Karatsu: how to get there and around
Airports, stations, ports, where the hotels are and what the numbers say, from public data rather than a brochure.
Karatsu is a city of 117,663 people in Japan (Saga), 7 m (23 ft) above sea level. The nearest large airport is Kyushu Saga International Airport (HSG), 45 km (28 mi) from the centre. It has a dozen or more railway stations on record, including Karatsu Station. It is a port city: Yobuko Port.
Key facts
Daylight in Karatsu runs from about 9 h 59 min a day in late December to 14 h 25 min in late June (computed for 33.44° latitude), which matters more than the forecast when a day is built around one flight or one crossing.
Getting there
Karatsu is served by 4 airports with scheduled flights within 100 km. The closest large one is Kyushu Saga International Airport (HSG), 45 km (28 mi) from the centre, with a longest runway of 6,562 ft, which limits it to short and medium-haul aircraft. The alternatives are Fukuoka Airport (FUK, 47 km), Nagasaki Airport (NGS, 59 km), Iki Airport (IKI, 38 km).
Flights to Karatsu: every airport, routes and times
By rail: stations on record include Karatsu Station, Kyūragi Station, Higashi-Karatsu Station, Hamasaki Station, Ōchi Station, Nishi-Karatsu Station. Trains to Karatsu
Buses to Karatsu · Driving and car hire · Ferries
Nearby cities, and how to get between them
- Busan, 204 km (South Korea)
- Daegu, 298 km (South Korea)
- Fukuoka, 45 km — trains · buses · car rental · ferries · tours
- Daejeon, 400 km (South Korea)
- Gwangju, 339 km (South Korea)
- Hiroshima, 252 km — tours
- Ulsan, 240 km (South Korea)
- Changwon, 231 km (South Korea)
- Kitakyushu, 93 km — trains · buses · car rental · ferries · tours
- Kumamoto, 98 km — trains · ferries · tours
Twin towns and sister cities: Yeosu.
Common questions
Which airport serves Karatsu?
Kyushu Saga International Airport (HSG), 45 km (28 mi) from the centre, plus 3 other airports with scheduled flights within 100 km.
How big is Karatsu?
About 117,663 people live in Karatsu, across 488 km² (GeoNames and Wikidata).
What time zone is Karatsu in?
Asia/Tokyo, currently UTC+9.
What currency is used in Karatsu?
The Yen (JPY). Traffic drives on the left.
Which cities are near Karatsu?
Busan (204 km), Daegu (298 km), Fukuoka (45 km), Daejeon (400 km), Gwangju (339 km).
Where these facts come from
- GeoNames (CC BY 4.0): population, elevation, time zone, postal codes
- Wikidata (CC0): area, sister cities, visitor numbers, heritage listings, stations and ports
- OurAirports (public domain): airports, runways
- Natural Earth (public domain): map outlines
Data compiled 13 September 2026. Hotel figures are from our booking partner’s catalogue on that date. Journey times on this page are estimates from distance, not timetables; check the operator before you rely on one.