How to Get From Tokyo to Hakone: Best Routes for First-Time Visitors

Getting from Tokyo to Hakone is straightforward, but the best route depends on where you start and how you plan to spend the day. If you want the simplest direct train from Shinjuku, the Odakyu Romancecar goes to Hakone-Yumoto in about 80 minutes. If you are starting near Tokyo Station or using JR for part of the trip, taking the shinkansen to Odawara and transferring into Hakone usually makes more sense.

That basic choice matters because Hakone is not one single station. Many travelers say they are “going to Hakone,” but what they actually mean is a wider sightseeing area that includes Hakone-Yumoto, Gora, Owakudani, Lake Ashi, and the ropeway and bus network between them. So the right answer is not just how to leave Tokyo. It is how to get into the part of Hakone you will actually use.

The short answer: the best Tokyo to Hakone route for most travelers

For many first-time visitors, there are two practical options:

• From Shinjuku: take the Odakyu Romancecar to Hakone-Yumoto if you want the most direct, low-stress option.
• From Tokyo Station or Shinagawa: take the Tokaido Shinkansen to Odawara, then transfer to local transport into Hakone.

If you are trying to keep transfers simple, the Romancecar is usually the easiest answer. If you are already near Tokyo Station, staying on the JR side of the city, or combining Hakone with a longer intercity trip, Odawara is often the better gateway.

Option 1: Shinjuku to Hakone on the Romancecar

The Odakyu Romancecar is the most traveler-friendly route from western Tokyo. According to Odakyu, all seats are reserved, and the trip from Shinjuku to Hakone-Yumoto takes about 80 minutes. You need both a regular fare and a limited express ticket to ride it.

This is the cleanest option if:

• you are staying around Shinjuku, Shibuya, or western Tokyo
• you want a direct arrival at Hakone-Yumoto without changing trains first
• you prefer having an assigned seat instead of managing a busier commuter-style train

Odakyu also notes that limited express tickets become available from 10 a.m. one month before departure. That makes advance booking worth considering during busy periods, especially if you want a specific departure time.

Who should pick this route

This is the best route for first-time visitors doing a classic Hakone day trip or a one-night stay. It reduces decision-making, puts you directly at Hakone-Yumoto, and gives you an easy handoff into the Hakone transport network.

Option 2: Tokyo Station to Hakone via Odawara

If you are starting from Tokyo Station, Otemachi, or Shinagawa, the more natural route is usually to head toward Odawara first and transfer there. Hakone Navi presents Odawara as the gateway station for travelers approaching Hakone from the Tokyo side through the broader rail network.

Once you reach Odawara, you can continue into Hakone using the transport covered by the Hakone Freepass in designated areas, including the Hakone Tozan Railway, Hakone Tozan Cable Car, Hakone Ropeway, Hakone Sightseeing Cruise, and selected buses.

This route is often the practical choice if:

• your hotel is near Tokyo Station
• you want to connect smoothly from the JR network
• you are continuing to or from other cities rather than making a simple Shinjuku round trip

The trade-off is that this route usually involves at least one extra transfer compared with the direct Romancecar.

Cheapest way vs easiest way

If your priority is not comfort but cost, Odakyu says regular trains between Shinjuku and Hakone-Yumoto take about two hours and do not guarantee seating. Only a regular ticket is required on those trains.

That makes the regular Odakyu train the budget-oriented option, while the Romancecar is the convenience upgrade. For many visitors, the choice comes down to this:

• Romancecar: simpler, faster than the regular Odakyu train, reserved seating
• Regular Odakyu train: cheaper, but slower and less comfortable for a sightseeing day
• Odawara route: often better if you begin near Tokyo Station or are already traveling on JR

If you only have one day in Hakone, paying a bit more for a smoother route can make a real difference because the area itself involves several onward rides after you arrive.

Should you buy the Hakone Freepass?

For most first-time visitors, the Hakone Freepass is worth checking before you book point-to-point tickets. The official Hakone Navi site says the pass includes unlimited use of multiple forms of transport in the designated Hakone area, including:

• Hakone Tozan Railway
• Hakone Tozan Cable Car
• Hakone Ropeway
• Hakone Sightseeing Cruise
• selected Hakone Tozan Bus, Odakyu Highway Bus, and Tokai Bus routes

There are also 2-day and 3-day versions. The official pricing page currently shows that from Shinjuku, the pass is 7,100 yen for 2 days or 7,500 yen for 3 days, while from Odawara it is 6,000 yen for 2 days or 6,400 yen for 3 days. The same page notes that the Romancecar requires an extra fee on top of the pass.

In plain terms:

• Buy the Freepass if you plan to do the classic Hakone loop or take several local rides.
• Skip it if you are making a very limited visit and will barely use the local transport network.

What counts as “arriving in Hakone”

This is where many trip plans get fuzzy. Hakone-Yumoto is a useful arrival point, but it is not the end of the story if your real goal is Gora, Owakudani, or Lake Ashi. The area is built around connections. A route that looks fast on paper may still leave you with more transfers later.

That is why the Romancecar works so well for many travelers: it takes you directly to one of the main entry points. But if your hotel, ryokan, or sightseeing plan is closer to another part of Hakone, compare the full door-to-door path rather than just the Tokyo departure.

Best route for a day trip

If you are doing Hakone as a day trip from Tokyo, the simplest answer is usually:

• stay near Shinjuku: take the Romancecar
• stay near Tokyo Station: go via Odawara

For day trips, simplicity matters more than shaving off a small amount of in-city travel time. Hakone itself takes time to move around, and weather or queues can affect how much you fit into one day.

Best route for an overnight stay

If you are staying overnight, the route choice becomes more flexible. You may care less about making the earliest possible arrival and more about matching your station to your accommodation. In that case, confirm whether your ryokan or hotel is easiest to reach from Hakone-Yumoto, Gora, or another stop in the network.

An overnight stay is also where the 2-day or 3-day Hakone Freepass can become more attractive, especially if you want to spread out the usual sightseeing circuit rather than rush it.

How to choose the right route for your trip

Use this simple rule:

• Choose the Romancecar if you want the least complicated Tokyo-to-Hakone trip from Shinjuku.
• Choose Odawara if you are starting near Tokyo Station, already using JR, or connecting Hakone with other cities.
• Choose the regular Odakyu train if keeping costs down matters more than time and comfort.

For most first-time travelers, the easiest answer is the direct Romancecar from Shinjuku or the JR-to-Odawara route from Tokyo Station. Those are the two routes worth checking first because they match how most people actually move through Tokyo.

And if you plan to ride the local transport network once you get there, look at the Hakone Freepass before you buy everything separately. In Hakone, the journey from Tokyo is only the first step. The local connections are what shape the day.