Japan's expressways mostly charge tolls by distance, and most drivers pay them with an ETC card. If you rent a campervan from VanTrip Japan, the ETC card is free, but only on advance request: ask for it when you book, because it has to be registered before your trip. The tolls themselves are yours to pay. They are charged to the card as you drive and deducted from your ¥50,000 deposit after you return.
Pick your dates and van on our rental page and send the booking form. Then ask for the ETC card in a WhatsApp message: tap the WhatsApp button on the confirmation screen, or the "Ask on WhatsApp" button right below this article, and write "ETC card, please". Asking when you book gives us time to register the card before your trip.
The toll amounts below come from NEXCO West's official route search, checked on 23 October 2026 for the standard-sized car class. Tolls change from time to time, so check your own route before you go.
Japan toll roads at a glance
| Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| Toll system | Distance-based, charged at the exit |
| Payment | ETC card (ETC lane), or ticket at the entrance and payment at the exit booth |
| Speed limit | 100 km/h for cars on national expressways unless signs show otherwise; minimum 50 km/h |
| ETC discounts | 30% off on Sat/Sun/holidays (with excluded periods) and between 0:00 and 4:00 |
| ETC card with VanTrip Japan | Free on advance request; tolls paid by the renter, deducted from the deposit |
| Kyushu Expressway Pass | Only through designated rental car companies; not available with our campervans |
How toll roads work in Japan
- Enter: drive into a lane marked ETC with the card inserted in the car's ETC unit. Slow to 20 km/h or less. NEXCO West asks for this speed so you can stop if the bar stays closed.
- Drive: the system records your entry interchange.
- Exit: take an ETC lane again. The toll is worked out from your entry and exit points and charged to the card. The amount appears on the display at the gate.
Without ETC, use the general lane (signed 一般). Take a ticket at the entrance and pay at the exit booth or machine. You get no ETC discount this way.
If the bar does not open: stop before it, never reverse, stay in the car, open the window and follow the staff on the intercom. That is NEXCO West's official instruction.
What tolls cost in Kyushu
These are NEXCO West's figures for a standard-sized car. "Weekday" was a Wednesday departure at 10:00 (cash and ETC were the same). The ETC discount column is a Saturday outside the excluded periods; a weekday drive between 0:00 and 4:00 came out the same.
| Route (interchange to interchange) | Distance | Weekday toll | With ETC weekend or late-night discount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fukuoka IC → Kumamoto IC | 103 km | 2,930 yen | 2,050 yen |
| Fukuoka IC → Beppu IC | 140 km | 3,670 yen | 2,570 yen |
| Fukuoka IC → Nagasaki IC | 148 km | 3,840 yen | 2,690 yen |
| Fukuoka IC → Kagoshima IC | 278 km | 6,330 yen | 4,430 yen |
Our base is in Hakozaki, Fukuoka. If you join the Kyushu Expressway from the Fukuoka Urban Expressway near the base, that separate toll road is added: Hakozaki to Kumamoto IC came to 3,260 yen on the weekday search.
Which class is your van? In NEXCO's vehicle table, light (kei) vehicles have engines of 660 cc or less, and a van with a bigger engine falls in the standard-sized class. So the table applies to our Roof Tent Probox (1.5 L) and both Bed Bongo Brawny vans (2.0 L). The Pocket Loft is built on a 660 cc kei truck; ask us which class to pick before you compare tolls. For any other trip, enter your interchanges, date and class in the NEXCO West route search.
ETC discounts you can get as a renter
| Discount | When | Rate | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Holiday discount | Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays | 30% off | Standard and kei cars only. Not applied during Golden Week, Obon, Silver Week, the New Year period or three-day weekends. |
| Late-night discount | Driving at any time between 0:00 and 4:00 | 30% off | Any day. NEXCO says this discount will change; the date has not been announced. |
Both discounts need an ETC card read by the car's ETC unit at the entrance gate. Handing the card over at a booth does not count. The two are never combined: if a trip qualifies for both, the higher one applies. On NEXCO West's roads, the Kanmon Tunnel and the Yagiyama Bypass east of Fukuoka are outside both discounts.
