired or sleepy by giving them rests or nap breaks, or changing drivers, at locations (rest areas, etc.) predetermined for each route. The replacement driver can take a break or a nap in a dedicated space on the bus so that they are prepared for their next driving duties.

There are children’s fares for elementary school students. These are half the adult fares, with 5 yen rounded up to 10 yen.
Infants (pre-elementary school) are free; however, if they sit in a seat, they will be charged children’s fare.
If you plan to place infants or children on the bus without an adult, please consult Meiko Bus beforehand.

Bus drivers will not wake up passengers before their stop. There will be an announcement over the PA system before each bus stop. We accept no responsibility for passengers who miss their stop.

Dogs legally recognized as assistance dogs, seeing-eye dogs, and hearing-ear dogs may accompany their owners on the bus.

• Animals other than these must be fully enclosed in a pet cage measuring about 90 centimeters for the total of the length, width, and height, with the total weight of pet and cage being no more than 10 kilograms. (Note: Not allowed on the Tokyo and Kyoto routes.)

Note that you may be asked to remove yourself, the pet, and cage from the bus along the way if the pet is noisy, smells bad, leaves its cage, or causes inconvenience to other bus passengers, or if other passengers are allergic to the animal in question. (Note: You will not be refunded.)

Items left on the bus are placed in the lost-and-found of the office of the particular bus route. If the items are not picked up by the owner after a certain period, they will be sent to the nearest police station.
Lost-and-found inquiries

Buses are not equipped with wheelchair lifts. Wheelchairs must be stowed in the cargo space.
Wheelchairs that cannot fit in the cargo space cannot be taken on the bus.（Note: Powered wheelchairs cannot be loaded in the cargo space.）

You can pay by credit card, but only at ticket counters.

Smart transportation cards cannot be used.

Mobile payment apps cannot be used.

Call the Meiko Bus Reservation Center. Tel: 0739-33-7001 (open 9:00–18:00 everyday)

Call the Meiko Bus Reservation Center. Tel: 0739-33-7001 (open 9:00–18:00 everyday)

As a rule, it arrives just before departure. Although the bus never leaves before the scheduled departure time, be sure to be there well in advance of departure.

There is Wi-Fi on Meiko buses.

• Extra buses may not have Wi-Fi.

There are charging outlets on the buses.

You can eat and drink as long as it does not bother other passengers. (Avoid foods with strong smells or foods that are noisy when eaten.)