Travel Oita hovercraft again operational

This was the first hovercraft I'd seen in action when I visited Oita in 2006.

Oita Prefecture is set to reintroduce hovercraft services in December, marking the revival of passenger hovercraft routes in Japan after a 15-year absence. The new route will connect Oita Airport in Kunisaki to Oita City, offering a 30-minute journey across Beppu Bay. Operated by Oita Daiichi Hoverdrive Co., a subsidiary of Daiichi Koutsu Sangyo Co., the hovercraft are amphibious vessels that glide above the water's surface. To gain operational experience before launching the regular airport route, the company plans to offer sightseeing cruises on weekends, starting on 30th November.

Hovercraft had been used in Japan since the latter half of 1960s, including along routes between Kumamoto city and Shimabara city and routes in the Seto Inland Sea. However, none of these remain in operation today. In Oita Prefecture, a route to and from the airport was established in 1971 and used by around 400,000 passengers annually at its peak in the 1990s. However, as passenger numbers declined, Oita's hovercraft service was discontinued in 2009. Recently, the prefectural government began to reconsider using hovercraft to improve access to Oita Airport, which is an hour from Oita city by express bus. The prefecture decided to pay for the cost of the vessels and boarding terminals, while a private company will operate the hovercraft. However, since navigation and operations training began in November last year, four accidents have occurred—including hitting a guardrail beside the route and crashing into a seawall. These issues have delayed the start of the operations by nearly a year.

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Four trips will operate every hour, starting at 13:00 on Saturdays and Sundays. Depending on reservations, weekday services may also be considered. Reservations can be made from 10:00 on 28th November. Bookings for flights up to 8th December can be made via LINE using a QR code on the company's website. Fares are ¥2,000 for junior high school students and above (¥2,500 when purchased at the counter), ¥1,000 for elementary school students and below (¥1,250 at the counter), and free for children under 3 years old.

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