How to Get to Hakone from Tokyo / Kyoto / Mount Fuji…

Hakone has no airport, and there is no direct Shinkansen service. So, when traveling from other locations to Hakone, there are only a few direct transportation methods to choose from; the rest all require a transfer: You need to take external transportation first, which ends at Hakone’s “gateway” - Odawara Station. Once you arrive at this gateway, transfer to local transportation, such as the Hakone Tozan Train, to enter Hakone.

Lake Ashi in Hakone

To save money, you can consider purchasing a Hakone Freepass, which covers certain modes of transportation on your journey to Hakone from various locations.

From Tokyo

Tokyo is the most convenient location to get to Hakone. The two destinations are only 80–100 kilometers (50-62 miles) apart, and the routes between them are well-established with frequent service. Generally speaking, you have the following options:

1. Odakyu Limited Express Romancecar – A Direct Train to Hakone

The Odakyu Limited Express Romancecar is a convenient and comfortable way to get to Hakone from Tokyo, and it’s also the most highly recommended option.

Taking the Romancecar from the Shinjuku Station, you can arrive directly and relatively quickly at Hakone-Yumoto Station, the starting point and an important transportation hub for exploring Hakone, without any transfer. Furthermore, the train runs frequently. On weekdays, there are 1–2 departures per hour between 7:30 and 18:00, for a total of about 16 trips throughout the day. On weekends and holidays, its operating hours are extended to 7:00–18:00, and the number of departures also increases: there are 3 departures per hour during peak time and a total of about 24 departures throughout the day.

All seats of Rommencecar are reserved, spacious, and comfortable, and free Wi-Fi is available. Some train cars feature floor-to-ceiling panoramic windows, allowing you to enjoy the mountain and countryside scenery along the way.

Departure: Shinjuku Station
Arrival: Hakone-Yumoto Station
Travel Time: 1.5 hours
Fare: The total fare for the Odakyu Limited Express Romancecar is approximately JPY2,470 (USD15.3): JPY1,270 (USD7.9) for the basic ticket and JPY1,200 (USD7.4) for the additional cost for the limited express service.

Tips:

(1) If you plan to get the Romancecar, you are recommended to book your tickets a month in advance, especially if your travel dates are on weekends and holidays, when the tickets are in quite high demand.
(2) IC cards such as SUICA or PASMO, as well as the Hakone Freepass (from Shinjuku), only cover the basic ticket. After using them to enter the station, you’ll still need to purchase a limited express ticket.

2. Ordinary Train of the Odakyu Line & Hakone Tozan Train – A Budget-Friendly Option

If you want to save money, you can consider this option to get from Tokyo to Hakone: First, take a local, semi-express, express, or rapid express train on the Odakyu Line from Shinjuku Station to Odawara Station, which will take about 1 hour and 40 minutes. Then, transfer to the Hakone Tozan Train to reach Hakone-Yumoto in about 20 minutes.

Train on Odakyu Line

Departure: Shinjuku Station

Transfer: Odawara Station
Arrival: Hakone-Yumoto Station
Travel Time: 2 hours
Fare: JPY1,270 (USD7.9)
Tip: The Hakone Freepass (from Shinjuku) fully covers the fares of these two sections.

3. Shinkansen & Hakone Tozan Train – The Fastest Option

This is the fastest but also the most expensive way to get from Tokyo to Hakone. You just need to get the JR Tokaido Shinkansen from Tokyo Station or Shinagawa Station to Odawara Station for about 30-40 minutes before transferring to the Hakone Tozan Train.

Shinkansen to Hakone

Departure: Tokyo Station / Shinagawa Station
Transfer: Odawara Station
Arrival: Hakone-Yumoto Station
Travel Time: 1 hour

Fare: The total fare is at least about JPY3,640 (USD22.5). If you choose a reserved seat or Green Car for the Shinkansen, the fare will be even higher.

Tips:
(1) When taking the Shinkansen, remember to choose the “Kodama” or “Hikari” trains. The fastest “Nozomi” trains do not stop at Odawara Station.
(2) If you have a JR Pass, which covers the fare of the Shinkansen, you are recommended to choose this option as your primary way to get to Hakone.
(3) The Hakone Freepass can cover the fare of the Hakone Tozan Train.

4. JR Ordinary Train & Hakone Tozan Train

You have two specific options for the first leg:
(1) Depart from Tokyo Station or Shinagawa Station and take the JR Tokaido Main Line to Odawara Station.
(2) Depart from Shinjuku Station or Shibuya Station and take the JR Shonan-Shinjuku Line to Odawara Station.

