How to travel between Hakone and Tokyo

By Odakyu Railway

Odakyu Railway operates between Tokyo's Shinjuku Station and Hakone-Yumoto Station. The one way journey by the "Romance Car" limited express takes about 85 minutes and costs 2020 yen. By slower express trains (kyuko), the journey takes about two hours, requires one transfer at Odawara Station, but costs only 1150 yen.

Odakyu also offers the Hakone Free Pass, which includes the round trip from Tokyo to Hakone and unlimited use of selected trains, cablecars, ropeways, boats and buses in the Hakone area.

By JR (Japan Railways)

With JR trains you can only get as far as Odawara, from where you will have to use non-JR trains or buses into the Hakone area. The above mentioned Hakone Free Pass is also available for use from Odawara Station.

By JR Tokaido Shinkansen you can access Odawara in about half an hour from Tokyo or Shinagawa Station (about 3500 yen one way, fully covered by the Japan Rail Pass, but not covered by the JR East Pass and JR Kanto Area Pass), but note that only Kodama trains and selected Hikari trains stop at Odawara Station.

Alternatively, you can access Odawara from Tokyo in about 70-90 minutes by local or rapid trains on the JR Tokaido Main Line (stopping at Tokyo, Shimbashi and Shinagawa Stations) or the JR Shonan Shinjuku Line (stopping at Ikebukuro, Shinjuku and Shibuya Stations) for about 1450 yen one way. These trains are covered by the Japan Rail Pass, JR East Pass and JR Kanto Area Pass.

JTB's Hakone 2-Day Train & Hotel package includes a round trip from Tokyo to Odawara by shinkansen and accommodation in Hakone at a heavily discounted cost.

By Odakyu Hakone Highway Bus

Direct highway buses operate every 30 minutes between Tokyo's Shinjuku Station and the Lake Ashi area in Hakone (among other places the buses stop at Togendai and the Hakone Prince Hotel). The one way journey costs about 2000 yen and under good traffic conditions takes about two hours.