Bus Service

Fixed-Route Bus Timetable from December 1, 2024 to March 31, 2025.

Niigata Kotsu Sado operates fixed-route bus services throughout the island. Bus fares for fixed-route buses are calculated based on the distance traveled for each trip. It starts with a minimum fare of ¥210 and incrementally increases up to the maximum of ¥840. (There will be no increase once it reaches the maximum. (Also see Hop-on Hop-off zones.) Please have small change (coins) or a ¥1,000 bill ready before getting on the bus. The fare machine and bus driver cannot accept bills larger than ¥1,000. A series of 1-day, 2-day, and 3-day Passes for fixed-route buses are available at a cost of ¥1,500, ¥2,500, and ¥3,000 respectively. Those passes are sold at tourist information offices in Ryotsu, Aikawa, and Ogi, and our Sawata Bus Station. Digital Bus Pass on your smart phone is also available. Visit ticket.jorudan.co.jp/sado-bus/en/ for more detail. FYI: Sado Niigata Pass —an available option JR East Pass (Nagano, Niigata area) or Japan Rail Pass holders—come with one three-day Pass. English timetable is can be found at tourist information offices.

Fixed Route Bus lines are identified by number. 
Most buses displays a sign on the LED destination board (or behind the windshield) indicating its line number with a capital letter of the destination (e.g. 2S means the bus is bound for Sawata on Line #2, Minami Line). New vehicles have the LED destination board displaying line # with the destination in bilingual.

Dashed lines indicate Hop-on Hop-off zones.

1) Honsen Line: Ryotsu – Kanai – Sawata – Aikawa
2) Minami-sen Line: Ryotsu – Niibo – Hatano – Mano – Sawata
3) Higashi-kaigan Line: Ryotsu – Ogawa – Kakinoura- Oda
4) Uchikaifu Line: Ryotsu – Washizaki – Futatsugame – Iwayaguchi
5) Unused number
6) Nanaura-kaigan Line: Sawata – Futami – Aikawa – (Gold Mine) – Aikawa  *This service includes a loop service from Aikawa connecting Sado Gold Mine and returns to Aikawa.
7) Maehama Line: Hamochi High School – Akadomari – Oda
8) Watatsu Line: Hamochi High School – Ichinomiya – Kami-kawamo (The operation is currently suspended as of March 1, 2024)
9) Kaifu Line: Aikawa – Senkakuwan – Iwayaguchi
10) Ogi Line: Sawata – Mano – Ichinomiya – Ogi
11) Shukunegi Line: Ogi – Shukunegi – Taiko Centre -Sawasaki – Ettsumi (The operation is currently suspended as of March 1, 2024)
12) Unused number
13) Kuninaka-Kanamaru Line: Sawata – Kanai – Niibo – Hatano – Mano Kanai – Sawata This is a loop line service.
14) Matsugasaki Line (former Iwakubui Line): Sawata – Kanai – Hatano – Hongyoji Temple
15) Unused number
16) Akadomari Line: Sawata – Mano – Akadomari – Ogi
17) Unused number
18) Sobama Liner: Ogi – Sobama Beach
*Seasonal Service