Getting around Izu without a car: trains, buses and the passes worth buying

Do · Izu Peninsula · Published 2026-10-25.

How the JR Ito line, the Izukyu line, the Izuhakone Railway and Tokai Bus fit together, which rail passes cover them, and the bus passes that make the south and west affordable.

Mishima → Shuzenji

Izuhakone Railway, 35 min, every 10–20 min

Atami → Shimoda

about 90 min local, 70 min limited express

JR Tokyo Wide Pass

covers the Odoriko to Shimoda, not the Shinkansen

Izu is easy to reach by train and harder to cross. The railways follow the east coast and the central valley; the south and west depend on buses, and some of the best places are an hour from the nearest station. With a little planning you can still see most of the peninsula without a car. This guide explains the network, the passes and the places where a car really is easier.

The three railways

• JR Ito line, from Atami to Ito along the east coast.
• Izukyu line, a private railway that continues from Ito to Izukyu-Shimoda, through Izu-Kogen, Atagawa, Inatori and Kawazu. Local trains run roughly twice an hour; the Atami–Shimoda trip takes about 90 minutes by local train and about 70 by limited express.
• Izuhakone Railway, from Mishima, on the Shinkansen, to Shuzenji in the centre of the peninsula, in about 35 minutes, with trains every 10 to 20 minutes.

Through trains from Tokyo, the Odoriko and the Saphir Odoriko, run along the first two lines to Shimoda, and some Odoriko cars split off to Shuzenji. Our guide to getting to Izu from Tokyo covers those journeys.

Rail passes: what they cover

The nationwide Japan Rail Pass covers the Shinkansen and the JR Ito line, but not the private Izukyu and Izuhakone lines, where pass holders pay the fare or a supplement for the private section. The JR Tokyo Wide Pass, sold to foreign visitors, works the other way round: it does not cover the Shinkansen, but it is valid on the Odoriko all the way to Shimoda, including the Izukyu section. For a trip that is mostly Tokyo plus the east coast of Izu, it is often the better deal. Prices change, so check the current fare on the official JR East page before you buy.

Buses for the south, the west and the centre

Tokai Bus runs most routes on the peninsula. Fares depend on distance and are paid when you get off; major IC cards such as Suica and Pasmo are accepted. The key routes for visitors are:

• Shimoda to Cape Irozaki and on along the south coast;
• Shuzenji over the Amagi pass to Kawazu and Shimoda, past Joren Falls;
• Shuzenji to the west coast, via Toi and Koganezaki to Dogashima and Matsuzaki (about 1 hour 10 minutes to Dogashima);
• local loops around Izu-Kogen, Ito and Atami.

Outside the holidays some routes run only every one or two hours, so check the timetable the day before and note the last bus back. The west coast in particular is easy to reach in the morning and hard to leave in the evening; see our guide to Nishi-Izu by bus.

Short hops worth knowing

• Shimoda to Cape Irozaki: about 45 minutes by Tokai Bus; the sightseeing cruise around the cape takes about 25 minutes when the sea allows.
• Shimoda to Shirahama beach: about 10 minutes by bus.
• Shimoda to Tsumekizaki for the winter narcissus: bus no. 10, about 15 minutes.
• Shuzenji station to the onsen town: about 10 minutes by bus.

Bus passes that save money

Tokai Bus sells area passes that pay for themselves after two or three rides. Prices listed in 2025 included an Atami one-day pass (800 yen), an Ito two-day pass (1,800 yen), an Izu-Kogen and Jogasaki one-day pass (1,250 yen), an Irozaki and Shimoda two-day pass (2,400 yen) and a Dogashima, Matsuzaki and Irozaki two-day pass (3,400 yen). There is no single pass for the whole peninsula, so pick the one that matches the area where you are staying.

Paying, luggage and timetables

IC cards work on JR, the Izukyu and Izuhakone lines and most Tokai Bus routes, which saves fumbling for coins when you pay on exit. Keep some cash anyway for rural buses and small shops. Larger stations have coin lockers, and Japan's luggage forwarding services can send suitcases from Tokyo to your inn, which makes bus travel with luggage much easier. Timetables thin out after 18:00 on the south and west coasts, and holiday timetables differ from weekday ones; take a photo of the timetable at the stop when you arrive, so you know your options for the way back.

When a car is worth it

Rent a car if you want the west coast and the south in the same trip, if you are travelling with small children or a lot of luggage, or if you want sunsets on the west coast without worrying about the last bus. Avoid driving down the east coast on Route 135 during Golden Week, Obon and the Kawazu cherry blossom festival, when traffic is heavy.

Reserved seats and the Saphir Odoriko

On weekends and holidays, reserve seats on limited expresses towards Izu in advance, especially on Friday evenings and Saturday mornings going south and on Sunday afternoons coming back. The Saphir Odoriko has only Green and Premium Green seats and must always be reserved. Local trains on the Ito and Izukyu lines need no reservation; some run with seats facing the sea, which makes the slow option a pleasant one when you are not in a hurry.

Sample itineraries without a car

• East coast in two days: Atami, then the Jogasaki coast and Izu-Kogen, a night in Ito, and Shimoda the next day. See Shimoda in a day.
• Centre and west in two days: the Izuhakone Railway to Shuzenji, a night in the onsen town, then the bus to Dogashima for the sea caves and back by bus to Shuzenji.
• A slow week: base yourself in one town and use area passes; our guide to staying longer in Izu helps choose where.