Hakone Day Trip from Tokyo: Cost and Route (2026)
Short answer: a Hakone day trip from Shinjuku costs ¥7,100 per adult in transport with the Hakone Freepass on regular Odakyu trains, or ¥9,500 if you take the Romancecar both ways. That covers the full Hakone loop. Doing the same loop with single tickets costs ¥8,340. Fares from official Odakyu and Hakone operator pages, checked 2026-10-08.
Check your own plan with the Hakone Freepass calculator.
Transport budget per adult
| Option | How you travel Shinjuku ⇄ Hakone | Cost per adult |
|---|---|---|
| Budget | Hakone Freepass from Shinjuku, regular Odakyu trains both ways | ¥7,100 |
| Comfort one way | Same pass + Romancecar to Hakone-Yumoto (¥1,200) | ¥8,300 |
| Comfort both ways | Same pass + Romancecar both ways (¥1,200 × 2) | ¥9,500 |
| No pass | Single tickets for Odakyu (¥910 × 2) + the full loop (¥6,520) | ¥8,340 |
Children (6–11): the Hakone Freepass from Shinjuku is ¥1,600 and the Romancecar is ¥600 each way.
The Romancecar is the faster limited express with reserved seats: about 80 minutes from Shinjuku to Hakone-Yumoto. Regular trains go to Odawara, where you change to the Hakone Tozan Train.
Not included above: entry tickets, food, and hot springs. They depend on where you go, so we do not guess them. The Freepass gives discounts at about 70 places in Hakone.
The classic Hakone loop, in order
The usual order is below. Every ride below is covered by the Hakone Freepass.
| Step | Ride | Single fare (adult) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Odakyu train or Romancecar: Shinjuku → Odawara / Hakone-Yumoto | ¥910 to Odawara |
| 2 | Hakone Tozan Train: Odawara → Hakone-Yumoto | ¥360 |
| 3 | Tozan Train + Cable Car: Hakone-Yumoto → Gora → Sounzan | ¥890 |
| 4 | Hakone Ropeway: Sounzan → Owakudani → Togendai | ¥2,000 |
| 5 | Sightseeing Cruise on Lake Ashi: Togendai → Hakone-machi / Moto-Hakone | ¥1,700 |
| 6 | Hakone Tozan Bus: Moto-Hakone → Hakone-Yumoto | ¥1,210 |
| 7 | Tozan Train: Hakone-Yumoto → Odawara, then Odakyu back to Shinjuku | ¥360 + ¥910 |
You can also do the loop the other way round (bus first, ropeway last). The cost is the same.
Timing rules that matter for a day trip
- The Ropeway closes early. Boarding runs 9:00–17:00 from February to November and 9:00–16:15 in December and January. If you ride the loop in the reverse direction, the ropeway comes last, so watch the time.
- The Ropeway can stop. It stops for strong wind (30 m/s or more), bad weather or mechanical trouble, and every year for periodic inspection. Check the official Transportation Info page on the morning of your trip.
- Weekday mornings are crowded toward Shinjuku, not away from it, so leaving Shinjuku in the morning is fine. Coming back with big luggage on a weekday morning is the hard direction.
Day trip or overnight?
The Hakone Freepass is valid for 2 days at minimum (until the last service on day 2). If you stay one night, your transport cost does not change: ¥7,100 per adult from Shinjuku still covers both days. Staying overnight lets you split the loop across two days and use more bus rides at no extra cost.
Which ticket should you buy?
- Full loop from Shinjuku in a day → Hakone Freepass from Shinjuku (saves ¥1,240 per adult vs single tickets).
- Already in Odawara (for example by JR or Shinkansen) → Hakone Freepass from Odawara, ¥6,000 (saves ¥520 on the full loop).
- Only Hakone-Yumoto for a hot spring → single tickets are cheaper.
- Unsure → enter your rides in the calculator or read Is the Hakone Freepass worth it?.
Packing checklist
- ☐ Hakone Freepass (digital on your phone via EMot, or paper from an Odakyu ticket machine)
- ☐ Romancecar seat, if you want one (separate ticket)
- ☐ Plan to reach the Ropeway before it closes
- ☐ Cash or IC card for food and entry tickets
- ☐ A backup plan if the Ropeway stops (check the operating status page)
Official sources (checked 2026-10-08)
- Hakone Freepass prices and coverage: https://odakyu-global.com/passes/hakone-freepass/
- Romancecar fee and travel time: https://odakyu-global.com/passes/romancecar/
- Odakyu fares and Romancecar fees (Japanese): https://www.odakyu.jp/romancecar/charges/
- Odakyu travel tips (crowded hours): https://odakyu-global.com/transport-guide/
- Tozan Train fares: https://www.hakonenavi.jp/_wp/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/67ad9e4acb74e528a6c801f29ebd55b7.pdf
- Tozan Train + Cable Car fares: https://www.hakonenavi.jp/_wp/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/ef8f64208b3ebf7bb9c2a2c08d629c41.pdf
- Hakone Ropeway fares (2025-10-01 revision): https://www.odakyu.jp/news/h3de760000005kuv-att/h3de760000005kv2.pdf
- Hakone Ropeway hours and suspensions: https://www.hakonenavi.jp/international/en/transportation/hakone-ropeway
- Operating status today: https://www.hakonenavi.jp/international/en/status_information
- Sightseeing Cruise fares: https://www.hakonenavi.jp/hakone-kankosen/?lang=ja
- Hakone Tozan Bus fares: https://www.hakonenavi.jp/_wp/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/03bc81a3d84728e8b71c7779a37d6147.pdf
Prices and timetables change. Always confirm with the operator before you travel.