Tokyo to Hakone: Train, Bus and Freepass Guide

JGO! editorial team — WEBMARKS Inc. (Fujisawa, Kanagawa)

From Shinjuku, the Odakyu Romancecar reaches Hakone-Yumoto in as little as 75 minutes. A highway bus can take you closer to destinations such as Sengoku or Togendai, while the Tokaido Shinkansen connects to Hakone at Odawara. These are different routes to different arrival points, so choose your first Hakone stop before comparing journey times.

The fares and service details below were checked against the supplied transport information on November 3, 2026. Timetables, seat availability and prices can change, so use the linked operator pages to check your travel date before buying. In particular, a quoted journey time to Hakone-Yumoto is not a journey time to Lake Ashi or Togendai; include your onward connection when planning the trip.

Japan Guide shares a traveller’s view of a day trip from Tokyo to Hakone. The route comparisons here focus on how to reach the area and what each service’s published fare and destination mean for your plans.

Compare Tokyo-to-Hakone routes

The main choice is not simply “train or bus”; it is which service gets you closest to the place you want to visit or stay. A direct Romancecar from Shinjuku can avoid changing at Odawara when the selected train runs through to Hakone-Yumoto. The bus has stops farther into Hakone, while the Shinkansen takes you to Odawara for a connection to local transport.

The table summarises the published examples checked on November 3, 2026. The destinations differ, so the times and fares are not like-for-like comparisons, and the Shinkansen cost is not stated here because the applicable fare was not confirmed.

Hakone Navi lists the Romancecar as taking as little as 75 minutes from Shinjuku to Hakone-Yumoto, while Odakyu Highway Bus publishes separate times for stops in Gotemba and Hakone. Check the Hakone access overview and the Odakyu Highway Bus Hakone route for your particular stop and date. The 75-minute train figure should not be compared as though it ends at Togendai: Togendai is a different destination, and getting there from Hakone-Yumoto requires another leg.

Also count the journey to your departure terminal and the connection from your Hakone arrival stop to your accommodation or attraction. Shinjuku Station and Shinjuku Expressway Bus Terminal are separate departure points, so check which one your ticket uses. If your plan starts at Shinagawa, the Shinkansen example may be useful, but the total time includes the journey from Odawara onward.

@nino.travels shares a short guide to route choices between Tokyo and Hakone. Use the destination comparison above alongside your own itinerary: a cheaper stop is not necessarily the most convenient one if it leaves you with a longer onward journey.

Tokyo to Hakone by Odakyu Romancecar

The Odakyu Romancecar is a limited-express train running between Shinjuku and Odawara or Hakone-Yumoto. Not every train necessarily serves the same destination, so confirm the destination shown for your selected departure before booking. Odakyu’s Romancecar fare table separates the basic fare from the limited-express charge and shows that the limited-express amount varies by purchase method.

For one adult travelling from Shinjuku to Hakone-Yumoto, the fare table checked on November 3, 2026 lists an IC-card basic fare of ¥1,261 and a ticketless limited-express charge of ¥1,150, for ¥2,411 in total. The paper-ticket combination is a ¥1,270 basic fare and a ¥1,200 ordinary limited-express charge, totalling ¥2,470. These are the published combinations for those purchase methods; check the fare table and available buying method for your travel date rather than assuming that one total applies to every ticket.

The Shinjuku–Odawara figures are different because the basic journey is shorter. The checked table lists an adult IC-card fare of ¥901 or a paper basic ticket of ¥910, with a ticketless limited-express charge of ¥950 or an ordinary limited-express charge of ¥1,000. The basic fare is still required in addition to the limited-express charge. If you are continuing from Odawara on a separate service, price that onward journey as well.

Before travel, work through these checks in order:

1. Choose the arrival station. Select Hakone-Yumoto if that is where you want to begin, or Odawara if you intend to transfer there.
2. Check the train’s destination. Confirm that the specific Romancecar you select goes to your chosen station.
3. Allow for both charges. Pay the basic fare as well as the limited-express charge, or check how an applicable pass affects the basic fare.
4. Plan your departure from Shinjuku. Allow time to reach the correct platform before boarding; the train fare does not remove the need to navigate the station.
5. Plan the next leg. Use the Hakone route map to identify the railway or bus connection towards Gora, Motohakone-ko or Hakonemachi-ko.

