Miyazaki Marutto 1-Day Free Pass: Official Rider Guide for 2026

On May 8, 2026, a joint release was issued by the Kyushu MaaS Council (Miyazaki MaaS Executive Committee), Miyazaki City, Miyazaki Kotsu Co., Ltd., and Kyushu Railway Company (JR Kyushu) announcing the continued sale of the "Miyazaki Marutto 1-Day Free Pass" (みやざきマルっと１Dayフリーパス) for fiscal year 2026. This guide is written for rail and bus riders who plan to travel within Miyazaki City using public transportation and want to understand the pass's terms, purchase process, and usage rules as outlined in the official announcement.

Who This Applies To

This guidance applies to the following groups:

• Residents of Miyazaki City who use public transportation (buses and trains) within the city's designated areas.
• Visitors to Miyazaki City who intend to use local public transit during eligible travel dates.
• Smartphone users who are able to download and operate the my route app, which is the sole platform for purchasing and activating this pass.
• Travelers on eligible days only — the pass is valid exclusively on Saturdays, Sundays, and Mondays within the three designated use-period windows (detailed below).

The official source states that the pass is designed for both "Miyazaki City residents and visitors to Miyazaki City for sightseeing," and is positioned as a discounted planned ticket (企画乗車券). However, the source does not specify any residency requirement, nationality restriction, or age-based eligibility beyond the adult/child fare distinction. If you are unsure whether your specific travel pattern falls within the designated area, consult the area map referenced in the official source document.

Pass Overview

The Miyazaki Marutto 1-Day Free Pass is a planned ticket (企画乗車券) that provides unlimited rides for one day on two participating carriers within Miyazaki City:

• Miyazaki Kotsu (宮崎交通) — bus services within the designated area
• JR Kyushu (九州旅客鉄道株式会社) — rail services within the designated area

The pass is sold through the Kyushu MaaS platform, specifically via the smartphone app called "my route" (おでかけアプリ「my route」). The source does not mention any physical ticket counter, vending machine, or alternative sales channel.

Price

The source does not define the age threshold for "adult" versus "child" fares for this specific pass. Standard JR Kyushu convention typically defines children as ages 6–11, but this is not confirmed in the announcement. Travelers with young children should verify directly with the issuing parties if uncertain.

Sales Period

Sales open: May 22, 2026 (Friday)
Sales close: December 7, 2026 (Monday)

Important caveat from the source: Sales may end before December 7 if a predetermined number of passes has been sold. The source does not specify the total quantity available. Travelers are advised to purchase early if they have fixed travel dates.

Use Periods and Eligible Days

The pass is not valid on every day during the sales period. Use is restricted to three specific windows, and within each window, only Saturdays, Sundays, and Mondays are eligible.

There is a gap between Period 1 (ending June 29) and Period 2 (starting September 12), covering most of July and all of August. The source does not explain the reason for this gap. Travelers planning summer trips to Miyazaki should note that this pass will not be usable during July or August 2026.

Designated Area

The source states that the pass covers a "designated area within Miyazaki City" (宮崎市内の指定エリア) for both Miyazaki Kotsu buses and JR Kyushu rail services. The official announcement references a separate attachment (別添参照) for the area map. The text content of the source does not enumerate specific bus routes, JR stations, or geographic boundaries. Riders should consult the PDF attachment linked in the Official Source section below for the full area definition.

Steps: How to Purchase and Use the Pass

The following steps are drawn directly from the official source document.

Step 1: Download the "my route" App

The pass is sold exclusively through the my route smartphone app, which is the Kyushu MaaS platform's travel application. The source does not specify minimum OS versions, supported devices, or download links. Search for "my route" in your device's app store.

Step 2: Navigate to the Purchase Section

Open the app and navigate to "お得におでかけ" (roughly "Great Deals for Outings"). From the area selection, choose "宮崎" (Miyazaki). Then tap the relevant ride pass (乗車券).

Step 3: Select Quantity and Purchase

Enter the number of passes you wish to buy and proceed to checkout. Payment must be made via one of the following methods:

• Credit card
• TOYOTA Wallet
• PayPay

No other payment methods are listed in the source. Cash purchase is not mentioned and appears unavailable.

Step 4: Activate the Pass on Your Travel Day

On the day you intend to use the pass:

1. Open the my route app.
2. Go to the "お得におでかけ" screen.
3. Tap the icon in the upper-right corner of the screen.
4. Select the purchased pass.
5. Tap "利用開始" (Start Use).

The source does not clarify whether activation is irreversible or whether the pass has a time-based expiration once activated. Riders should treat activation as the start of their one-day validity.

Step 5: Use the Pass on Miyazaki Kotsu Buses

When boarding a Miyazaki Kotsu bus:

1. Take a numbered ticket (整理券) when boarding.
2. When exiting, drop the numbered ticket into the fare box.
3. Clearly show the pass screen on your smartphone to the bus driver.

Step 6: Use the Pass on JR Kyushu Trains

When using JR Kyushu services within the designated area:

1. At stations with QR readers: Present the QR code displayed on your smartphone screen to the QR reader installed at the ticket gate.
2. At stations without QR readers: Use the my route app's built-in camera to scan the QR code poster displayed at the ticket gate.
3. On some one-person (driver-only) trains: When exiting, clearly show the QR code displayed on your smartphone screen to the train driver.

The source does not list which specific JR stations have QR readers and which do not. Riders using smaller or unmanned stations should be prepared to scan poster-based QR codes.