Check the excluded days before planning a weekend drive.
Monday 23 November 2026 is a public holiday, so our search for Saturday 21 November returned the full 2,930 yen to Kumamoto, while Saturday 14 November returned 2,050 yen.
You will also see a "weekday morning/evening" discount in NEXCO's results. It is a points refund for drivers whose ETC card is registered with ETC Mileage and who make 5 or more qualifying weekday trips in a month between 6:00 and 9:00 or 17:00 and 20:00, so it will not help on a holiday trip.
Tip: put your longest transfer on a Saturday or Sunday that is not excluded. Fukuoka to Kagoshima then costs 4,430 yen instead of 6,330 yen, in daylight, with no need to drive after midnight.
From December to February, check NEXCO West's traffic information before driving south to Kagoshima. The Kyushu Expressway between Yatsushiro and Ebino crosses the mountains, and heavy snow closed that section in January 2023.
One closure south of Kumamoto has nothing to do with the weather. After the Kumamoto earthquake of 28 July 2026, the Kyushu Expressway, the inland route to Kagoshima, reopened to general traffic on 14 August 2026. On the coastal Minami-Kyushu Expressway from Yatsushiro towards Minamata and Izumi, the section between Yatsushiro JCT and Yatsushiro-minami IC stays closed because the Myoken Daiichi Bridge was badly damaged; NEXCO West announced on 29 September 2026 (PDF, in Japanese) that it expects to reopen it around the end of 2028. On that coastal route, follow the signposted detour through Yatsushiro to Yatsushiro-minami IC. It is different in each direction, and NEXCO West adjusts the toll when you get back on; our road status update has the map and an example. Check NEXCO West's iHighway before driving south of Kumamoto.
ETC-only interchanges in Kyushu
Since 2024 NEXCO West has turned a series of Kyushu toll gates into ETC-only gates, among them Nankan (Kyushu Expressway), Ureshino (Nagasaki Expressway) and Tsukumi (Higashi-Kyushu Expressway). Smart interchanges (Smart IC, listed as SIC) are ETC-only too. A car without an ETC unit and card cannot use these gates or smart interchanges. NEXCO West's map of ETC-only toll gates in Kyushu (PDF in Japanese, dated 17 February 2026) marks each one on the expressway network.
If you enter one by mistake, do not reverse.
Drive on to the lane marked "ETC/Support" or "Support", stop there, and follow what the staff tell you on the intercom.
Kyushu Expressway Pass: can you use it with a campervan?
The Kyushu Expressway Pass (KEP) gives unlimited driving on the Kyushu expressway sections listed by NEXCO West for a fixed price: 6,200 yen for 2 days up to 23,800 yen for 10 days. City expressways such as the Fukuoka Urban Expressway are not covered.
It is for foreign passport holders (and Japanese citizens with permanent residency abroad) who rent a standard-size ETC car from one of the rental car companies NEXCO West has designated, and you apply at that company's counter. VanTrip Japan is not a designated company, so the pass cannot be used with our campervans. What we offer instead is a free ETC card on advance request: you pay the normal tolls, with the weekend and late-night discounts.
Two more points. NEXCO West plans to stop selling the KEP on 31 March 2027. The nationwide Japan Expressway Pass (JEP) mentioned in older guides is listed by the Japan National Tourism Organization as no longer available.
Kyushu Expressway speed limit
The Kyushu Expressway is a national expressway, so the legal maximum for cars is 100 km/h, unless signs show a different limit. The minimum speed is 50 km/h. Where a sign shows a lower limit, follow the sign. Stopping, reversing or turning around on the main lanes is prohibited; if you miss your exit, continue to the next interchange.
