*This article was last updated with verified information in May 2025.
Duration & Fares
Airport Ishigaki Port
Taxi：25 min (about 3,500 yen)
Karry Direct Bus : 30 min (550 yen) Schedule
Azuma Route Bus : 35 min or 40 min (550 yen) Schedule
After arriving at Ishigaki Airport, you can reach the city center—around the Bus Terminal or Ishigaki Port—by bus, taxi, or rental car. Please note that there are no trains on Ishigaki Island.
・The city center is located near Ishigaki Port.
・You can use contactless credit cards to pay for bus fares.
This page explains how to get from Ishigaki Airport to the city center, including the area around the Bus Terminal and Ishigaki Port.
Contents
♦ Which Airport Bus Should You Take?
♦ Azuma Bus – Airport Line Timetable
♦ Karry Bus – Direct Service Timetable
♦ Bus Stop Location at Ishigaki Airport
♦ Azuma Bus Discount Tickets
♦ Karry Bus Discount Tickets
♦ How to Take a Taxi from the Airport
♦ How to Rent a Car from the Airport
vs. Which Airport Bus Should You Take?
Two bus companies operate Airport Line services between Ishigaki Airport and Ishigaki Port:
・Azuma Bus (local route service)
・Karry Bus (non-stop direct service)
One option is the Azuma Bus, which runs local route buses throughout Ishigaki Island.
The other is the Karry Bus, which operates direct airport limousine buses between Ishigaki Airport and the city center (Ishigaki Port).
The chart below provides a summary of how to use both the Azuma Bus and Karry Bus, including fares and travel times.
・Both companies accept cash and contactless credit card payments.
・IC cards like Suica are not accepted.
You can use the following denominations on the bus:
¥1,000 bills, and ¥500, ¥100, ¥50, and ¥10 coins.
Change can be made on the bus.
Details on how to use the Azuma Bus are provided on a separate page.
Karry Bus Timetable
Azuma Bus Airport Line Timetable
Azuma Bus vs. Karry Bus: Which One Should You Choose?
Which Airport Line Bus Is Best for You?
(Airport Ishigaki Port Ferry Terminal)
・There’s no difference in travel time or fare between them.
If you’re planning to explore Ishigaki Island by local bus, Azuma Bus is a great choice because you can use a Bus Pass. Plus, if you’re planning to visit one of the remote islands, Azuma Bus is a smart option since you can get a discounted ferry ticket right on board.
Details about discount tickets, including the Bus Pass for Azuma Bus, can be found on a separate page.
Azuma Bus – Airport Line Timetable
*Current Bus Schedule (Updated May 2025)
This bus line connects Ishigaki Airport with the city center, including the Bus Terminal and Ishigaki Port area.
This bus operates according to the schedule of the first and last flights.
Routes 4 and 10, marked with “Airport” on the side of the blue buses, are part of the Airport Line.
In addition to these, there are other buses that connect the airport to the city center (around the Bus Terminal and Ishigaki Port Ferry Terminal). To help you find the right bus, we have created a list of bus schedules in the chart below.
Duration (airport city center)
35 to 40 minutes (depending on the route)
Fare (airport city center)
550 yen
This fare is the adult fare per person.
The child fare is half the adult fare. Elementary school students qualify for the child fare. Children younger than elementary school age can ride for free.
Service Frequency
Operates approximately every 30 minutes
Last Bus
Ishigaki Airport Bus Terminal
9:45 PM (Departure Time from the Airport)
First Bus
Bus Terminal Ishigaki Airport
6:10 AM (Bus Terminal departure time) 6:50 AM (Airport arrival time)
Where to Catch the Bus at Ishigaki Airport
・Route 4 and 10 : Azuma Bus Platform ‘A’
・Other routes : Azuma Bus Platform ‘B’
Timetable for Departure 
Timetable for Return 
Download Timetables
Route4 (PDF:0.4MB)
Route10 (PDF:0.4MB)
Karry Bus – Direct Service Timetable
*Current Bus Schedule (Updated May 2025)
Karry Bus offers a convenient direct service between Ishigaki Airport and the Ishigaki Port Ferry Terminal.
Please note that operating hours do not accommodate the first departing or last arriving flights.
One of the bus’s unique features is its bright red exterior decorated with a traditional checkered design known as the Minsa pattern.
Minsa is a symbolic motif native to Ishigaki Island, often seen in local buildings and souvenirs. Traditionally, the pattern represents a wish for eternal happiness.
Duration (airport Ishigaki Port)
30 minutes
Fare (airport Ishigaki Port)
550 yen
This fare is the adult fare per person.
The child fare is half the adult fare. Elementary school students qualify for the child fare. Children younger than elementary school age can ride for free.