Limits and Exceptions

The following restrictions and limitations are stated or implied in the official source:

• Limited eligible days: The pass is valid only on Saturdays, Sundays, and Mondays within the three specified periods. It cannot be used on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, or Fridays at any time.
• Limited sales quantity: The source explicitly warns that sales will end if a "certain number" (一定の発売数) of passes is reached. The total supply is not disclosed.
• Designated area only: The pass does not cover all JR Kyushu or Miyazaki Kotsu services. Only routes and stations within the designated Miyazaki City area are included. The full area definition is in the source PDF attachment.
• Digital-only distribution: The pass is available only through the my route app. No physical tickets, paper passes, or counter sales are mentioned.
• No refund policy stated: The source does not mention refund, cancellation, or change policies. Travelers should assume all purchases are final unless stated otherwise by the app's terms of service.
• No transfer or sharing rules stated: The source does not clarify whether a pass can be transferred between devices or used by multiple people. Standard MaaS app practice typically ties a pass to a single device and user account, but this is not confirmed in the source.
• One-day validity only: Each pass covers a single day of use. There is no multi-day option mentioned.
• Summer gap: There is no use period covering July 1 through September 11, 2026. The source does not explain why.

What Travelers Should Prepare

Based on the operational requirements described in the official source, travelers should prepare the following before their trip:

• A smartphone with the my route app installed and an account set up. Since this is the only purchase and activation channel, having the app ready in advance is essential.
• A supported payment method. The source specifies credit card, TOYOTA Wallet, or PayPay. Ensure your preferred method is linked in the app before attempting to purchase.
• Adequate battery life. The pass requires displaying a QR code on your smartphone screen for both bus and train use. A dead phone battery would render the pass unusable. The source does not mention any backup method for riders whose devices lose power.
• Familiarity with the designated area. Since the pass only covers a specific zone within Miyazaki City, riders should review the area map in the source PDF before purchasing to confirm their intended routes are covered.
• Early purchase if travel dates are fixed. Given the limited-quantity warning in the source, purchasing well ahead of your travel date is advisable.

Background: Why This Pass Exists

The official source provides context for the program. The Miyazaki Marutto 1-Day Free Pass was first introduced in a prior fiscal year and is continuing in 2026 due to positive reception — the headline itself states "好評につき今年度も" ("Due to popularity, continuing this fiscal year as well").

The initiative is part of a broader effort to:

• Promote the use of public transportation in Miyazaki City
• Create alternatives to private car travel
• Advance MaaS (Mobility as a Service) integration in the Kyushu region

The program is financially supported by Miyazaki City's "Bus & Train Promotion 1-Day Free Pass Implementation Support Grant" (宮崎市「バス＆列車利用促進１日フリーパス実施支援事業補助金」). This suggests the ¥500 adult / ¥250 child pricing is subsidized and may not reflect the full retail cost of equivalent individual fares. The source does not provide a comparison with standard ticket prices.

The participating organizations are:

• Kyushu MaaS Council — Miyazaki MaaS Executive Committee (一般社団法人 九州MaaS協議会 宮崎県におけるMaaS実行委員会)
• Miyazaki City (宮崎市)
• Miyazaki Kotsu Co., Ltd. (宮崎交通株式会社)
• Kyushu Railway Company / JR Kyushu (九州旅客鉄道株式会社)

Eligible Dates at a Glance

For quick reference, here are all the Saturdays, Sundays, and Mondays during each use period when the pass can be activated:

Period 1: May 30 – June 29, 2026

Period 2: September 12 – October 5, 2026

Period 3: November 1 – December 7, 2026

Note: November 23, 2026 is a national holiday (勤労感謝の日 / Labor Thanksgiving Day) in Japan, which falls on a Monday. The source does not exclude national holidays, so this date should be eligible. However, riders should be aware that holiday schedules may affect bus and train frequency.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I buy this pass at a JR ticket counter or bus terminal?

No. The official source states that the pass is sold exclusively through the my route smartphone app. No physical sales channels are mentioned.

What happens if I activate the pass but my phone runs out of battery during the day?

The source does not address this scenario. Both bus and train usage require displaying a QR code on your smartphone screen. There is no mention of a paper backup, alternative verification method, or replacement policy. Riders should ensure their device is fully charged before starting their journey.

Does the pass cover all JR Kyushu lines in Miyazaki Prefecture?

No. The source specifies that the pass covers a "designated area within Miyazaki City" (宮崎市内の指定エリア). It does not cover all JR Kyushu services in Miyazaki Prefecture. The exact boundaries are defined in the area map attached to the official source document.

Can I use the pass on weekdays?

No. The pass is valid only on Saturdays, Sundays, and Mondays within the three designated use periods. Tuesday through Friday travel is not covered at any time.

Is the pass available during the summer school holiday period (July–August)?

Based on the dates in the official source, there is no eligible use period between June 29 and September 12, 2026. The pass cannot be used during July or August. The source does not explain the reason for this gap.

Official Source

This article was compiled solely from the official joint release document linked above. Where the source did not specify a detail — such as the age definition for child fares, refund policies, the total number of passes available, or the exact boundaries of the designated area — this guide notes that the information is absent from the source rather than filling the gap with assumptions. Riders seeking clarification on unspecified points should contact Miyazaki Kotsu or JR Kyushu directly, or consult the my route app's support resources.

For related official rider guides covering Kyushu rail services, see our coverage of JR Kyushu train information, Miyazaki area transit, and Kyushu MaaS platform updates.