Odakyu states that a child under six who occupies a seat on the Romancecar needs both a child’s basic ticket and a child’s limited-express ticket. For the Odawara–Hakone-Yumoto segment, the operator says a limited-express ticket may be sold on the platforms at either station on the day, but only when seats are available. Do not rely on that day-of option if your plans depend on a particular train or seat.

If your preferred Romancecar is full or does not serve the station you need, check another departure and compare the available connection from Odawara or Hakone-Yumoto. The supplied information does not establish a specific fallback train timetable or fare for every date, so consult the operator’s current schedule rather than assuming a particular alternative. @alien.in.japan demonstrates buying a Hakone Freepass and reserving a Romancecar seat; remember that the Freepass does not include the Romancecar limited-express charge.

Tokyo to Hakone by bus or via Odawara

Odakyu Highway Bus runs from Busta Shinjuku towards Gotemba and Hakone. Its published estimates checked on November 3, 2026 are 1 hour 40 minutes to Tomei Gotemba, 1 hour 45 minutes to Gotemba Station, 2 hours 12 minutes to Hakone Sengoku Information Center and 2 hours 25 minutes to Hakone Togendai. The operator also lists 2 hours 40 minutes to Hakone-en and 2 hours 45 minutes to Hakone Odakyu Yama no Hotel. These are estimates to different stops, and traffic or weather can affect the journey.

The adult one-way fares listed from Shinjuku and Ikejiri-Ohashi include ¥2,000 to Gotemba Station, ¥2,420 to Hakone Glass no Mori, ¥2,560 to Hakone Togendai and ¥2,730 to Hakone Odakyu Yama no Hotel. The corresponding listed child fares are ¥1,000, ¥1,210, ¥1,280 and ¥1,370. Choose the stop that fits your next leg rather than selecting a ticket only because its fare is lower. Check the operator’s route, fares and current service information before setting out.

The Shinjuku–Gotemba–Hakone service uses assigned seats and reservations are available. Some local segments—between Tomei Oyama, Tomei Gotemba, Gotemba Station, Sengoku, Togendai and Yama no Hotel—are shown by the operator as not requiring reservations and not being reservable. The operator asks passengers to pay the child fare to secure a seat for a child under six. Check the conditions for the exact segment you plan to use, especially if you are combining the reserved Shinjuku service with a local section.

The route’s stop list has also changed: the “Onsen-so” stop was discontinued from June 1, 2026. If an older itinerary or map mentions that stop, do not assume it is still served; use the current operator information to select a replacement stop that works for your plans. The published estimates and fares are date-checked information, not a guarantee of travel time or availability on your day.

A bus from Tomei Gotemba can also continue towards the southern side of Hakone. Odakyu Highway Bus lists the Tomei Gotemba–Motohakone Port service via Hakone Sengoku Information Center, Togendai, Hakone-en and Hakone Shrine. Its published journey time is 1 hour 5 minutes, with an adult fare of ¥1,190 and a child fare of ¥600, checked on November 3, 2026. Consult the Tomei Gotemba–Motohakone Port route page to confirm the current service and the stop that suits your itinerary.

If you are arriving by Shinkansen, Odawara is a transfer point rather than a Hakone destination in itself. JR Central’s example describes a journey from Shinagawa to Odawara in about 30 minutes, but that is one example and does not establish the time for every train. The Shinkansen requires a basic ticket and an express ticket; these may be combined into one ticket or used through a digital IC-card arrangement. The Tokyo–Odawara Shinkansen fare was not confirmed in the supplied information, so obtain a current quote for your train and onward connection from the JR Central Shinkansen guide.

At Odawara, use the station guide to identify the connection for your final stop. The station connects the Tokaido Shinkansen and Tokaido Main Line with railway services including JR East, Odakyu, Odakyu Hakone and Izuhakone Railway, as well as local buses such as Hakone Tozan Bus and Izuhakone Bus. Check the relevant service’s current timetable before boarding; the Odawara Station guide provides station information, while the Hakone route map helps show the next leg.