Service Frequency
Operates approximately every 30 minutes
Last Bus from Ishigaki Airport
6:50 PM (Departure Time from the Airport)
First Bus from Ishigaki Port
8:30 AM (Ishigaki Port departure time) 9:00 AM (Airport arrival time)
Bus Stop Location at Ishigaki Airport
The bus stop at Ishigaki Airport is located about 20 meters to the left of the central exit.
When you exit the domestic arrivals area, you’ll see the central exit straight ahead (pictured below). This exit is marked by a large wall called the “Himpun,” which traditionally serves as a protective symbol or amulet.
Ishigaki Airport’s domestic terminal has just one arrival gate, so you won’t miss it when you arrive.
The bus stops are located to the left of the exit. Azuma Bus ‘A’ and ‘B’ are closer, while Karry Bus ‘C’ is the farthest stop.
Bus stop for Karry Bus (Direct Bus)
There is only one Karry Bus stop at the airport, and it is the farthest one—Stop ‘C’.
Bus stop for Azuma Bus (Route Bus)
There are two Azuma Bus stops at the airport. The stop you use depends on the route number, as shown in the diagram below.
For the Airport Lines (Routes 4 and 10), which run approximately every 30 minutes, use Stop ‘A’. So in most cases, you’ll be using Bus Stop ‘A’.
| Bus Stop ‘A’ | ・Route 4／Airport Line ・Route 10／Airport Line via hotel ・Route 2 (only 7:37 PM)／West-around Line |
|---|---|
| Bus Stop ‘B’ | ・Route 2／West-around Line ・Route 3／East-around Line ・Route 6／Hirano Line ・Route 11／Yonehara Campground Line |
Azuma Bus Discount Tickets
Information about discount tickets, such as the Azuma Bus Pass, is available on a separate page.
Karry Bus Discount Tickets
Round-Trip Ticket
This ticket is no longer available as sales ended in March 2023.
Karry Bus operates a direct bus that connects the Ishigaki Airport and the Ishigaki Port Ferry Terminal. This bus has a round-trip discount ticket. If you pay the fare for this section one way, it costs 500 yen, but you can buy this round-trip ticket for 900 yen. This ticket has no expiration date.
Azuma Bus, which operates a route bus, and Karry Bus are different companies.
Therefore, this round-trip ticket can only be used on the Karry Bus. Azuma Bus sells its own round-trip ticket.
How to buy
This ticket can be bought from the bus driver when you get on the bus.
From 2022, you can pre-purchase it on the app and board without a ticket.
How to use
The ticket is a set of two, and if you give the ticket to the driver when you get on the bus, one will be cut off.
Hirata Tourism Discount Ticket
As of May 2021, this coupon is no longer being distributed.
This coupon is not a discount on Karry Bus fare, but a discount on ferry fare or remote island tour fee when going to remote islands such as Taketomi Island and Iriomote Island.
There are several companies in the Ishigaki Port Ferry Terminal that sell tours of remote islands. Hirata Tourism is one of them. Hirata Tourism sells remote island tours and ferry tickets to remote islands, and you can get a discount on these prices with this coupon.
How to get it
This coupon is placed in the leaflet area behind the driver’s seat on the Karry Bus, and you can get it freely. Everyone in your group can get a discount with this one coupon.
How to use
You can get a discount by submitting this coupon when you apply for a tour or buy a ferry ticket at the Hirata Tourism counter in the Ishigaki Port Ferry Terminal.
How to Take a Taxi from the Airport
A taxi ride from Ishigaki Airport to the city center (around the Bus Terminal or Ishigaki Port) takes about 25 minutes and costs approximately 3,500 yen.
There is a taxi stand at the airport, and taxis are available until the arrival of the last flight.
Most taxis on the island are 5-seater sedans, and minivans are limited. Therefore, if you’re traveling with a lot of luggage or in a large group, it’s best to make a reservation in advance.
You can book a taxi through the app.
For more information about taxis on Ishigaki Island, please see our dedicated page.
Duration (airport city center)
About 25 minutes
Estimated Fare
3,500 yen
Payment Options
Payment methods vary by taxi company and vehicle. In some cases you can use a credit card, in other cases you can only use cash. Please check before taking a taxi or when making a reservation.
You can pay with a credit card when you book it on the taxi app.
Taxi stand
There is a taxi stand on the right side of the center exit.
How to Rent a Car from the Airport
If you reserve a rental car, many companies offer airport pick-up service. A staff member will meet you at the airport and take you to the rental office by shuttle.
The photo above shows the rental car pick-up point.
If you haven’t reserved a rental car in advance, same-day rentals are still available.
There are several car rental companies located about a 10-minute walk from the airport.
However, we recommend reserving a rental car before coming to Ishigaki Island. Rental cars can fill up quickly, so you may not be able to rent one without a reservation.
While there are many rental car companies on the island, demand is high—especially during the summer season when many travelers visit.
