Metro of Naha

Okinawa Monorail

Yui rail runs from Naha Airport to Shuri passing through the heart of Naha. It is a convenient and affordable means to get around the city and to attain uchinanchu and otsunahiki festivals. The ride is smooth and pleasant allowing beautiful views of Naha city.

This straddle-beam monorail system consists of a single line, 15 elevated stations and a 12.9 km long track. Okinawa City Monorail Corporation operates the line. Every day, 35,000 people travel through the monorail trains.

Historical Background

Public transportation in Okinawa is always costly. Alongside, traffic congestion in is ever growing. That’s why the residents of Okinawa were looking forward to a low-cost alternative.

In the past, Okinawa prefecture had both railway and trolley lines. However, after the introduction of bus service in the region, the railway started to incur losses. It finally ceased operation in 1933.

The construction of Okinawa Monorail started in 1996 and the system started operation on August 10, 2003. This is the first rail line in Okinawa that was built in the post-World War II era.

Hours of Operation

The first train starts the journey at 6 O’clock in the morning and the last train stops running at around midnight. The average frequency of train is 10 minutes. During morning rush hours one train comes every 6.5 minutes.

View the train timetable here.

Lines and Stations

Okinawa Monorail connects to important business areas, government buildings and tourists attractions in the city. Starting from Naha Airport, it takes you to Downtown Naha, Naha Bus Terminal and finally near to the Shuri Castle.

The full journey on this line takes around 27 minutes. Two car trains run on this line with each car having a seating arrangement for 65 people. The trains have a capacity of carrying up to 165 people. The track is located between 8 to 20 meters above ground. The maximum speed of the trains is 65 km/ h.

The stations along the monorail line are:

Shuri

From this terminal station, you can easily reach Okinawa Prefectural Museum, Shuri Castle and Awamori liquor brewery.

Gibo

Shiritsubyōin-mae

This is the nearest station to Municipal hospital.

Furujima

Omoromachi

This station is located near Shin-toshin shopping district.

Asato

Makishi

Miebashi

From this station, Naha Tourist Information Center, Okiei-dori Street, Heiwa-dori Street and Kokusai-dori Street are near.

Kenchō-mae

This station is close to Prefectural Office.

Asahibashi

Get off here to reach Naha Bus Terminal.

Tsubogawa

Ōnoyama-kōen

This is the station near Ōnoyama Park.

Oroku

Akamine

This is the last rail station towards the southern border of the nation.

Naha Kūkō

Get off at this station to reach Naha Airport. This is the last rail station towards the western border of the nation.

Yui Rail

Future Expansions

By March 2019, an extension of the line from Shuri Station to Uranishi Station should start operation. After much debate and discussion the extension route was finalized and in 2011 the corporation requested permission for construction of a further 4.1 km route connecting 4 additional stations. The new stations are Tedako-uranishi, Urasoe-maeda, Kyōzuka and Ishimine. The construction work began in 2013.

Fares and Tickets

The fare of Okinawa Monorail is calculated based on the travel distance. The rule is to round up the distance to the closest integer number. For students, handicapped persons and groups, there are discounts on the regular fare price. For children under 12 years of age, the fare is half of adult’s fare.

Tickets can be bought either from ticket vending machines or from ticket windows. Okinawa Monorail has mainly four type of ticketing options: Futsu Joshaken (single-journey ticket), Kaisuu Joshaken (multiple journey ticket), Yui prepaid card and Open ticket.

The maximum one-way fare of Okinawa Monorail is 330 Yen and minimum is 200 Yen. A single journey child ticket costs half of the adult ticket.

If you are planning to use the monorail frequently it is wise to buy a multi-ride ticket. You can make up to 10 rides with this ticket and save a considerable amount of money. These passes remain valid till six months from the date of purchase.

For travelers who plan to stay in the city for 2 to 3 days and to visit city’s attractions using the Okinawa Monorail, an open ticket will be the most suitable. There are 1 day, 2 days and 3 days tickets available. You only need to choose the appropriate button on the vending machine.

Lastly, you can use your prepaid Yui card to avoid buying tickets and adjusting fares every time. Cards are available in multiple denominations. These cards can be purchased and loaded from the ticket vending machines.

View the fare chart here.

Facilities and Services

Okinawa City Monorail Corporation is offering the following services to make the ride enjoyable for every passenger:

• The stations are all constructed in an eco-friendly manner.
• All the stations have escalators, elevators and they are handicapped-accessible.
• The ticket vending machines include a fare table to help you calculate the fare to your destination.
• Parking lots are there adjacent to each station. The walkways from the parking lots to the stations are mostly covered.

Rules

Make sure you are aware of the rules of Okinawa Monorail before you actually travel by it.

• Passengers are not allowed to smoke, eat or drink in the stations as well as on the trains.
• Priority seats are only to be used by pregnant women, handicapped persons, elderly people and passengers with kids.
• Those who seat near priority seats must switch off their mobile phones. In the rest of the train, it is advised to put the mobile phone in silent mode and to avoid talking, if possible.
• Passengers are only allowed to carry their bikes on the trains if the bikes are folded or disassembled.

Tips

Here are few quick tips for your best experience of Okinawa Monorail.

• While buying a ticket for a child, first press the child button on the ticket vending machine before pressing the destination button. Otherwise, the machine will calculate adult fare for the child.
• Never forget to pick up your ticket from the entry slot as you’ll need it again at the exit point. If you have a day pass, make sure you collect it from the exit slot as well.
• If you change your route plan, go to the fare adjustment window or to the station staff for fare adjustment.

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