Toll-free alternatives
The main national routes (kokudo) are free, but a few bypasses and tunnels on national routes charge tolls, so set your navigation to avoid toll roads if you want a free route. National routes pass through the towns the expressway skips. They are slower, with traffic lights and town centres.
- Route 3: Kitakyushu, Fukuoka, Kumamoto and on to Kagoshima. The main north-south road.
- Route 10: Kitakyushu to Beppu and Oita, then south through Miyazaki to Kagoshima on the east side.
- Route 202: Fukuoka to Itoshima and Karatsu along the northwest coast.
- Route 57: Oita to Kumamoto via Aso. From December to February we do not recommend the Aso area, the Yamanami Highway, Kuju or Kurokawa; take the coastal and lowland routes instead.
Our suggestion: expressway for long transfers such as Fukuoka to Kagoshima, free roads for the scenic short stretches.
Service areas and parking areas
Expressways have two kinds of rest stop. Service areas (SA) are the large ones, with restaurants and shops; parking areas (PA) are smaller, often just toilets and vending machines. On the run from Fukuoka to Kumamoto, the service areas are Hirokawa SA (about 45 km from Fukuoka IC) and Kita-Kumamoto SA (about 94 km). More in our SA/PA rest area guide.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do toll roads work in Japan?
You enter an expressway through a toll gate and pay at the exit, by distance. With an ETC card in the car's ETC unit, you roll through the ETC lane at 20 km/h or less and the toll is charged to the card. Without ETC you take a ticket in the general lane at the entrance and pay at the exit booth.
How much are tolls in Japan?
It depends on distance and vehicle class. For a standard-sized car, NEXCO West's official search gives 2,930 yen from Fukuoka IC to Kumamoto IC (103 km) and 6,330 yen from Fukuoka IC to Kagoshima IC (278 km) on a weekday. With an ETC card on a Saturday or Sunday outside the excluded holiday periods, the same trips cost 2,050 yen and 4,430 yen.
Can I use the Kyushu Expressway Pass with a VanTrip Japan campervan?
No. NEXCO West sells the Kyushu Expressway Pass (KEP) only through designated rental car companies, for their own standard-size ETC cars. VanTrip Japan is not one of the designated rental car companies. With our vans you get a free ETC card on advance request and pay the normal tolls, with the ETC discounts.
Is the Japan Expressway Pass still available?
No. The nationwide Japan Expressway Pass (JEP) is listed as no longer available by the Japan National Tourism Organization.
What is the speed limit on the Kyushu Expressway?
The Kyushu Expressway speed limit is 100 km/h for cars unless signs show a different limit, and the minimum speed is 50 km/h.
Do I need an ETC card to drive on Japanese expressways?
Not at most interchanges, but it helps. Smart interchanges and a growing number of regular toll gates in Kyushu accept ETC cars only, and the weekend and late-night discounts need ETC. With VanTrip Japan, ask for the free card in a WhatsApp message when you book.
Can I avoid toll roads in Kyushu?
Yes. Main national routes such as Route 3 and Route 202 are free, but slower because they run through towns. A few bypasses and tunnels on national routes charge tolls, so set your navigation to avoid toll roads.
Related Articles
- Kyushu Expressway Guide: Map, Tolls & ETC
- ETC Card in Japan: What It Is and How Foreign Drivers Get One
- Japan Rest Areas (SA/PA) Guide
- Kyushu Road Trip Budget Breakdown
- Winter Campervan Driving in Kyushu
- Can Foreigners Drive in Japan? License Rules by Country
Free ETC card on advance request (tolls are paid by you)
Weekday rates from ¥22,000/day for the Probox and the Bongo (¥25,000 for the Pocket Loft; Sat/Sun are 150% of the weekday rate). Insurance (CDW, with a deductible), navigation, bedding and cooking gear are in the rate. Tolls and fuel are extra.
View Rental Options →As of late October 2026, most December to February dates are still open. See vans for 8 to 15 February or go straight to the booking form.