Day trip to Hakone

Hi,

I'm interested in doing the Hakone circuit and I've had a look at http://www.odakyu.jp/english/freepass/hakone_01.html to get an idea of what it involves. Although it details what transport is used to get around the circuit and what places it includes, can anyone clarify some things for me please?

I want to make it a day trip from Tokyo. What kind of time should I consider leaving Tokyo for Hakone so that I can do this trip in a day?

How easy is it to complete the circuit? Is it very straight forward to get from one transport to the next and is it obvious which train and bus to catch and where to catch them?

Once I've alighted from one train/bus what are the best places to go at each stop? I take it the circuit is not just about getting on one train/bus and walk to the next.

I'm hoping to do the circuit during the week can someone confirm that the 2 day pass is the one I should get? I read somewhere that there are restrictions with the 2 day pass.

Would there be a leaflet that I can pickup when I buy the Hakone pass to help me make my way around the circuit - something that tells me where I need to go to move on to the next leg of the journey and what to see and do at each stop and how to get there?

Thanks for any help!

What kind of time should I consider leaving Tokyo for Hakone so that I can do this trip in a day?

By 9am at the latest.

How easy is it to complete the circuit?

It is easy.

Is it very straight forward to get from one transport to the next and is it obvious which train and bus to catch and where to catch them?

Yes, it is quite obvious. And buses, which - compared with other means of transport - are most challenging, have English signs.

Once I've alighted from one train/bus what are the best places to go at each stop?

Some major sights are introduced here:
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e5200.html

I'm hoping to do the circuit during the week can someone confirm that the 2 day pass is the one I should get?

Yes!

I read somewhere that there are restrictions with the 2 day pass.

What kind of restrictions? That is new to me.

Would there be a leaflet that I can pickup when I buy the Hakone pass to help me make my way around the circuit - something that tells me where I need to go to move on to the next leg of the journey and what to see and do at each stop and how to get there?

English maps are available from tourist desks. And the Odakyu Information Desk at Shinjuku Station has even more material.

Thanks very much for your reply, Uji. I was a bit uncertain about how easy this trip would be but you've put my mind at rest and I'm looking forward to my time in Hakone :-)

I can't remember exactly where I read about the restrictions about the 2 day pass but I'm pretty sure it mentioned things like its not valid at certain national holidays, weekends and those kind of things. Does that sound familiar to you?

Oh, one other thing. Any suggestions about how long to spend at each stop so that I don't rush towards the end to catch the last train back to Tokyo or is it pretty obvious once I'm there?

I'm pretty sure it mentioned things like its not valid at certain national holidays, weekends and those kind of things. Does that sound familiar to you?

That sounds familiar with respect to the Hakone Weekday Pass, which was discontinued 1.5 years ago. The currently available 2-day and 3-day passes do not have such restrictions.

Any suggestions about how long to spend at each stop so that I don't rush towards the end to catch the last train back to Tokyo or is it pretty obvious once I'm there?

I recommend to do some research on the places you intend to visit and then go by your feeling. It also depends very much on personal preferred travel pace. Some people prefer to rush, others to go slowly.

That's great, Uji, thanks for clearing that up for me. I'll also look into the places in more detail to get a better idea of them :-)