Hakone Transportation – How to Travel around Hakone

Hakone offers a wide variety of transportation options that make sightseeing very convenient, including the Hakone Tozan Train, the Hakone Tozan Cable Car, the Hakone Ropeway, the Hakone Sightseeing Cruise, and the Hakone Tozan Bus. Together, they form a loop route that covers most of Hakone’s highlights, including Hakone Yumoto - Hakone’s famous hot spring town, the Hakone Open-Air Museum, Hakone Gora Park, Owakudani, Lake Ashi, and Hakone Shrine and its iconic Peace Torii standing in the water. Most visitors explore Hakone by following this route in a counterclockwise direction.

Hakone Transportation Map (Click to Enlarge the Map)

Hakone Tozan Train

The Hakone Tozan Train operates in two sections: The first section runs along the flat stretch from Odawara Station to Hakone-Yumoto Station, transporting visitors into Hakone. The second section is one part of the loop line mentioned above and the one you will take when traveling around Hakone, which runs from Hakone-Yumoto Station at an elevation of about 100 meters (328 feet) to Gora Station at an elevation of about 540 meters (1,772 feet) in approximately 40 minutes.

About the Section from Hakone-Yumoto Station to Gora Station

1. Route Map and Key Stations

OH51 Hakone-Yumoto Station: A transportation hub of Hakone and the gateway to the hot spring town.
OH52 Tonosawa Station: Nearby are the Zeniarai Benten Shrine and hiking trails.
OH55 Kowakidani Station: Located near the Okada Museum of Art, the Yunessun – a hot spring theme park, and Morinoyu Resort.
OH56 Chokokunomori Station: The Hakone Open-Air Museum is just a 2-minute walk from the station.
OH57 Gora Station: Surrounded by many hotels with hot springs, it is within walking distance of Hakone Gora Park and the Hakone Museum of Art. Passengers can transfer to the Hakone Tozan Cable Car to head to Sounzan.

Hakone Open Air Museum

2. Operating Hours and Frequency
Generally, the trains run from around 6:30 to 23:00. Except for early morning and late night hours, when service is less frequent, there are typically 3 to 4 trains per hour.

Tip: Every year from mid-June to late July, the Hakone Tozan Train transforms into the “Hydrangea Train”, taking passengers on a journey through a dreamlike sea of hydrangeas.

Hakone Tozan Cable Car

The Hakone Tozan Cable Car, actually a funicular railway, connects Gora Station and Sounzan and serves as the essential connecting route between ground transportation and the aerial ropeway. It runs only 1.2 kilometers (0.7 miles) in distance but climbs about 210 meters (689 feet) in elevation. The whole journey takes approximately 10 minutes.

Hakone Tozan Cable Car

Operating hours are generally from 8:30 to 18:00, though they may vary a little bit by season. It has a service interval of around 15-20 minutes.

Route Map and Key Stations

OH62 Sounzan Station: It features an observation deck offering panoramic views of the Gora townscape and the Hakone Outer Rim Mountains. You can transfer to the Hakone Ropeway for trips toward Owakudani and Togendai.

Hakone Ropeway

The Hakone Ropeway connects Sounzan Station on the mountain top and Togendai Station on the shores of Lake Ashi, and is quite a popular scenic transportation option in Hakone: riding it allows you to look down on the spectacular Owakudani crater, Lake Ashi, and Mount Fuji in one go. The entire journey is about 4 kilometers (2.5 miles) and takes approximately 30 minutes. The entire route is divided into two sections: the first section runs from Sounzan Station to Owakudani Station, and the second section runs from Owakudani Station to Togendai Station. All passengers need to transfer to a different gondola at Owakudani Station.

Hakone Ropeway and Mt. Fuji in the Distance

Its operating hours are 9:00-17:00 from February through November, and 9:00-16:15 from December through January. During operating hours, the gondolas run approximately every minute. However, please note that service may be temporarily suspended in the event of strong winds, heavy fog, or heavy rain.

Route Map and Key Stations

OH63 Owakudani Station: You can overlook the spectacular sight of steam rising from the Owakudani crater and see Mount Fuji in the distance at this station. This station is closely connected to observation decks for overlooking Owakudani.
OH65 Togendai Station: It is a great place to enjoy views of Lake Ashi. Passengers can transfer here to the Hakone Sightseeing Cruise.

Hakone Sightseeing Cruise

The uniquely designed Hakone Sightseeing Cruise, also called Hakone Pirate Ship, runs across Lake Ashi, connecting Togendai, Moto-Hakone, and Hakone-Machi along a triangular route. When taking the boat, you can enjoy the scenery of Lake Ashi, the view of Mount Fuji, and the Peace Torii of Hakone Shrine. The boats operate from approximately 9:30 to 17:00, with departures every 30-40 minutes.

Route Map and Key Stations

OH65 Togendai Port: Located on the north shore of Lake Ashi, Togendai Port is right next to Togendai Station, the terminus of the Hakone Ropeway.
OH66 Hakone-Machi Port: Located on the south shore of Lake Ashi, it is within walking distance of historical sites such as Hakone Checkpoint and Onshi Hakone Park. You can transfer to the Hakone Tozan Bus here.
OH67 Moto-Hakone Port: It is also located on the south shore of Lake Ashi, with Hakone Shrine and its iconic Peace Torii on the water, and the Narukawa Art Museum nearby. You can also take the Hakone Tozan Bus nearby.

Tips

1. The cabins of the boats are divided into standard ones and premium ones. Premium ones offer a more luxurious interior and an exclusive deck, but require an additional fee.
2. Service may be temporarily suspended when there are strong winds, heavy rain, or dense fog.

Uniquely Designed Hakone Sightseeing Cruise

Hakone Tozan Bus

As mentioned above, you can board the Hakone Tozan Bus near both Hakone-Machi Port and Moto-Hakone Port. The buses will take you back to Hakone-Yumoto Station in about 30 minutes and help you complete the entire loop tour. It operates from approximately 6:30 to 20:00 and runs every 15 to 30 minutes. Remember to board and alight at the front door when taking the Hakone Tozan Bus.

Tips

The route from Hakone-Machi Port and Moto-Hakone Port to Hakone-Yumoto Station of the Hakone Tozan Bus mentioned above is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to its network. In fact, the Hakone Tozan Bus operates a dense network of routes, covering nearly the entire region of Hakone, and connecting many key spots such as Hakone-Yumoto, Gora, Moto-Hakone, and Togendai. It can take you to some attractions accessible by the transportation options mentioned above, such as Lake Ashi, Hakone Shrine, and the Hakone Open-Air Museum, as well as some not served by them, such as the Hakone Venetian Forest Museum and the Pola Museum of Art.

How to Pay for the Transportation Methods of Hakone?

1. Hakone Freepass: This is the most recommended way to pay for transportation in Hakone - it’s very convenient and can help you save money. With the freepass, you can ride most routes on all of the transportation options listed above an unlimited number of times during its validity period.
2. IC Cards: All of the transportation options mentioned above can be paid for with IC cards such as SUICA and PASMO, which are very convenient.
3. Cash: You can purchase tickets with cash at ticket windows at stations or on the buses.

Guide for Hakone Passes

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