How to Get to Hakone: Train, Bus, Rental Car and Which Passes Apply

Getting to Hakone is not hard, but the best answer depends on where you start. Hakone is a mountain area around Lake Ashi and a volcanic valley, not a single town with one central station. The key gateway is Odawara, where the shinkansen and the Odakyu line both stop, and it is where most people coming from Osaka or Kyoto get off. Travellers from Tokyo have a wider choice. This guide stays on how to reach Hakone and does not go into sightseeing once you are there.

The fastest routes at a glance

Starting in Tokyo, the shinkansen reaches Odawara in a fairly short time, while the Odakyu line from Shinjuku takes a little longer but offers the Romancecar, a reserved-seat train, some of which run straight to Hakone-Yumoto, which helps with luggage. Starting in Osaka or Kyoto, the shinkansen is the only really sensible option, since overnight buses are slow and involve changes. Drivers will find Hakone not far from Tokyo by expressway, but roads fill up badly on holidays and in the spring and autumn seasons.

From Tokyo

1. 1Odakyu from ShinjukuBoard the Odakyu line at Shinjuku. The Romancecar needs a seat reservation, and some services reach Hakone-Yumoto without a change while others require one at Odawara. Check the destination board before you get on.
2. 2Shinkansen from Tokyo or ShinagawaOn the Tokaido shinkansen, only some services stop at Odawara, typically the ones that make more stops; the fastest services often do not. Check the train type before buying a ticket, then change to the Hakone Tozan line at Odawara for Hakone-Yumoto.
3. 3Expressway busLong-distance buses run from the Shinjuku area to places around Lake Ashi such as Togendai and Moto-Hakone. The advantage is no changes, but journey time varies with traffic; check fares and departures with the bus company.

From Osaka and Kyoto

From Osaka (Shin-Osaka) or Kyoto, take the Tokaido shinkansen and get off at Odawara. Roughly two to three hours or somewhat more, depending on the type of train and whether you must change. If your train does not stop at Odawara, you would have to get off at Shin-Yokohama or Tokyo and double back, which is usually slower and more awkward. If you are visiting several cities, think about making Hakone a stop on the way to Tokyo rather than a round trip, since the same line saves a lot of time.

From airports and nearby cities

From Haneda Airport, people commonly take the Keikyu line to Yokohama or Shinagawa and then a JR Tokaido line train or the shinkansen to Odawara. From Narita you go into the city first and then change, which takes much longer. Anyone landing late is better off sleeping the first night in Tokyo or Yokohama. From Yokohama itself, the JR Tokaido Line runs straight through to Odawara. Those coming from Kamakura or Enoshima also use Odawara as the connecting point.

Train vs bus vs rental car

For a day trip or a single night, the train suits most people. A rental car suits larger groups with a driver used to driving on the left who want to stop at viewpoints off the rail routes.

Relevant passes and tickets

There is a local Odakyu pass that covers the trains, buses, ropeway and boats in Hakone, but whether it pays off depends on how many of them you ride. If you only plan a round trip and walk around near one station, a pass may not be worth it. The Japan Rail Pass covers JR lines, including the shinkansen to Odawara, but not Odakyu or Hakone Tozan, which are private companies, so work out how much of your whole route the pass really covers. Conditions, prices and value change, so check the Odakyu and JR sites directly.

Luggage and booking

• If you are staying overnight in Hakone, see whether your accommodation holds luggage or offers luggage forwarding, since the mountain trains and ropeway are not suited to big suitcases.
• If you want the Romancecar on a holiday or in the autumn leaf season, reserve a seat early, as reserved services can fill up.
• Leaving a big case at a Tokyo or Shinjuku locker or hotel and carrying only a small bag for one night is a common choice.
• Check the status of trains and the ropeway before leaving, as services can be suspended for weather or volcanic gas.

When you change trains at Odawara or check the ropeway status, a data connection lets you open maps and read service news straight away. Setting up a Japan eSIM before you leave is a convenient way to have that.

일본 eSIM 요금제 보기

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