Trip to Kawaguchiko and Hakone

Hi,

We will be visiting Kawaguchiko from Tokyo on Tuesday, 18 Nov 2014. We stay a night there and will be heading to Hakone from Kawaguchiko. We'll stay in Hakone for 2 nights. As 18 Nov to 21 Nov 2014 is considered as 4 days, is there a 4-day Fuji-Hakone Free Pass instead of 3-day pass available?

As we are keen to visit the popular museums in both places..riding ropeway & Tozan train, other than that, we wish to capture pictures of koyo and pampas, would rent a car from Kawaguchiko to Hakone till we leave to Tokyo be a good choice?

Appreciate if you could suggest the best solution for our transportation: Tokyo-Kawaguchiko-Hakone-Tokyo in 4 days. By Free Pass or Car or mixture of both?

Thank you in advance!

There is only 2-day or 3-day free pass. No 4-day free pass.

I think it's better to rent a car to enjoy the trip, if you are planning to go around Kawaguchiko and Hakone.
By a car, you can also visit the Gotemba Outlet on the way from Kawaguchiko to Hakone. Also, you can visit many places in a short time by a car.

Hi qualheart,

Many thanks for your advice.

I am looking for the most cost effective way to access Kawaguchiko from Tokyo; from Hakone back to Tokyo.

Could you please assist me with below sectors:

1. Tokyo - Kawaguchiko (Is Highway-bus the best choice?)

2. Hakone - Tokyo (Any transport company suggestion for this sector?)

3. Or we should get the free pass from Odawara Station for our 3D2N in Hakone?

I am abit worry on my return sector as don't know which transport is available.. (cost is another concern too)

Appreciate if anyone could help. Thank you.

hi Olie

1. It's the best to take the highway bus. It departures from Shinjuku station bus terminal. It costs 1,750yen for one way and takes 1 hour and 40 minutes.
By the train, it costs 2,860yen for one way and takes more than 2 hours to get Kawaguhicko.

2. To get Hakone, it's better to take the Odakyu train from Shinjuku to Odawara and transfer to Hakonetozan train to get the Hakoneyumoto station.
It takes about 2 hours but costs only 1,190yen for one way. (if you buy the Hakone free pass, it contains the train ticket from Shinjuku to Odawara so that you can take it by a free pass ticket, although it's only available for 3 days after purchased.) You can also take Odakyu Romancecar(express) to directly get to the Hakoneyumoto station from Shinjuku but it costs 2,080yen for one way.

3. You can buy the Hakone free pass at the Odakyu line ticket wicket in the Shinjuku station. but if you first go to the Kawaguchiko, it's better to buy the free pass ticket in Hakone.

if any concern please ask me for free ^^

Hi qualheart,

Thank you very much for your advice, this is very much appreciated.

We are thinking to get the Fuji Hakone Free Pass, which is valid for 3 days. We are still looking for other solutions the day 4 in Hakone..

Regarding Fuji Hakone Pass and some routes, could you please help us the directions for the following routes:

Route 1: Minato - Shinjuku - Kawaguchiko

1. From Hamamatsucho / Daimon station to Shinjuku station.
i) Which line we should take?
ii) Direction within the station to the platform if we come from Hotel MyStay Hamamatsucho.
iii) How much and how long time this trip will be?

2. Can the Fuji Hakone Free Pass be bought in advance or we should buy it on the day of departure? We wish to take the early bus around 7am/8am to Kawaguchiko.

3. How to connect from subway/metro to the ticket counter first then to the bus boarding place heading to Kawaguchiko? Which bus companies we should take with this free pass? How to get to the bus platform?

* Which transport are inclusive in Kawaguchiko area with Fuji Hakone Pass?

Route 2: Kawaguchiko - Gotemba - Hakone

1. If we take Fujikyu bus from Kawaguchiko to Gotemba, how long this trip will be?

2. How long time is needed to transfer from Fujikyu bus to Odakyu Highway bus? (we may consider to visit the premium outlet but not sure yet)

3. Do you have above bus companies timetables for easy reference? I remember saw it but now can't find the link.. :'(

4. We were advised that we can get off the bus at Sengkyoro-mae bus stop near our accommodation in Sengkokuhara area, I am wondering if the Odakyu Highway bus has a place for us to keep our roller luggage in the bus?

* As we will stay for 4 days in Fuji-Hakone area, we wish to bring a roller luggage. Would the following buses have a place for keeping medium size roller luggage:

i. Highway bus from Shinjuku to Kawaguchiko

ii. Fujikyu bus from Kawaguchiko to Gotemba

iii. Odakyu Highway bas from Gotemba to Hakone-Sengkokuhara.

It would be a great help if you could assist us with above questions in order to plan further.

Thank you very much in advance!

hi Olie

Route 1: Minato - Shinjuku - Kawaguchiko

1. I think it's better to take the Yamanote line from Hamamatsucho to Shinjuku. Oedo line from Daimon to Shinjuku conts 220yen and Yamanote line from Hamamatsucho to Shinjuku costs 200yen. Oedo line is faster but only 2-minute difference. It takes about 24 minutes by Yamanote line.

2. I think you must buy the free pass on the day of departure. The ticket counter opens at 8 am, so you can buy the ticket at 8 am and then take the bus around 8 am.

3. The ticket counter is lcoated on the 1st floor nearby the Odakyo line entrance gate. It's located at upstair of JR West Chuo Gate.
http://www.odakyu.jp/english/center/

The hightway bus you should ride is Keio Highway bus at Shinjuku Highway bus tarminal. The Shinjuku Highway bus terminal is located at West Exit of Shinjuku Station nearby Yodobashi Camera.
https://www.google.co.jp/maps/place/%E6%96%B0%E5%AE%BF%E9%AB%98%E9%80%...

Route 2: Kawaguchiko - Gotemba - Hakone

1. It takes 1 hour 10 minutes from Kawaguchiko sta. to Gotemba.Sta.

2. There is a bus to get Hakone From Gotemba Outlet Park, so you can go direcltythe Outlet by Fujikyuko bus from Kawaguchiko and then take a bus from Outlet to Hakone. How long you can stay in the Outlet depends on the timetable of the bus.

3. Here are the bus timetable for each bus terminal.

Shinjuku to Kawaguchiko (Keio Highway bus)
https://www.highwaybus.com/rs-web01-prd-rel/gp/info/timeTbl?lineGroupN...

Kawaguchiko to Gotemba Outlet (Fujikyuko bus)
http://bus.fujikyu.co.jp/line/jikokuhyo/01.html

Gotemba Outlet to Hakoneyumoto(?)
http://www.hakone-tozanbus.co.jp/pdf/13223-002001.pdf

4. Actually you use Hakonetozan bus around the Hakone area, not Odakyu highway bus. It's just a local bus so you cannnot keep your luggage in the bus.

Fujikyuko and Hakonetozan buses are normal local buses. I think there is a place to keep luggages, but you cannot keep your luggage in the bus when you stopped by, because the bus departures for the next bus stop immediately.

I think it's better to keep your luggages in a locker in Gora or Hakoneyumoto station.

I have an additional information.

You can buy the Fuji Hakone Free Pass in advance, 30 days before the depature.
When you buy the ticket, you can specify the departure date.