Miyako (MMY): a 300 yen bus, and everybody else hires a car
The airport is almost in town, the bus is trivially cheap, and the rental firms run free shuttles to their own offices because Miyakojima is an island you drive.
- The airport is a few kilometres from the Hirara district, the centre of Miyako city.
- Buses reach the central districts and the main hotels in 15 to 25 minutes for 200 to 300 yen.
- A taxi from the rank outside arrivals takes 10 to 15 minutes and costs about 1,500 to 2,000 yen.
- Most hotels are 10 to 15 minutes away by either.
- Car rental firms run free transfer buses between the terminal and their off-airport offices. That is how the island works.
- Book the car in advance online, especially in the summer season. Miyakojima runs out of cars.
- One two-storey passenger terminal: check-in below, departures and shops above. Procedures take 20 to 30 minutes.
- Free wifi, ATMs, nursing rooms and accessible facilities.
- JTA, ANA and JAL run the schedule, mostly from Naha and the mainland.
- Shimojishima is the other airport on the island group and is a separate place with separate flights, so check which one your ticket says.
Into town
- Miyako Airport is very close to Hirara, the centre of Miyako city, so this is a short transfer by any standard.
| Option | Time | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Bus | 15 to 25 min | 200 to 300 JPY |
| Taxi | 10 to 15 min | 1,500 to 2,000 JPY |
- Several bus routes connect the airport with the central districts and the major hotels.
- Taxis wait at the stand outside arrivals.
- Most resorts are 10 to 15 minutes away, so a taxi is a small expense rather than a transfer.
Why almost everyone hires a car
- Miyakojima is a driving island. The bridges to Irabu, Kurima and Ikema, the beaches at Yonaha Maehama and Sunayama, and the Higashi-Hennazaki cape are all spread out and thinly served by bus.
- The rental companies run free transfer buses between the terminal and their own offices just outside the airport. You land, walk to the shuttle stand, and collect the car a few minutes away.
- Book in advance online. In the summer season the island genuinely runs out of cars, and turning up expecting to hire one is a mistake.
The terminal
- One two-storey passenger terminal. Check-in downstairs, departures and shops upstairs.
- Procedures take 20 to 30 minutes, which is the whole airport experience here.
- Free wifi, ATMs, nursing rooms and accessible facilities.
Two airports, one island group
- Shimojishima Airport is the other one, on Shimoji island next to Irabu, connected by bridge.
- They are different airports with different flights. Check which one your booking says before you arrange a transfer, because arriving at the wrong one is a long drive.
The flights
- Japan Transocean Air, ANA and JAL run the schedule.
- Naha is the hub, with mainland services from Tokyo and Osaka in season.
Comments
No comments yet. Share the first one.
Share a tip
Sign in to continue.