Hakone Freepass: Prices, Coverage and How to Use It
Contents
The Hakone Freepass combines travel on designated transport services in Hakone with discounts at participating facilities. It is available for two or three days, and the price depends on the selected departure station and passenger category. Some products also include one round trip on the Odakyu Line between the selected departure station and Odawara; a Romancecar limited-express ticket is still separate.
The prices in this guide are from Odakyu’s table effective 1 October 2025 and were checked on 4 November 2026. Check the official price table and the Hakone Navi Freepass information before buying, in case details have changed.
Hakone Freepass prices by departure station
The listed price varies by departure station, duration and passenger category. The table gives the prices for four departure stations, with the two-day and three-day options shown separately. These are pass prices, not complete journey budgets: optional tickets and travel outside the designated area may cost extra.
| Departure station | Two days, adult | Two days, child | Three days, adult | Three days, child |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shinjuku | ¥7,100 | ¥1,600 | ¥7,500 | ¥1,850 |
| Odawara | ¥6,000 | ¥1,500 | ¥6,400 | ¥1,750 |
| Machida | ¥6,820 | ¥1,600 | ¥7,220 | ¥1,850 |
| Fujisawa | ¥7,050 | ¥1,600 | ¥7,450 | ¥1,850 |
For each of these four stations, the listed adult three-day pass costs ¥400 more than the adult two-day pass. This is a comparison of pass prices only; it does not show that a three-day ticket will save ¥400 on a particular itinerary. The child prices also differ by duration and departure station, so check the correct row rather than extrapolating from the adult fare.
Choose a departure station that matches the product and the journey you intend to make. Some products include one Odakyu Line round trip between the selected station and Odawara, and the conditions allow stopovers on that round-trip portion. That benefit is limited to one round trip, not unlimited travel across the Odakyu network; check the product details and route shown when purchasing. Odakyu’s Freepass conditions explain the round-trip conditions.
What the Hakone Freepass covers
The Freepass covers designated services and sections, rather than every transport service or route in Hakone. The operator lists the Hakone Tozan Line, Hakone Tozan Cable Car, Hakone Ropeway and Hakone Sightseeing Cruise among the transport in the free area. It also lists specified sections of several bus services, so use the official coverage information to check the boundaries for your planned journeys.
| Transport or benefit | Pass treatment | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Hakone Tozan Line | Included in the designated area | Confirm the route boundary |
| Hakone Tozan Cable Car | Included | Check operating status |
| Hakone Ropeway | Included | Check operating status and covered section |
| Hakone Sightseeing Cruise | Ordinary cabin included | Special cabin costs extra |
| Hakone Tozan Bus | Designated sections included | Check the section before boarding |
| Odakyu Highway Bus | Designated sections included | A full bus may not accept every waiting passenger |
| Tokai Bus | Designated sections included | Check the covered route |
| Sightseeing facilities loop bus | Included as designated | Check its route and the current coverage information |
| Izu-Hakone Bus | Not covered | Pay according to that operator’s conditions |
| Participating facilities | Discounts, not general admission | Check the benefit at each facility |
A route being operated by a listed bus company does not mean every bus or every section is covered. Travel beyond a designated section requires an additional fare, and regular sightseeing tour buses are excluded under Odakyu’s conditions. The pass also does not cover Izu-Hakone Bus, so check the operator and route before boarding rather than assuming that a Hakone bus is included.
Odakyu describes discounts at approximately 70 facilities. These benefits are separate from transport coverage and do not mean unlimited or free admission to every participating place. Check the specific facility’s current offer and any conditions before including a discount in your plans.
Romancecar and the sightseeing ship’s special cabin
The Romancecar limited express is not included just because your Freepass product includes an Odakyu Line journey. If you choose to travel on a Romancecar, you need a separate limited-express ticket. When comparing costs, keep the pass price and the limited-express ticket as separate items, and check the selected departure station and any additional fare that applies to your route. Odakyu’s conditions distinguish the Freepass from the Romancecar supplement.
For the Hakone Sightseeing Cruise, the Freepass covers repeated use of the ordinary cabin during the pass’s validity period, according to the operator’s FAQ. The special cabin requires an additional ticket, and its general one-way supplement is ¥800; Freepass holders are eligible for a discount. The ¥800 figure is the general supplement, not a quoted discounted price for pass holders. The cruise operator’s special-cabin information says to buy the ticket at the port counter on the day of boarding and that reservations are not accepted.
Budget separately for the Freepass, a Romancecar limited-express ticket if you use that service, and a special-cabin ticket if you choose that option on the cruise. A special-cabin ticket is not a reservation for a place on the ship, and the supplied information does not give the discounted amount for Freepass holders. Confirm that amount at the port counter.
How to buy and use the Freepass
Hakone Navi lists EMot online tickets, the EMot app and Odakyu Line stations as purchase channels. Sales at Odakyu Line stations begin one month before the travel date. An automatic ticket machine sells tickets valid from the day of purchase, so check the start date carefully before choosing that option. See the official purchase and coverage information for the available channels and conditions.
Before paying, select the departure station and the two- or three-day product that matches your trip. Check the displayed passenger category, validity, price and any included Odakyu round-trip conditions. If buying at a station, note the one-month advance-sales period; if using an automatic machine, take particular care that the ticket is valid from the purchase day.
For a digital ticket, activate it for use as instructed by the service. At a reader, present the ticket’s QR code; where there is no reader, show the screen to the attendant or driver. Review the ticket display and the operator’s instructions before reaching a gate or boarding, so you know which presentation method applies.
