Maruo Onsen/ Ebino Plateau

Hello everyone,
I have three questions concerning Kirishima Area and Ebino Plateau
(1) does anyone know, what the best way is, to reach Maruo Onsen Town by public transport coming from Shikoku or Honshu Main Island
(2) is there a realistic option to get from Maruo to Ebino Plateau by public transport at the moment, i heard some connections got abolished
(3) my plan is to travel during golden week this year. Will there be any restrictions for example no operations of the public transport or such?
Thank you so much in advance!
Best Regards Stefan

Alongside Akan National Park, Kirishima National Park gets my vote for worst public transportation offered in Japan. Especially since corona and the resulting bus driver shortage, the little available is near to impractical.

does anyone know, what the best way is, to reach Maruo Onsen Town by public transport coming from Shikoku or Honshu Main Island

It is explained here with abus network map:
https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e4626.html

If you arrive by plane, you have a bus from the airport. Otherwise, most people will arrive by train to Kirishima Jingu Station.

(2) is there a realistic option to get from Maruo to Ebino Plateau by public transport at the moment, i heard some connections got abolished

The bus to Ebino Kogen remains as bad as it used to be before corona (except that access to Takachihonomine is supsended during winter). There are three buses from Maruo to Ebino Kogen, which is not too bad, but then there are no direct buses back, just two indirect connections via Shinyu:
https://www.iwasaki-corp.com/wp-content/uploads/cd387339db8e11f0b20941...

(3) my plan is to travel during golden week this year. Will there be any restrictions for example no operations of the public transport or such?

There are no plans for restrictions.

i just came from there.
Maruo Onsen Market or Krishima Hotel is relatively easy reachable (i came from krishima jingu and returned through the airport route back) - however ebino plateau is really really hard to reach by public transport. i suggest you look at the bus plans and try to get one direction with public transport and take the other by foot. this will take some time but will make you flexible. if you want to take a taxi, choose the direction upwards, cause the chance of finding a taxi on top of the mountains is almost zero, even in high season. you might walk to shinyu onsen and let them call you a taxi. (it is also worth visiting, even if your skin will smell 1 week later still) :-)

In kagoshima,One of my favourite is kirishima
Onsen, so you can go maruo onsen to kirishi ma by kagoshima kotsu bus, 26min, 530 yen
Then you can go ebino by JR via yoshimatsu

I have only been to Ebino Plateau（えびの高原,Ebino ko-gen） by car from Miyazaki.
According to this, there seems to be a bus leaving from Maruo（丸尾）.
Take the Kirishima mountain range tour bus（霧島連山周遊バス,Kirishima renzan tour bus）.
Please use software such as Google Translate to translate it.
https://www.city-kirishima.jp/kirikan/kanko/bus/renzan.html
I think the information on how to access the Ebino Eco Museum Center(えびのエコミュージアムセンター） will also be helpful.
https://ebino-ecomuseum.go.jp/about/#ab-access
Access time to Kirishima City
https://kirishimakankou.com/charms_en
Current timetable from Kirishima-Jingu Station（霧島神宮駅） to Maruo（丸尾）
https://www.iwasaki-corp.com/wp-content/uploads/dd290f184264c153180b27...
The timetable may change in the spring (March or April), so please check here again as the time for your trip approaches.
https://www.iwasaki-corp.com/bus/myplan_kirishima/
If you are traveling by ferry from Honshu, there is a ferry from Kobe to Miyazaki.
https://www.miyazakicarferry.com/schedule/
There is also a train bound for Shibushi （志布志）in Kagoshima from Osaka.
https://www.ferry-sunflower.co.jp/route/osaka-shibushi/time/
You can also take the Shinkansen to Kagoshima Chuo Station or fly to Kagoshima Airport.
Bus from the airport to Maruo (Kirishima Line,霧島線)
https://www.iwasaki-corp.com/wp-content/uploads/f977aac0fc40e402ba5f60...
https://www.iwasaki-corp.com/bus/airport/
The ferry from Shikoku will arrive in Oita Prefecture, so you will need to transfer to a train from there.
https://www.shikoku-ships.jp/route/
I don't think there will be any cases where trains do not operate during Golden Week, but since many Japanese people travel, there is a possibility that you will not be able to reserve seats on the Shinkansen or on airplanes.
I've read a book by the owner of a traveler's mountain lodge, so I'm interested.
Please have fun.​