How to get around Hakone & do you need a car?

If there's one question we see all the time on Reddit about Hakone, it's this: "Do I need a car?" After multiple visits to Hakone with and without a car, we can tell you this: you don't need a car, but booking a private tour with a driver (or using taxis when necessary) will save you a lot of time if you're visiting multiple attractions and might be the only feasible way of seeing some things.

In this guide, we'll walk through every transport option available in Hakone and help you decide what makes sense for your trip.

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How to get to Hakone from Tokyo

You have several options to get to Hakone from Tokyo. You can take the direct Odakyu "Romancecar" (we've taken it several times. I can't say it's especially romantic but it's spacious and has reserved seats. Costs around 1000 yen more than the standard fare, though) from Shinjuku Station to Hakone-Yumoto or take the Odakyu Express to Odawara and change there to the local Hakonetozan line (around 20 minutes slower but around half the price). There's also an express bus from Busta Shinjuku bus stop in 2 to 2.5 hours depending on traffic. Especially if you're travelling as a group, you could think about booking a private Hakone tour from Tokyo for the day: it will save you a lot of time getting around, making it a great way to pack the most into a day tour.

Public transport in Hakone

You'll already know from our compact Hakone guide that Hakone is an area rather than a town and the many attractions are all spread out around Lake Ashi and the surrounding mountains. That really surprised us the first time we went. But it's a popular holiday spot for Japanese tourists too, so public transport is well developed. Here are your options:

Train

The Tozan line continues from the popular hub of Yumoto to the mountainside village of Gora, known for its museums and high-end onsen hotels and ryokan.

Bus

The main way to get around Hakone. There are several bus routes with small stops and bigger stations in Gora, Yumoto and the Hakone port area down at the bottom of the lake. The buses can get crowded at peak times of the year and at weekends, and the roads are very windy in places. Pack some travel sickness meds if you're prone to travel sickness.

Ropeway

Hakone has two ropeways. The smaller one, Komagatake, links Hakone-en botanical forest to a scenic look-out point at Ashinosora. The main one, Hakone Ropeway, is much more useful as a way to get around, since it links the mountain areas (and Owakudani, in particular) to the lakeside, with the end-station beside the dock at the north end of the lake for the scenic pirate ship cruise.

Cable car

The Hakone Ropeway only goes as far up the mountainside as Souzan but that's not a problem because you can hop off the ropeway there and jump on to the Hakonetozan cable car, a sort of funicular railway that takes you up to the Gora hub - for the Open-Air Museum, for example.

Boat

The boats crossing Lake Ashi aren't going to save you any time but it's definitely a scenic and fun way to get from one end of the lake to the other. The iconic pirate ships are run by the Odakyu company (yes, the train people) and are covered by the Hakone Freepass. The other boats, run by the Izuhakone company, are not covered by the pass but are a little cheaper (around 1500 yen one way - depending on the route - and 2300 yen return)

The Hakone Freepass

If you're staying for two or three days in Hakone and going down the public transport route, the Hakone Freepass is worth considering, since it covers most buses, trains and even the Hakone Ropeway, the cable car and the pirate ships. The return travel on Odakyu trains from Shinjuku is included, but you'll pay an additional fee if you want to use the express Romance Car. The ticket currently costs around 7100 yen for adults (1600 for kids) for 2 days, which is a pretty good deal considering the return fare to Hakone from Tokyo alone is around 2300 yen and a return trip on the pirate ship is around 3000 yen. The Hakone Freepass also gets you discounts at some tourist facilities, including the Open-Air Museum, and also covers the bus to Gotemba, if you fancy some shopping at the famous Gotemba Premium Outlet.

Options for getting around Hakone

Option 1: Public transport

 Sticking to public transit (with or without the Hakone Freepass) is the budget-friendly option, eliminating driving stress and including scenic experiences like the cable car and ropeway as part of the journey. While it keeps things simple and hassle-free, you will be tied to bus schedules, potentially crowded transfers during peak times, and limited access to remote spots. This option will work best for you if you're just in Hakone for the day or are staying overnight but just want to tick off those main tourist highlights.

Option 2: Self-drive car rental

If you prefer total freedom, renting a car lets you explore at your own pace, be independent of bus timetables, and easily reach off-the-beaten-path locations. It’s a great fit for families or multi-day travelers looking to pack in several attractions. But keep in mind that mountain roads are narrow and winding, parking can be tight at popular spots, and costs (rental fees, gas, and parking) add up quickly compared to public transport. Plus it's not exactly the most stress-free of options - you're not going to be able to enjoy those views as much as when somebody else is driving.

Honestly, if you're not used to driving in Japan anyway (remember: they drive on the left and most traffic signs, outside the cities at least, are in Japanese only), Hakone is probably not the place to start.

Option 3: Public transport + taxi

We've been to Hakone in the off-season and this was our approach, since the bus timetables had been pared back a bit and sometimes taking a taxi, especially for us as a family of four, costs little more than the bus or train fare. Plus we know of some great Fuji-viewing spots on the western side of the lake that are only reachable by car.

Option 4: Guided Tour from Tokyo/Odawara

If you're not planning to stay in Hakone overnight and just want to get an impression of the area and tick off a few of the highlights, we would really recommend taking an organised tour. You honestly shouldn't underestimate the time you need to get around Hakone on the bus, especially if you're not that familiar with the different routes, so an organised tour will definitely save you time and stress. If you don't want to sacrifice flexibility or want to see a few things that aren't featured on the typical tours, booking a car with driver for the day is a great idea.

Why we think hiring a car with a driver is Hakone is a great idea

We've done this twice now - we took the train from Tokyo to Odawara and got picked up by our driver there - and it was a super experience both times. We got to see so many hidden corners of Hakone that we would never have managed (or even known about) by public transport. It's definitely the stress-free option and a big timer-saver. Having a car take you from place to place allows you to put together your own itinerary, including attractions that are pretty much off the beaten track, like the Fuji-view swing.

You might be tempted to rent a car instead and drive yourself around, but, unless you're experienced in driving in Japan, we wouldn't recommend it. It's a lot to organise (including an international licence or an official translation of your regular licence) and the narrow, hair-pin roads around Hakone aren't a great place for your first time in a right-hand drive. It's no surprise that the number of car accidents caused by tourists has soared in the last year or two. When you take the price of car hire, petrol, parking, etc. into consideration, hiring a private car and driver won't cost an awful lot more and will save a load of hassle.

Practical tips for getting around Hakone

• Especially you're going to be relying on public transport, don't try to pack too much into your day. Don't underestimate how long it takes to get from A to B along those windy little mountain roads and the buses may not be that frequent, depending on the route and season.

• Public transport in Hakone can also be severely affected by the weather and its unique geography. The boats on the lake and the ropeway can be cancelled in strong winds, heavy rains can cause landslides closing minor roads and it's not that long ago that the entire Owakudani area was closed because of increased volcanic activity (closing the cable car and disrupting nearby bus routes).

• If you're planning to rent a car, you will need an international driver's licence or an official, certified translation of your home driving licence. But also make sure that your hotel can offer you a parking space: some of the smaller ryokan don't have any.

  
  

Now that you know how to get around, take a look at our other Hakone guides:

→ "Where to stay in Hakone" for choosing the best area for your stay

→ "What to see and do in Hakone" for a list of the best activities and attractions in the area

→ Back to 'Hakone Travel Guide' (main overview)

→ Just in case you're undecided: here's why we think a trip to Hakone is definitely worth it but why some visitors may want to save it for next time

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