Getting Around Hakone

Hakone's transport is the sightseeing. The area is a loop of mountain railways, a cablecar, an aerial ropeway, a lake cruise, and buses, and the single smartest decision you make is buying the right pass before you start. Here is the simple version that works for almost every visitor.

Getting there from Tokyo

The gateway is Hakone-Yumoto station, reached on the Odakyu line from Shinjuku. The fastest, most comfortable option is the Limited Express Romancecar, which runs direct to Yumoto in about 80 minutes with no transfers (a seat-reservation supplement of around 1,200 yen applies on top of the fare or pass). Regular Odakyu express trains are cheaper and take a little longer, with one easy cross-platform transfer at Odawara. If you hold a Japan Rail Pass, you can also reach Odawara by Shinkansen and switch to the Hakone Tozan line there.

Buy the Hakone Free Pass

The Hakone Free Pass is the key to the whole area. It bundles a round-trip on the Odakyu line from your starting station with unlimited rides on the Hakone Tozan railway, the Sounzan cablecar, the Hakone Ropeway, the Lake Ashi sightseeing boats, and most local buses, plus discounts at many attractions including Gora Park and the Open-Air Museum. A 2-day pass from Shinjuku costs roughly 6,100 yen; a 3-day version is also sold. Doing the loop on single tickets easily exceeds the pass price, so for nearly everyone it pays off. Note the Romancecar reservation is a separate supplement.

The loop, leg by leg

From Hakone-Yumoto the classic anti-clockwise circuit runs:

• Hakone Tozan Railway (Yumoto to Gora): a charming switchback mountain train that reverses direction up the slope, lined with hydrangeas in early summer.
• Sounzan Cablecar (Gora to Sounzan): a short funicular climbing the hillside.
• Hakone Ropeway (Sounzan to Togendai via Owakudani): the scenic aerial leg over the volcanic valley, with the best Fuji views and the Owakudani stop for black eggs.
• Lake Ashi cruise (Togendai to Hakone-machi or Moto-Hakone): the pirate-ship boat across the crater lake to Hakone Shrine.
• Hakone Tozan / Odakyu buses: back to Yumoto, or use them anytime to reach the lake, Sengokuhara, and outlying spots.

Practical tips

Start early to beat both the ropeway queues and the afternoon haze that hides Mount Fuji. Check the ropeway status before you set out, as it can close during volcanic activity, in which case substitute buses run. Going anti-clockwise (up by train, down by boat) tends to mean shorter waits at the ropeway. Hold on to your pass, as you tap or show it at every leg.

When to just walk

Within Gora, the museum, park, and cablecar station are an easy walk apart, and the old Tokaido highway between Moto-Hakone and Yumoto is a lovely downhill forest hike if you want to swap one transport leg for your feet. Otherwise, let the loop carry you.