Hakone Freepass: is it worth it in 2026?

Hakone is the classic mountain getaway from Tokyo: hot springs, a volcanic valley, a lake with a red torii gate in the water and, on a clear day, views of Mt Fuji. Getting around means a chain of different vehicles: a mountain train, a cable car, a ropeway, a boat and buses, each run by a different company with its own fare. The Hakone Freepass from Odakyu bundles them all.

2026 prices

• Calendar days. A 2-day pass covers the day you start and the next day, not 48 hours.
• The Shinjuku version includes one round trip between Shinjuku and Odawara on ordinary Odakyu trains.
• Romancecar: to ride the Odakyu limited express, buy a ¥1,200 seat ticket each way. It is ¥50 cheaper when booked through Odakyu’s EMot online service.
• Discounts: show the pass at about 70 museums, baths and other facilities for money off.

What it covers

The pass gives unlimited rides on eight kinds of transport in the Hakone area. These are the ones most visitors use:

• Hakone Tozan Railway from Odawara and Hakone-Yumoto up the mountain to Gora.
• Hakone Tozan Cable Car from Gora to Sounzan.
• Hakone Ropeway from Sounzan over Owakudani to Togendai on Lake Ashi.
• Hakone Sightseeing Cruise across Lake Ashi from Togendai to Moto-Hakone or Hakone-machi.
• Hakone Tozan Bus and other designated local buses, including the route back down to Hakone-Yumoto.

Odakyu’s pass page lists all eight and the exact sections. Taxis and some other bus companies’ routes are not included.

The Hakone loop, and what it costs without the pass

The route most visitors follow is a loop: up by train and cable car, over the volcano by ropeway, across the lake by boat and back down by bus. These are the regular adult fares for each leg.

Estimate Railway, cable car, ropeway and cruise fares are from the operators’ published fare tables. The bus fare is from a route-search site and can vary by stop.

So the loop alone saves about ¥1,240 against the ¥7,100 Shinjuku pass, before any museum discounts, and every extra ride on the second day is free. If you start from Odawara (for example with a JR Pass on the shinkansen), the loop without the two Odakyu rides costs about ¥6,520 against a ¥6,000 pass.

When it pays off, and when it does not

A day on the loop

1. Early start from Shinjuku. A Romancecar saves time and gives you a reserved seat; ordinary trains with a change are cheaper.
2. Odawara or Hakone-Yumoto to Gora on the Hakone Tozan Railway, which climbs with switchbacks through the forest.
3. Cable car to Sounzan, then the ropeway over Owakudani, the volcanic valley. Owakudani is famous for black eggs boiled in the hot springs.
4. Ropeway to Togendai, then the cruise across Lake Ashi. On clear days Fuji appears over the lake.
5. Moto-Hakone: walk to Hakone Shrine and its torii gate in the lake.
6. Bus back to Hakone-Yumoto, a soak in a day-use onsen, and the train home.

Some visitors do the loop in reverse, starting with the bus to Moto-Hakone, to spread out from the crowds heading for the ropeway. Volcanic activity sometimes closes the ropeway or Owakudani; check the Hakone Navi operating status in the morning.

Family cost example

Example Two adults and one child aged 6–11, Shinjuku version, 2-day pass, ordinary trains.

Where to buy

Odakyu sells the pass at its stations and travel centres, and a digital version through its EMot service. Klook also sells it. A digital pass shows a QR code that you scan at gates and show on boats and buses, so keep your phone charged.

Combining Hakone and Fuji? There are tours that cover both in a day, but the two areas are far enough apart that doing both well on your own usually means an overnight stay. See a Mt Fuji day trip from Tokyo. For staying overnight in a ryokan, see onsen etiquette.

Romancecar or ordinary trains?

From Shinjuku there are two ways to reach Hakone on the Freepass.

Book Romancecar seats in advance for weekends and holidays, especially the morning trains out of Shinjuku and the late-afternoon trains back.

Using a Japan Rail Pass

The JR Pass does not cover Odakyu trains or any of Hakone’s transport. If you have one, ride the Tokaido shinkansen or a JR line to Odawara, then buy the Odawara version of the Freepass (¥6,000 for 2 days). It covers everything from Odawara into Hakone. Not every shinkansen stops at Odawara, so check the timetable for a Hikari or Kodama that does. See is the JR Pass worth it.

Day trip or overnight?

The loop is possible in a long day from Tokyo, but it is a lot of travelling: the ride between Shinjuku and Hakone-Yumoto alone takes roughly 1.5 hours by Romancecar, and longer by ordinary trains, before you add the loop itself. An overnight stay lets you split it across two days, which is exactly what the 2-day pass is for, and gives you time for a long soak. Hakone-Yumoto and Gora are the main hot spring bases, with everything from simple inns to luxury ryokan. If you stay, book the ryokan early; dinner is usually at a set time. Read onsen etiquette before your first bath.

Owakudani and the ropeway

Owakudani is an active volcanic area, and the ropeway passes right over its steaming vents. It is the highlight of the loop for most people, and the place to try kuro-tamago, eggs boiled black in the hot spring water. Because of volcanic gas, the area has safety rules: follow the signs and staff instructions, and people with asthma, heart conditions or other breathing problems should take particular care. When gas levels rise, the ropeway can stop or skip Owakudani, and replacement buses may run instead. Check the operating status on Hakone Navi in the morning, and keep the cruise and bus legs of the loop as your back-up plan.

Common mistakes

• Treating the pass as 48 hours. It runs by calendar day.
• Boarding the Romancecar without a seat ticket. The pass covers the base fare only.
• Buying the Shinjuku version when arriving by shinkansen. The Odawara version is cheaper.
• Not checking the ropeway status. Volcanic gas levels can close it.
• Carrying big suitcases on the loop. Send them ahead; see luggage forwarding.

FAQ