Getting around · Hiroshima · Japan
Getting around Hiroshima
Public transport, passes, airport connections and when a car makes sense.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: DXR, CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answer
Central Hiroshima is flat and compact, and its trams (Hiroden) link the station, the Peace Park, downtown and Miyajimaguchi. JR trains are quicker to Miyajimaguchi, and ferries take about 10 minutes from there to Miyajima. No.
Key facts
- Main way around
- Tram
- Airports
- HIJ, IWK
- Need a car?
- No
- Travel pass
- Hiroden one-day passes
Ways to get around
Tram
Hiroden trams run from Hiroshima Station to Genbaku Dome-mae (the Peace Park) in about 15–20 minutes, with a flat fare in the city; line 2 continues to Miyajimaguchi in about an hour.
Pay with a nationwide IC card such as Suica or ICOCA when you get off.
Walking
The Peace Park, Hondori, Shukkei-en and the castle are within about 20 minutes of each other on foot, along flat riverside streets.
Train
JR Sanyo line trains reach Miyajimaguchi from Hiroshima Station in about 25–30 minutes, and JR lines serve Kure, Onomichi and Iwakuni.
The JR ferry to Miyajima is covered by the Japan Rail Pass; the competing ferry is not.
Ferry
Two ferry companies sail from Miyajimaguchi to Miyajima in about 10 minutes, and high-speed boats also link the Peace Park area with Miyajima in about 45 minutes.
Bus
The free or low-cost Hiroshima Sightseeing Loop Bus ('meipuru-pu') links the station with the Peace Park, the castle and Shukkei-en.
Cycling
The flat city and riverside paths suit cycling, and the city runs a bike-share scheme with docks downtown.
Tickets and passes
Hiroden one-day passes
Unlimited tram rides for a day, with a version that also covers a ferry to Miyajima.
Japan Rail Pass and JR West passes
Cover the Shinkansen, JR trains to Miyajimaguchi and the JR ferry to Miyajima.
From the airport
Hiroshima Airport is about 50 km east of the city; limousine buses reach Hiroshima Station in about 45–55 minutes. Iwakuni Kintaikyo Airport, about 40 km south-west, has a few domestic flights and is linked by bus and JR train.
Do you need a car?
No. Trams, JR trains and ferries cover the city, Miyajima and most day trips. A car is only useful for exploring rural Hiroshima Prefecture or the Shimanami Kaido islands.
Reaching the day trips
| Destination | Travel time | How |
|---|---|---|
| Iwakuni and Kintai Bridge | About 1 hour by train and bus | JR Sanyo line to Iwakuni, then bus to Kintaikyo |
| Onomichi | About 1 hour 15 minutes by train | JR Sanyo line, or Shinkansen to Shin-Onomichi |
| Kure and the Yamato Museum | About 35–50 minutes by train | JR Kure line from Hiroshima Station |
| Okunoshima | About 2 hours by train and ferry | JR to Tadanoumi, then a 15-minute ferry |
| Takehara | About 1.5 hours by bus or train | Express bus or JR Kure line |
| Tomonoura | About 1.5 hours by Shinkansen and bus | Shinkansen to Fukuyama, then bus |
Questions travellers ask
+Do you need a car in Hiroshima?
No. Trams, JR trains and ferries cover the city, Miyajima and most day trips. A car is only useful for exploring rural Hiroshima Prefecture or the Shimanami Kaido islands.
+How do you get from the airport to Hiroshima?
Hiroshima Airport is about 50 km east of the city; limousine buses reach Hiroshima Station in about 45–55 minutes. Iwakuni Kintaikyo Airport, about 40 km south-west, has a few domestic flights and is linked by bus and JR train.
+What is the best way to get around Hiroshima?
Tram: Hiroden trams run from Hiroshima Station to Genbaku Dome-mae (the Peace Park) in about 15–20 minutes, with a flat fare in the city; line 2 continues to Miyajimaguchi in about an hour.