Kobe City Loop Bus: 1-Day Pass, Timetable, Route & Stops

The Kobe City Loop bus circles Kobe's main sights, including Sannomiya, Kitano Ijinkan, Nankinmachi, Meriken Park and Harborland. One full loop takes about 65 minutes. A single ride costs 300 yen for adults and a 1-day pass is 800 yen, so the pass works out cheaper once you ride three or more times in a day.

Kobe City Loop bus fares

The Kobe City Loop costs 300 yen per ride for adults and 150 yen for children (primary school age). Up to two infants travelling with one adult ride free.

You can pay with any of Japan's nationally interoperable transport IC cards or with a credit card that supports contactless payment. Accepted credit cards include Visa, JCB, Discover, American Express, Diners Club and UnionPay.

To pay for several people with one card, tell the crew how many are riding before you tap. They set the number of passengers, and then you tap the card.

📌 Contactless credit card note

The 800-yen daily cap on contactless credit card fares ended on 31 March 2026. Each City Loop ride is now charged at 300 yen, so if you plan to ride the City Loop three or more times in a day, the 1-day pass is cheaper.

Kobe City Loop 1-day and 2-day passes

The Kobe City Loop 1-day pass costs 800 yen for adults and the 2-day pass 1,200 yen. Three single rides at 300 yen add up to 900 yen, so the 1-day pass is cheaper if you ride three or more times in a day.

✅ Routes covered

The 1-day and 2-day passes give unlimited rides on the Kobe City Loop, the Port Loop and some Shinki Bus city routes. That includes the routes linking Shin-Kobe Station, Sannomiya Station and Kobe Airport, and routes towards Port Island.

✅ Where to buy paper tickets

• Kobe City Information Center, south side of JR Sannomiya Station
• Shin-Kobe Station Tourist Information Center, near the JR Shin-Kobe ticket gates
• Shinki Bus Kobe Sannomiya Bus Terminal
• Kamome-ria, bohboh KOBE counter
• FamilyMart Kobe Airport (2F)
• On board the City Loop (1-day pass only)

📌 On the paper 1-day pass, you scratch off the month and day you are using it. When you board, show the date side to the driver.

✅ How to buy a digital ticket

You can buy the 1-day and 2-day passes in advance on your phone. They are sold in the RYDEPASS and PassRu apps and on the Mobers website. When you board, show the driver the screen with the date on it.

Kobe City Loop route map and stops

The Kobe City Loop and the Port Loop cover different routes. You can use either one in some areas, such as Shin-Kobe, Sannomiya, Meriken Park, Port Tower, Harborland and Kamome-ria, but the stop numbers and locations differ, so check which route goes to your destination.

The table below lists each route's stops in the order the bus actually runs.

📍 Where to catch the City Loop and Port Loop at Sannomiya Station

City Loop and Port Loop stops are spread over several places around Sannomiya Station. The stop depends on where you are going and which way the bus runs: CL8 for Kitano and Shin-Kobe, PL31 for the Port Loop and so on. Check the stop number first.

In the morning there are also City Loop buses that start from stop 5 at Kobe Airport Terminal 1. They call at Terminal 2, Portopia Hotel, Arena-mae, Shinkocho and Kobe City Museum, then join the regular City Loop route from CL6 Kyomachisuji.

📍 Map of all City Loop and Port Loop stops

👉 Kobe City Loop and Port Loop stop map by Tokyo Mate (Google My Maps)

➡️ Kobe City Loop route map (PDF)

Kobe City Loop timetable and hours

The Kobe City Loop timetable is split into weekdays and Saturdays, Sundays and holidays. On the timetable revised on 1 April 2026, buses run about every 15 minutes during the day.

The reduced service for vehicle maintenance ended on 30 September, and the normal timetable has been running since 1 October.

✅ First and last Kobe City Loop buses at main stops

➡️ Full City Loop timetable

✅ First and last Kobe Port Loop buses at main stops

➡️ Full Port Loop timetable

※ On 3-4 October 2026, service changes because of road closures for the Kobe Autumn Festival. Check the official service information before you ride.

➡️ City Loop and Port Loop service changes for the Kobe Autumn Festival

A day in Kobe on the City Loop

The Kobe City official model route walks from Meriken Park to Port Tower and changes to the Port Loop there. I added Harborland to my route so I could see Harborland MOSAIC and the Ferris wheel.

① Sannomiya → Kitano and Nunobiki

CL8 Subway Sannomiya Station (northbound)
Board the City Loop at Sannomiya Station
↓
CL10 Kitano Ijinkan
Kitano Ijinkan streets, Weathercock House
↓
CL11 Kobe Nunobiki Herb Gardens & Ropeway
Kobe Nunobiki Ropeway, Nunobiki Herb Gardens

② Nankinmachi → Meriken Park and Harborland

CL15 Nankinmachi east exit (Motomachi shopping street)
Nankinmachi Chinatown, Motomachi shopping street
↓
CL16 Meriken Park
BE KOBE, Kobe Maritime Museum, Meriken Park
↓
CL1 Harborland (in front of MOSAIC)
Kobe Harborland MOSAIC, Ferris wheel, umie

③ Harborland → Port Loop → Sannomiya

PL37 Harborland (in front of MOSAIC)
Change to the Port Loop at MOSAIC and the Ferris wheel
↓
PL36 Port Tower
Kobe Port Tower
↓
PL39 Shinkocho (Bay City Towers side)
átoa, TOTTEI PARK (on foot)
↓
PL40 Arena-mae
GLION ARENA KOBE, TOTTEI
↓
PL42 Sannomiya Center Gai east exit
Sannomiya Center Gai, Sannomiya Station

FAQ

Q. If my IC card balance is short, can I top it up on the bus?

A. No. You can't top up IC cards on the bus. Pay the difference in cash. No change is given. You can break a 1,000-yen note into coins on board, then put in the exact fare.

Q. Does the 1-day pass get discounts at any sights?

A. Yes. As of June 2026, some attractions offer discounts, such as 10% off admission to Kazamidori no Yakata, 100 yen off adult admission to the Kobe Maritime Museum and Kawasaki World, and 100 yen off the MOSAIC Ferris wheel.

Switching between the City Loop and the Port Loop, you get from the hill streets of Kitano to the sea views of Kobe Port in a single day. With the buses linking the sights, getting around Kobe was easy.

🧡 Tokyo Mate Kobe travel guides

👉 Kitano Ijinkan Kobe: Admission, Combo Tickets & Hours

👉 Osaka to Kobe Sannomiya: JR, Hankyu & Hanshin Fares, Times