For the second leg, just get the Hakone Tozan Train.

Odawara Station

Departure: Tokyo Station / Shinagawa Station / Shinjuku Station / Shibuya Station
Transfer: Odawara Station
Arrival: Hakone-Yumoto Station
Travel Time: 2 hours
Fare: JPY1,770–1,960 (USD11-12.1)
Tip: You can use the JR Pass for the first journey and the Hakone Free Pass for the second leg.

5. Highway Bus – Another Direct Transportation Method

Taking the Odakyu Hakone Highway Bus also allows you to travel directly from Tokyo to Hakone without any transfer. However, the downside is that the trip takes longer and is easily affected by traffic conditions.

It operates from approximately 6:30 to 16:30, with about seven trips during that time.

Departure: Shinjuku Expressway Bus Terminal
Arrival: Togendai Station
Travel Time: 2.5 hours
Fare: JPY2,560 (USD15.9)
Tip: When taking the Odakyu Hakone Highway Bus from Shinjuku to Hakone, the Hakone Freepass can cover part of the fare. However, you need to obtain a split bus ticket at the Shinjuku Expressway Bus Terminal first.

From Kyoto / Osaka / Nagoya

To travel from Kyoto, Osaka, or Nagoya to Hakone, the general plan is to first take the JR Tokaido Shinkansen “Hikari” or “Kodama” train to Odawara Station. Upon arrival at Odawara Station, transfer to the Hakone Tozan Train to Hakone-Yumoto Station, which will take 20 minutes and cost JPY360 (USD2.2).

Details for the First Journey:

Departure	Fare (Non-Reserved Seat)	Travel Time
Kyoto Station	JPY12,100 (USD74.9)	Hikari: 2 hours Kodama: 3 hours
Shin-Osaka Station	JPY12,650 (USD78.3)	Hikari: 2 hours and 20 minutes Kodama: 3 hours and 15 minutes
Nagoya Station	JPY8,900 (USD55.1)	Hikari: 1 hour and 10 minutes Kodama: 2 hours

From Fuji Five Lakes

The most common and recommended way to travel from the Fuji Five Lakes area to Hakone is by bus, consisting of two legs in total.

For the first leg of the journey, take the Fujikyu Bus from Kawaguchiko to Gotemba Premium Outlets. The limited express buses run four times a day, at around 9:10, 10:10, 12:10, and 15:10, separately, and they usually take about 1 hour to get to the Gotemba Premium Outlets. The ticket can be reserved in advance, and the fare is about JPY2,200 (USD13.6).

For the second leg, you need to transfer to the Hakone Tozan Bus at Gotemba Premium Outlets. If you want to arrive at the Hakone-Yumoto Station, take the L line, which runs only once per day at around 11:15. About 45 minutes and JPY1,440 (USD8.9) are needed for this journey. If you want to arrive at the Gora Station, take the M line, which runs once or twice per hour from around 7:00 to 19:00, costs about JPY1,120 (USD6.9), and takes about 40 minutes.

Tip: The Hakone Free Pass can be used for the second leg mentioned above.

From Kamakura / Yokohama

To get from Kamakura to Hakone, you need to take an ordinary train on the JR Tokaido Main Line or the Shonan-Shinjuku Line from Ofuna Station in Kamakura to Odawara Station. The journey takes about 30–40 minutes, and the fare is JPY720 (USD4.4). From Odawara Station, you can transfer to the Hakone Tozan Train heading to Hakone-Yumoto Station.

The fastest and most cost-effective way to travel from Yokohama to Hakone is: get an ordinary train of the JR Tokaido Main Line from Yokohama Station to Odawara Station in about 50-60 minutes, whose fare is about JPY1,040 (USD6.4); and then transfer to the Hakone Tozan Train.

Tip: If you have a JR Pass and a Hakone Freepass, you can save on JR ordinary train fares and Hakone Tozan Train fares, respectively.

From Atami

To get to Hakone from Atami, you are recommended to first take the JR Tokaido Main Line from Atami Station, which can deliver you to Odawara Station to transfer to the Hakone Tozan Train. The total travel time is about 50 minutes, and the fare is approximately JPY800 (USD4.9). This route allows passengers to make the most of their JR Pass or the Hakone Free Pass.

Alternatively, you can also take the Izuhakone Bus, which can take you from the Atami Station directly to the Moto-Hakone Station. Within the operating hours from around 9:00 to 14:00, there are about 9 trips per day. The bus ride takes about an hour and costs around JPY1,200 (USD7.4).