If you are travelling from Haneda, check the bus routing especially carefully. Following the April 1, 2026 timetable change, Odakyu Highway Bus states that all Haneda–Yokohama services terminate at Gotemba and the Gotemba–Hakone Togendai segment is suspended. Do not assume that a direct bus continues from the airport to Togendai; check the Haneda and Yokohama route notice and plan the onward connection from Gotemba.

@pasaportenikkei shares a Spanish-language guide to travelling from Tokyo towards Hakone. Treat the video as an additional perspective, and verify route details against the current operator pages, particularly where a bus stop or service may have changed.

Tokyo to Hakone with the Hakone Freepass

The Hakone Freepass combines selected transport within Hakone with an optional Odakyu round trip from the departure station named on the pass. It may be useful when your itinerary includes several covered services, but its value depends on which services and sections you actually use. Compare the pass price with the fares for your own journeys rather than treating it as a universal discount.

The published prices below took effect on October 1, 2025, and were checked in the supplied information on November 3, 2026. The departure station changes the price: the Shinjuku option includes a different outward-and-return journey from the Odawara option.

The Shinjuku-departure Freepass includes one Odakyu round trip between the departure station and Odawara, as well as covered Hakone-area transport. The Odawara-departure pass costs less because it does not include that same Shinjuku-to-Odawara round trip. If you travel separately to Odawara—for example, by Shinkansen—compare the Odawara pass with your planned local rides and price the Shinkansen separately.

Covered services include the Hakone Tozan Line and specified sections of Hakone Tozan Bus, Odakyu Highway Bus and Tokai Bus, as well as the Hakone Tozan Cable Car, Hakone Ropeway and Hakone Sightseeing Cruise. The pass is not valid on Izuhakone Bus, and travel outside a covered section requires an additional fare. Use the official Hakone Freepass page to check the current product and covered sections before purchase.

The pass does not include the Romancecar limited-express charge. If you use a Romancecar with a Freepass, budget separately for that charge and check the applicable purchase method. The pass also does not guarantee a seat on a full Odakyu Highway Bus: passengers holding the designated bus ticket have priority, so a Freepass alone is not a promise that you can board a full service.

There is a specific discounted bus fare for holders of a Shinjuku-departure Hakone Freepass. The operator lists a ¥1,400 one-way fare on certain routes and subject to conditions, checked on November 3, 2026. It is not available online or through convenience-store issue: the operator says it is sold at a counter such as Busta Shinjuku after staff confirm the Freepass for each passenger. Check the bus operator’s current conditions before relying on the discount, since it applies only to eligible sections and counter-sale conditions.

Hakone Freepasses are available through Odakyu stations and EMot Online Tickets, among the listed purchase channels. At Odakyu stations, the pass can be purchased from one month before the travel date; ticket machines sell passes valid from the day of purchase. Confirm the departure station and validity period before completing the purchase, since those choices affect both the price and the journey included. Japanese-language creator @futaritrip_travel shows a car-free Hakone trip using the Freepass.

Plan your arrival and return

Start by naming your first stop: Hakone-Yumoto, Gora, Togendai, Sengoku or another place. A train to Hakone-Yumoto may suit a rail-based start, while a bus stop farther into the area may reduce the onward journey for some itineraries. The official Hakone route map, revised in April 2025, shows the railway from Odawara through Hakone-Yumoto to Gora and bus routes from Hakone-Yumoto towards Motohakone-ko and Hakonemachi-ko.

For a day trip, check your return service before filling the day with activities. This is especially important when your plan includes a bus, because road and weather conditions may cause delays, or a limited express, where seat availability matters. For an overnight stay, compare your arrival stop with the accommodation’s location and follow its arrival instructions; “Hakone” on a booking does not by itself tell you which station or bus stop is closest.

If your preferred Romancecar is full, check other available departures and confirm the destination of each train. If you change to a service reaching Odawara or Hakone-Yumoto instead of your original stop, check the onward route and include it in both your time and fare calculation. The supplied information does not give a date-specific timetable for every alternative, so use the operator’s current schedule rather than assuming a particular connection will be available.

