Fukuoka is the main rail hub of Kyushu and the western end of Japan's Sanyo Shinkansen corridor. The city is centered on Hakata Station, where JR West Shinkansen services from Honshu meet JR Kyushu Shinkansen and limited express routes across Kyushu. Nishitetsu also operates regional private railway services from Nishitetsu Fukuoka (Tenjin) Station.
Trains from Fukuoka include high-speed Shinkansen services, JR Kyushu limited express trains, regional trains, and Nishitetsu interurban services. Hakata Station is the primary train station for long-distance departures, including Sakura, Mizuho, Nozomi, Hikari, and Kodama services where applicable. Nishitetsu Fukuoka (Tenjin) handles private railway services south of the city.
Rail routes from Fukuoka run east toward Kitakyushu, Hiroshima, Osaka, and Tokyo, south toward Kumamoto and Kagoshima-Chuo, southwest toward Nagasaki and Sasebo, and along regional corridors to Kurume, Saga, Oita, and Beppu. Book trains from and to Fukuoka online at Rail Monsters.