Getting from Kyoto to Hakone before 12

Hi all,

I just want to iron something out for my trip very soon to make sure I don't run into issues.

I need to get from Kyoto to hakone (specifically the fun2drive in sengokuhara)
Before 12 on Thursday the 12th of September. I am happy to arrive earlier and wait around or have lunch

I'm planning on taking the hikari 512 at 8:30 to odawara, I would like to minimise transfers.
Do I need to book this earlier?
And if I want to am I able to go to the train station and pick up a ticket the day before to save time in the morning?
The other question is will this be affected by it being rush hour?

From odawara I plan to take the tozan bus - togandai line.
Not sure much about this but but maybe just any tips to make sure I find the bus stop and get on the right bus

Cheers for any advice

Why not take and earlier train?

You can pay and collect tickets up to one month in advance.

The main reason is this was the earliest train with no changeovers. Also are trips with changeovers all done on one ticket or do I need multiple?

Also they seem to go all the way to Yokohama, then at peak time at that station go back to odewara. Would there be much problem with that?

If you want to sit on the train and not have to get off until Odawara, then the Hikari 512 at 8:32 is the earliest you can take. Transfers, however, aren't that difficult. There is one transfer at Shizuoka, which would be simpler, as you only have to stay on the track and not leave until the next one arrives. That's the Hikari 506/Kodama 632 combo that leaves Kyoto at 6;41am and arrives at Shizuoka at 8:31. You'll then have to wait 8:52 for the Kodama to arrive and leave at 8:53 and that'll get you to Odawara at 9:37am, giving you plenty of time to reach your final destination by 12pm. There exists another train with a transfer at Nagoya, but that one may require you to get off the current track and walk downstairs to another set of tracks. Shizuoka has no such problems; you get off one train and sit on the track until the one you want arrives....

For some unknown reason, I couldn't come up with the word "platform". So all the latter references to "track" can be, and should be, replaced with "platform". Thanks!

Transferring at Shizuoka shouldn't be a problem. It is the same platform.

When you purchase the tickets, you get one for Kyoto to Shizuoka and one for Shizuoka to Odawarra. You ask for Kyoto to Odawara, and they'll hand over the correct number of tickets.

-OR- you could get a cheaper unreserved seat ticket for the whole distance, and then that would be just one ticket. Still transferring at Shizuoka

The Hikari 512 is a good option. Buy/get your reserved seat ahead to time. With your arrival at Odawara you have enough time to get to the fun2drive location - picking the exact bus stop to get off at is a little tricky as is an odd spot. Arriving there early they will do the registration/briefings etc.
Make sure you have passport, IDP and drivers license or you will not be driving.

That's the Hikari 506/Kodama 632 combo

Such a combo train never exists.
Shinkansen Hikari and Kodama services are independently performed from each other, in separate trains.

@omotenashi, you misunderstood. The combo is the combination of the two services. You take things too literally sometimes.

The combo is the combination of the two services.

Then, "combo" sounds not a good term.
A possible better explanation
: You can make a combination of Hikari 506 and Kodama 632. The former Hikari leaves... and arrives.... Then you wait for the latter Kodama, which leaves... and arrives....

"That's the Hikari 506/Kodama 632 combo that leaves Kyoto at 6;41am"
highly likely can be interpreted as one Hikari - Kodama combined train,
because it means that the Kodama train leaves Kyoto as a part of the combo.
Practically this "Name Number/Name Number" form, I suppose, is used by JR companies to refer to combined trains.

There exists another train with a transfer at Nagoya, but that one may require you to get off the current track and walk downstairs to another set of tracks.

Actually it does not happen.

Nagoya Station,
for each direction of Shinkansen trains,
has just one platform;
two tracks are beside the platform, one on each side.
You change Shinkansen trains in the same directions at Nagoya Station.

So, you don't go to another platform.
Your first and second trains make stops
maybe on the different tracks,
maybe on the one same track.

Since I haven't had a need to transfer at Nagoya, I wasn't sure. So now I stand corrected. In the future, I will defer to @omotenashi for all questions.

Nagoya Station,
for each direction of Shinkansen trains,
has just one platform;
You need to pay attention to platform numbering - each side is counted as a different platform. Nagoya has four shinkansen platforms. (just to be pedantic)

And the "combo" referred to above was pretty obvious that it involved two different services, the OP had been looking at the different combination of services that would get them to Odawara. It is not like the Hyabusa/Komachi combined trains.

Island platforms like Nagoya are a breeze to transfer also. If the train isn't on the current platform, you walk 6-7 steps to the other platform. The led signage shows the next trains to arrive on those platforms.