For a bus journey, check that the stop printed or selected for your ticket is useful for the next leg, and review whether that section is reservable. The Shinjuku service has assigned seats and accepts reservations, but specified local sections are not reservable; the operator also gives priority to passengers with designated tickets when a bus is full. Check the return bus as well as the outbound one, and allow for possible road delays when deciding how much time to leave before a connection.

At Odawara, use the station guide to find the railway or bus for your final stop, and check that service’s current timetable before boarding. JR Central lists rail connections at Odawara to JR East, Odakyu, Odakyu Hakone and Izuhakone Railway, alongside local bus services. The station guide is a useful starting point, but the service operator’s timetable is the place to confirm a particular departure.

Spanish-language creator @torii.viajes explains that a Hakone journey may involve several transport changes. When you plan your own route, write down each transfer and arrival stop rather than relying on a single headline travel time; that makes it easier to see where a delayed bus or a changed destination would affect the rest of the day.

Continue beyond the arrival station

Odawara, Hakone-Yumoto and Gora are connected by the Hakone Tozan railway shown on the April 2025 official route map. The same map shows bus routes from Hakone-Yumoto towards Motohakone-ko and Hakonemachi-ko, which are useful reference points when planning travel towards Lake Ashi. Check the map for the shape of the network, then verify the current timetable for the service you intend to take.

If your trip begins at Odawara, open the Odawara Station guide and identify the railway or bus for your final stop. Odawara has connections to the Tokaido Shinkansen and Tokaido Main Line, several railway operators and local buses. It is an interchange with multiple onward options, not a substitute for deciding whether your destination is Hakone-Yumoto, Gora, Togendai or another stop.

Frequently asked questions

How long does the Romancecar take from Shinjuku to Hakone-Yumoto?

Hakone Navi lists the fastest Romancecar journey from Shinjuku to Hakone-Yumoto as 75 minutes. The figure refers to that station, not to every destination in Hakone, and your total journey will also include travel to Shinjuku and any onward connection. Check the Hakone access page and your selected train’s destination before travel.

Does the Hakone Freepass include the Romancecar?

No: the Romancecar limited-express charge is additional when you use a Hakone Freepass. The pass may cover the relevant basic-fare journey, depending on the product and section, but you still need to check and pay the applicable limited-express charge. Odakyu’s fare table and the Freepass details explain the separate charges and pass coverage.

Is the bus faster than the train?

The published Shinjuku bus estimate to Togendai is 2 hours 25 minutes, while the fastest quoted Romancecar time is 75 minutes to Hakone-Yumoto. Those figures end at different places, so they do not compare the same journey or establish which option is faster for your particular destination. Add the onward leg from the arrival stop and check current services before choosing.

Can I take a bus from Haneda directly to Togendai?

Do not assume that you can. After the April 1, 2026 timetable change, the operator states that all Haneda–Yokohama services terminate at Gotemba and the Gotemba–Togendai segment is suspended. Check the current Haneda route information and plan an onward connection from Gotemba.

Can I reserve every section of the Odakyu Highway Bus route?

No. The Shinjuku–Gotemba–Hakone service uses assigned seats and reservations are available, but the operator identifies some local segments between Gotemba-area stops and Hakone as not reservable. Check the conditions for your exact section, and note that passengers with the designated bus ticket have priority if a bus is full. The operator also asks passengers to pay the child fare to secure a seat for a child under six.

Where can I buy the Hakone Freepass?

The listed purchase channels include Odakyu stations and EMot Online Tickets. At Odakyu stations, the pass can be bought from one month before travel, while ticket machines sell passes valid from the day of purchase. Confirm the departure station, duration and current product details on the official Freepass page before buying.

Orangepassport shares a Spanish-language Hakone day-trip guide. Check the transport operator’s current service and fare information for your travel date before reserving, especially if your plans depend on a particular bus stop, departure or transfer.

Continue planning with our private onsen guide, train etiquette guide and rental car guide. You can also use the route and station links in this guide to confirm the journey from Tokyo to your own Hakone arrival point.