Kagoshima City Tram: The Complete Riding Guide

How much it costs

• The tram runs on a single flat fare across the entire network — it doesn't matter if you ride one stop or the full line, the price is the same.
• A discounted fare is available for holders of a Japanese disability handbook (physical, intellectual or mental health) — show it to the driver when you pay.

Tram fare (per ride, one-way)

Local tip: if you'll take 4 or more rides in a day, the one-day pass below usually works out cheaper than paying per ride.

Paying with cash

• Have exact change ready before you get off — hand it to the driver, or place it visibly in the fare box next to the driver's seat.
• No exact change? There's a small change machine by the driver, but it only breaks ¥1,000 notes and ¥500 / ¥100 / ¥50 coins — it can't handle ¥10,000 or ¥5,000 notes, so don't board with only large bills.

Local tip: break large bills at a convenience store before you ride — there's one near almost every tram stop, and it's faster than fumbling with the change machine mid-ride.

Using a Rapica IC card

• Rapica is Kagoshima's own rechargeable transit card — buy one for ¥3,000 (¥2,500 of actual credit plus a ¥500 deposit, refunded if you return the card).
• Tap it on the reader by the middle door when you board, then tap it again on the reader by the front door when you get off — both taps are required, even though the fare never changes with distance.
• Buy or top up a Rapica at Transportation Bureau ticket counters (including one at Kagoshima-Chuo Station), at machines around town, or directly from the driver on board.
• Running low mid-ride? You can top up yourself on the tram using the machine by the driver — feed it ¥1,000 notes, up to ¥3,000 per top-up.

Local tip: get a Rapica if you're staying more than a day or two and plan to hop on and off — it also unlocks small transfer discounts between the tram and city buses (see below).

Tap-to-pay credit or debit card

• Kagoshima's trams also accept contactless (tap-to-pay) credit and debit cards — a separate reader from the Rapica one, but at the same two spots: middle door boarding, front door alighting.
• Tap in when you board and tap out when you get off, exactly like Rapica — skipping either tap causes an error.
• This is the easiest option if you're only in Kagoshima for a day or two: no card to buy, no deposit, no cash to carry.

Local tip: use the same physical card for the whole ride, and don't let your phone tap by mistake if it has two cards loaded — the reader can't tell which one you meant.

Taniyama ↔ Kagoshima-eki-mae

• Runs between Taniyama in the south and Kagoshima Station (鹿児島駅前) in the north, passing through Takamibaba and Tenmonkan-dori along the way.
• Useful if you're staying near Taniyama or heading to Kagoshima Station.

Kōriyama ↔ Kagoshima-eki-mae via Kagoshima-Chuo

• Runs between Kōriyama and Kagoshima Station, but loops via Kagoshima-Chuo Station — useful if your hotel or the Shinkansen is your starting point.
• Also passes through Tenmonkan-dori and Takamibaba, so both lines overlap through the city center.

Stops most visitors actually use

• Kagoshima-Chuo Station-mae — the main gateway stop, next to the Shinkansen station, Amu Plaza mall and most airport buses.
• Tenmonkan-dori — Kagoshima's main shopping and dining arcade, and the place to try shirokuma shaved ice.
• Takamibaba and Kōriyama — the two stops where Line 1 and Line 2 cross, useful if you need to switch lines.
• Kagoshima-eki-mae — the shared northern end of both lines, near the Kagoshima City Aquarium and the Sakurajima ferry terminal.

Switching between the tram and a bus (or another tram)

• Paying with Rapica or a tap-to-pay card: transfer between a city bus and the tram within 60 minutes and ¥200 is deducted from your second fare (¥100 for a child or discounted fare) — it applies automatically, just tap as normal.
• Paying cash and need to switch from Line 1 to Line 2 (or back) at Takamibaba or Kōriyama: ask the driver for a transfer ticket (乗換券) when you pay your first fare, then hand it in on the connecting tram — it's only issued for specific route combinations, so ask if you're not sure yours qualifies.
• One-day and 24-hour pass holders don't need to think about any of this — just show the pass each time you board.

Local tip: this transfer discount is one more reason Rapica is worth getting if you're combining the tram with city buses to reach, say, Sengan-en or the aquarium.

Step-free stops

• Four tram stops meet Japan's barrier-free transport standard, with wide platforms (150cm+) and tactile paving: Kagoshima-Chuo Station-mae, Shiritsu Byoin-mae (City Hospital), Junshin Gakuen-mae, and Kagoshima-eki-mae.
• Wheelchair access at other stops varies — if your route depends on it, it's worth contacting the Transportation Bureau directly before you go.

Can I use my Suica, PASMO or ICOCA card?

No — nationwide transit IC cards aren't accepted on Kagoshima's tram or city buses, even though they work fine on JR trains here. Use a Rapica card, a tap-to-pay credit/debit card, or cash instead.

Do I really need to tap my IC or credit card twice?

Yes — once at the middle door when you board, and again at the front door when you get off. Both taps are required so the system can register your ride correctly, even though the fare itself never changes with distance.

What if I only have a ¥10,000 note?

The onboard change machine can't break it — it only takes ¥1,000 notes and ¥500/¥100/¥50 coins. Break large bills at a convenience store or your hotel before you board.

Is a one-day pass worth it for me?

Do the math on your day: at ¥200 a ride, the ¥700 one-day pass pays for itself on your 4th ride. If you're doing a full loop — hotel to Tenmonkan to Kagoshima Station and back — it's usually worth it.

Where can I buy a Rapica card?

At any Transportation Bureau ticket counter (including inside Kagoshima-Chuo Station), at top-up machines around the city, or directly from the tram driver when you board.