Fly away with me… to Hiroshima Airport

Oct 23, 2017

Fly away with me… to Hiroshima Airport

Like most airports in Japan, Hiroshima Airport is no different in that it’s located in the middle of nowhere. Unlike other airports, however, it’s not in any way conveniently connected to any major train stations. In fact, there IS no rail line in existence to service the area so you need to rely on road transport. Now some expat families do have cars, but you don’t necessarily want to drive and have to pay for long-term parking while you’re away on your trip.

So, what should you do? Introducing the Airport Limousine Bus!  Thank goodness for that bus!

For those people living in Hiroshima City, you have the option of catching the bus from either the Bus Centre, located on the third floor of SOGO Department Store, or Hiroshima Station. I used to always leave from the Bus Centre, but I recently discovered the route from Hiroshima Station is not only shorter, but direct to the Airport, compared with the Bus Centre route which makes a stop at Nakasuji Station on the Astram Line. Best of all, it’s the same price. I also think the scenery on the Hiroshima Station route is prettier, but perhaps that’s just me.

Hiroshima Airport services both domestic and international flights. Domestic flights can be booked to and from Tokyo (Haneda), Narita (Tokyo), Sapporo, Sendai and Okinawa (Naha). International flights include destinations such as Seoul, Dalian, Beijing, Shanghai, Chengdu, Taipei, Hong Kong and most recently, Singapore.

In the past, many people preferred to take the option of going to Osaka or Fukuoka to catch flights which can sometimes be cheaper and more convenient to get to via Shinkansen than Hiroshima Airport. Recently though, with the introduction of cheaper airlines such as Spring Airlines Japan and more options for catching the Limousine Bus from places outside of Hiroshima City, Hiroshima Airport has become a more appealing option to use for transport between major cities in both Japan and overseas.

The Airport has three floors: the first, the arrival lobby; the second, the check-in counters and departure lobby and the third floor, the observation deck.

The first floor has a Family Mart convenience store for last-minute purchases of food and drink for either the bus going home or for those waiting to take a flight. Next to that are a series of ticket machines for the Airport Limousine Bus. Note that you can use your PASPY or ICOCA card for these routes. I find that most convenient, especially when I’m running to catch the bus after arriving back in Hiroshima after being away somewhere.

The second floor has a range of duty-free shops where you can buy souvenirs for yourself or friends and family. These include food items, particularly ones that are local to Hiroshima and surrounding cities and towns. There is also a pharmacy/chemist for basic medical supplies. Of course, if you’re leaving Hiroshima, there are plenty of Hiroshima Carp goods to satisfy your needs too. This floor also has a range of restaurants and cafes, but to be honest, the prices are designed for an airport (read beyond the norm) and so I always head downstairs to Family Mart for anything I desperately need.

I must admit, in the beginning I wasn’t a huge fan of using the Hiroshima Airport, but with more tourists arriving every year, the place has had to provide more services to accommodate them and that’s always a good thing.

Fly away to (or from) Hiroshima Airport today!

http://www.hij.airport.jp/english/

 

Timetable (including fares) information:

http://www.hij.airport.jp/timetable/access/timetable.pl?mode=en

 

Image by: nattou (Own work) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons