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 2080 yen. By slower express trains (kyuko), the journey takes about two hours, requires one transfer at Odawara Station, but costs only 1190 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 Tokyo Wide Area Pass, JR East Nagano Niigata Area Pass, JR East Tohoku Area Pass and JR East South Hokkaido Pass). 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 1500 yen one way. These trains are covered by the Japan Rail Pass, JR Tokyo Wide Pass, JR East Nagano Niigata Area Pass, JR East Tohoku Area Pass and JR East South Hokkaido Pass.
Japanican'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.
The same company also operates less frequent direct buses between Haneda Airport and Hakone, which stop at Yokohama Station along the way. The one way journey costs about 2000 yen and under good traffic conditions takes about 2.5 hours.
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How to travel between Hakone and Kyoto
By shinkansen
Take the JR Tokaido Shinkansen from Kyoto to Mishima (served by Kodama trains and one direct Hikari train every 2 hours), Atami (served by kodama trains and one direct Hikari train every 2-3 hours) or Odawara Station (served by Kodama trains and one direct Hikari train every 2-5 hours).
The one way trip takes about two hours and costs about 11,000 yen. The Japan Rail Pass is valid on Kodama and Hikari trains, but not on Nozomi trains.
From Mishima Station you can access the Lake Ashi area by Numazu Tozan Tokai Bus. The one way journey from Mishima to Moto-Hakone takes 50 minutes and costs 1030 yen. There is one bus per hour. The Hakone Free Pass can be purchased at Mishima Station and used on the buses to Moto-Hakone.
From Atami Station you can access the Lake Ashi area by Izuhakone Bus. The one way journey from Atami to Moto-Hakone takes about one hour and costs 1180 yen. There are 1-2 buses per hour. The Hakone Free Pass is not valid on Izuhakone buses.
From Odawara Station you can access the Hakone area by Hakone Tozan Railway and various bus lines. The Hakone Free Pass can be purchased and used from Odawara. Odawara is the most convenient entry point for accessing Hakone-Yumoto and destinations along the Hakone Tozan Railway Line.
Via Tokyo
Despite being a detour, travel via Tokyo can be cheaper if using an overnight bus between Tokyo and Kyoto:
- how to travel between Hakone and Tokyo
- how to travel between Tokyo and Kyoto
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How to travel between Hakone and Osaka
By shinkansen
Take the JR Tokaido Shinkansen from Osaka to Mishima (served by Kodama trains and one direct Hikari train every 2 hours), Atami (served by Kodama trains and one direct Hikari train every 2-3 hours) or Odawara Station (served by Kodama trains and one direct Hikari train every 2-5 hours).
The one way trip takes about 2.5 hours and costs about 12,000 yen. The Japan Rail Pass is valid on Kodama and Hikari trains, but not on nozomi trains.
From Mishima Station you can access the Lake Ashi area by Numazu Tozan Tokai Bus. The one way journey from Mishima to Moto-Hakone takes 50 minutes and costs 1030 yen. There is one bus per hour. The Hakone Free Pass can be purchased at Mishima Station and used on the buses to Moto-Hakone.
From Atami Station you can access the Lake Ashi area by Izuhakone Bus. The one way journey from Atami to Moto-Hakone takes about one hour and costs 1180 yen. There are 1-2 buses per hour. The Hakone Free Pass is not valid on Izuhakone buses.
From Odawara Station you can access the Hakone area by Hakone Tozan Railway and various bus lines. The Hakone Free Pass can be purchased and used from Odawara. Odawara is the most convenient entry point for accessing Hakone-Yumoto and destinations along the Hakone Tozan Railway Line.
Via Tokyo
Despite being a detour, travel via Tokyo can be cheaper if using an overnight bus between Tokyo and Osaka:
- how to travel between Hakone and Tokyo
- how to travel between Tokyo and Osaka
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How to travel between Hakone and Fuji Five Lakes
Take the Odakyu Hakone Highway Bus from Togendai or Sengoku in the Hakone area to Gotemba Station (25-35 minutes, 710-1020 yen, 2 buses per hour) and then the Fujikyu Bus from Gotemba Station to Kawaguchiko Station in the Fuji Five Lake area (1 hour, 1510 yen, 1-2 buses per hour, see timetable).
The Japan Rail Pass is not valid on either bus, while the Hakone Free Pass is valid on the Odakyu Hakone Highway Bus until Gotemba but not on the Fujikyu Bus.
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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 2080 yen. By slower express trains (kyuko), the journey takes about two hours, requires one transfer at Odawara Station, but costs only 1190 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 Tokyo Wide Area Pass, JR East Nagano Niigata Area Pass, JR East Tohoku Area Pass and JR East South Hokkaido Pass). 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 1500 yen one way. These trains are covered by the Japan Rail Pass, JR Tokyo Wide Pass, JR East Nagano Niigata Area Pass, JR East Tohoku Area Pass and JR East South Hokkaido Pass.
Japanican'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.
The same company also operates less frequent direct buses between Haneda Airport and Hakone, which stop at Yokohama Station along the way. The one way journey costs about 2000 yen and under good traffic conditions takes about 2.5 hours.
Above fees and schedules are subject to change. For the current yen exchange rate, click here.
Orientation
The municipality of Hakone covers a mountainous region with several small towns, among which Moto-Hakone and Hakone-machi at the shores of Lake Ashi and the hot spring town of Hakone-Yumoto down in the valley, are the region's main transportation hubs.
An efficient network of buses, trains, cablecars, ropeways and sightseeing boats makes Hakone a great place to be explored by public transportation. The best pass to do so is Odakyu's Hakone Free Pass, which gives you unlimited use of all Odakyu affiliated trains, buses, boats, cablecars and ropeways.
An attractive way of exploring Hakone is by circling the region by five different means of transportation: Click here for more details about the Hakone Round Course.
