How to get to Hakone
Photo by Japanforeveryone.com
Odakyu Railway
The Odakyu Railway connects Shinjuku Station (Tokyo) with Hakone-Yumoto Station. The one-way trip with the ‘Romance Car’ limited express takes 85 minutes and costs 2470 yen. A cheaper but slower alternative, taking about 2 hours, is the express train to Odawara. From here you have to change to Hakone-Yumoto. The cost of the ticket is 1270 Yen.
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Shinkansen + Tozan
The Shinkansen from Tokyo takes 35 minutes to Odawara and costs 3280 yen (non-reserved seat). Alternatively, you can take a local train from Shinjuku (on the Shonan Shinjuku line) or from Tokyo (Tokaido line). From Shinjuku it takes 74 minutes and the ticket costs 1520 Yen. From Tokyo, on the other hand, it takes 82 minutes and the cost is the same (in this case it takes a change of train). From Odawara to Hakone you take the Hakone Tozan Railway (360 Yen) or the Hakone Tozan Bus.
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Odakyu Hakone Highway Bus
These buses leave every half hour from Shinjuku and take about 2 hours at a cost of 2240 yen (one way). The buses go to the Ashi Lake area.
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Getting around Hakone
Hakone Tozan Railway and bus
This railway connects Odawara Station to Gora via Hakone-Yumoto and Miyanoshita. The complete journey takes just over 1 hour and costs 770 yen (one way). In addition, there are buses connecting Odawara to the main villages in the Hakone area.
This train is included in the Hakone Free Pass.
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Izuhakone Bus and Numazu Tozan Tokai Bus
These bus companies connect all major locations in the Hakone area.
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Hakone Tozan Cablecar
This train connects Gora to Sounzan in 10 minutes, 430 yen for a total of 1.2 km.
The cablecar is included in the Hakone Free Pass
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Hakone Ropeway
The cable car connects Sounzan to Togendai on Lake Ashi. The journey takes 24 minutes and costs 1500 yen (one way), 2500 yen (return). The cable car operates from 9am to 5pm in February-November while in December and January the timetable is from 9am to 4.15pm.
The ropeway is included in the Hakone Free Pass.
Photo by Japanforeveryone.com
Ferries on Lake Ashi
It is possible to sail with two ferries on Lake Ashi. Two companies, Hakone Sightseeing Boats and Ashinoko Sightseeing Boats, operate the boats from Moto-Hakone and Hakone-machi, on the southern shores of the lake, to Togendai, at the northern end of the lake (25-40 minutes, 1200 yen each way) and Hakone-en, on the eastern shore (15-30 minutes, 780 yen each way). The Hakone Free Pass is valid on the pirate ship-shaped Hakone Sightseeing Boats but not on the Ashinoko Sightseeing Boats to/from Hakone-en.
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Passes
This pass is valid for 2 or 3 days. Each pass is then divided according to the station of departure. If you have the Japan Rail Pass you can do the one that leaves from Odawara station and costs 5000 Yen (5400 Yen for 3 days), if you leave from Shinjuku the pass costs 6100 Yen (6500 Yen for 3 days).
With this pass you have a return ticket from Shinjuku or Machida. In addition you can use all Odakyu trains and buses in the Hakone area (from Odawara). Also included are the Hakone Tozan Cablecar, the Hakone Tozan Railway and bus, the Hakone Ropeway and the Hakone Sightseeing Boat. It also offers discounts for admissions to places of interest.
For transfers from Shinjuku to Odawara, it is possible to take the ‘Romance Car’ for an additional charge.
Hakone Kamakura Pass
(7520 Yen)
The pass is valid for 3 days. It is equivalent to the Hakone Free Pass but also includes the Kamakura and Enoshima area.