Optional services have their own ticket conditions. Purchase a separate Romancecar limited-express ticket if you choose to use the limited express, and arrange a special-cabin ticket at the cruise port counter on the day if you want that cabin. Do not treat either optional ticket as part of the Freepass price.
For questions about a purchased ticket, Odakyu lists 044-299-8200, with service 9:00–17:00 every day. These contact details were checked on 4 November 2026. Have the product and departure station information available when you call, so the operator can address the ticket you bought.
Is the Hakone Freepass worth it?
There is no single break-even point that applies to every traveller. The result depends on the departure station, the services and sections used, and how often you travel on them. Start with the correct pass price, then compare it with the individual fares for the same planned journey.
For a two-person example, two adult two-day passes from Shinjuku total ¥14,200, based on ¥7,100 per person. Two adult two-day passes from Odawara total ¥12,000, based on ¥6,000 per person. Those are pass-price totals only: they do not include optional tickets or establish which departure product suits a particular itinerary.
A trip using several different covered services may make greater use of the pass’s transport coverage than one using only a small number of journeys, but that alone does not prove that the pass is cheaper. Compare the individual fares for the exact sections you plan to use with the Freepass price and any additional fares. Include a facility discount only if you intend to visit that facility and have checked the specific benefit.
Compare a short visit with an overnight trip
For a short visit, write down the journeys you actually expect to take before deciding that a two-day pass is worthwhile. The fact that a two-day product is available does not mean a short itinerary will use enough covered transport to make it the lower-cost choice. An exact saving cannot be calculated from the pass price alone without the relevant individual fares for your planned sections.
For an overnight trip, make the same comparison across both days. If you plan to use the cable car, ropeway or sightseeing ship, verify that each intended journey falls within the covered area and check whether the service is operating. Add an Odakyu round trip only if it is part of the product you select and matches your actual journey.
For a three-day trip, compare the two- and three-day prices for your departure station and consider whether you will use the additional day. For the four adult departure stations in the table, the listed difference is ¥400, but this is not a fare for an extra day of individual travel and does not establish a saving. If your plans change after purchase, ask the operator about the conditions of your particular product rather than assuming that changes or refunds are automatic.
Make a like-for-like cost comparison
Use the same starting point, group size, travel dates and route in both sides of your comparison. On the individual-ticket side, add the verified fares for each planned journey. On the Freepass side, enter the correct pass price and add any fare for travel beyond a covered section.
Keep optional costs separate so that the comparison stays clear. Add a Romancecar limited-express ticket only to the option in which you will use the Romancecar, and include a special-cabin supplement only if you plan to choose that cabin. The general ¥800 special-cabin supplement is not the Freepass-holder discounted price, so confirm the applicable amount at the port counter.
Do not treat the difference between two departure-station products as a stand-alone train fare. For example, the Shinjuku and Odawara products have different starting conditions, and the listed prices do not by themselves show the cost of travelling between those stations. Use current operator fares for the actual journey you plan to make, and retain the route and product information you checked in case you need to ask about a disruption.
Service disruptions and frequently asked questions
Services can change or be interrupted, so check the relevant operator’s information when conditions may affect your itinerary. The Hakone Sightseeing Cruise FAQ says fog and strong winds can lead to changes or cancellations. Odakyu’s conditions also describe a refund process at the station where the journey ends when bad weather prevents a passenger from using a mode even once; ask staff about your circumstances and do not assume every unused or interrupted journey has the same refund treatment.
Does a Freepass guarantee a seat on an Odakyu Highway Bus?
No. Hakone Navi says passengers with the designated ticket receive priority on Odakyu Highway Bus, but a Freepass alone does not guarantee boarding when the bus is full. Check the operator’s conditions for the service and date, and allow for the possibility that a full bus cannot take every waiting passenger.
Is the Romancecar included?
No. A Romancecar limited-express ticket must be purchased separately from the Freepass. Check the applicable ticket and any additional fare for your selected journey before comparing the total cost.
Can I use the Freepass on Izu-Hakone Bus?
No. Izu-Hakone Bus is not covered by the Freepass, and travel on it is subject to that operator’s conditions. Check the operator and route before boarding rather than relying on the Freepass.
Can I reserve the sightseeing ship’s special cabin?
The cruise operator says special-cabin tickets are sold at the port counter on the day and that reservations are not accepted. The special cabin also requires an additional charge, with Freepass holders eligible for a discount. The general one-way supplement is ¥800; confirm the discounted amount at the counter.
What happens if bad weather interrupts my trip?
The cruise may change or cancel services because of fog or strong winds, according to its FAQ. Odakyu’s conditions describe a refund process at the journey’s ending station for a mode that could not be used even once because of bad weather. Keep your ticket and ask staff at the station about the conditions that apply to your specific trip; this information does not establish a refund for every unused or interrupted service.
Official information and checking prices
This guide’s prices are from the Odakyu table effective 1 October 2025 and were checked on 4 November 2026. Recheck the price table and Odakyu’s Freepass conditions before purchase, particularly if you are comparing products from different departure stations. For route coverage, purchase channels and operating information, consult Hakone Navi’s Freepass page.
For ship details, check the special-cabin information and the Hakone Navi FAQ. These sources cover different parts of the trip: the Freepass price does not include every optional service, and the coverage of a transport operator does not necessarily extend to every route or section.
