Hakone Day Trip Itinerary from Tokyo: The Hakone Loop in One Day

The Hakone Freepass and Romancecar seats on this page link to Odakyu’s official sites, not to affiliates.

Yes, you can see the best of Hakone in a day trip from Tokyo if you follow the Hakone loop: up the mountain by train and cable car, over the steaming valley of Owakudani by ropeway, across Lake Ashi by boat, and back down by bus. This Hakone day trip itinerary from Tokyo is built from the operators’ official travel times and timetables. Plan on 11 to 12 hours door to door from Shinjuku, and about 9,500 yen in transport with the Hakone Freepass and the Romancecar both ways.

Quick answer

• Time needed: a full day. Leave Shinjuku around 8:00 a.m., back around 7:30 to 8:10 p.m.
• Rough cost from Shinjuku: 9,500 yen for transport (7,100-yen Freepass plus 2,400 yen for Romancecar seats both ways; 9,400 yen if you book the seats online), as of October 2026. Food and entry fees are extra.
• Best ticket: the 2-day Hakone Freepass from Shinjuku, even for one day.
• Direction: clockwise (train first, bus last), so the ropeway and the boat fit inside their hours.
• Good for: first-timers who want volcanic scenery, a lake and a chance of Mt Fuji in one day. Skip if: you want a slow onsen day; the loop has about seven rides and as many transfers.

Are the ropeway and boats running?

• On October 9, 2026, the official status page showed no suspension for either.
• Planned ropeway closures for inspection: Sounzan to Owakudani is closed from December 7 to 24, 2026, and Owakudani to Ubako to Togendai from January 12 to February 26, 2027. Replacement buses run on the closed section, and the Freepass covers them.
• Weather: the ropeway stops in strong wind, thunder, typhoons, or when volcanic gas levels rise. The boats can change route or cancel in thick fog or strong wind.
• Volcano: the Japan Meteorological Agency has Mount Hakone at alert level 1, the lowest level, as of October 2026.

Status changes daily. On the morning of your trip, check the Hakone Navi real-time status page before you buy a pass or board the Romancecar.

The plan at a glance

A rough guide for March to November. Ride times come from the operators; stop times are up to you.

Time (approx.)	Where	How you get there (official ride time)
8:00 a.m.	Leave Shinjuku	Romancecar to Hakone-Yumoto, about 80 min
9:30 to 10:15 a.m.	Hakone-Yumoto	Change to the Hakone Tozan train
10:15 a.m.	Ride up to Gora	Hakone Tozan train, about 40 min
11:00 a.m.	Gora to Sounzan	Cable car, about 10 min, then a 2-min walk to the ropeway
11:15 a.m.	Sounzan to Owakudani	Hakone Ropeway, about 10 min
11:30 a.m. to 12:45 p.m.	Owakudani: viewpoints, lunch	—
12:45 p.m.	Owakudani to Togendai	Ropeway via Ubako, about 20 min, then a 3-min walk to the pier
1:30 p.m.	Togendai to Moto-Hakone-ko	Sightseeing cruise, about 25 to 40 min
2:15 p.m.	Hakone Shrine	About 10 min on foot from Moto-Hakone-ko
3:30 p.m.	Moto-Hakone-ko to Hakone-Yumoto	Hakone Tozan Bus, about 40 min (H route) or 30 min (R route express)
4:15 p.m.	Hakone-Yumoto: onsen or shopping	—
5:45 to 6:45 p.m.	Romancecar back to Shinjuku	Arrives about 7:25 to 8:10 p.m.

Two anchors from the official timetables (Odakyu’s timetable from March 14, 2026):

• Going: Romancecars leaving Shinjuku in the 8:00 a.m. hour reach Hakone-Yumoto between about 9:25 and 10:20 a.m., depending on the train and the day.
• Returning: Romancecars leaving Hakone-Yumoto between about 5:15 and 6:45 p.m. reach Shinjuku between about 6:45 and 8:10 p.m. The last ones leave Hakone-Yumoto just before 8:00 p.m.

Romancecar seats go on sale at 10:00 a.m. one month before the travel date. Book them on Odakyu’s Romancecar page.

Last departures to watch

Ride	Last service (official)
Hakone Ropeway	Runs until 5:00 p.m. (February to November), 4:15 p.m. (December and January)
Lake Ashi boat from Togendai	Check the official Hakone Sightseeing Cruise timetable (Japanese) for your date
Bus, Moto-Hakone-ko to Hakone-Yumoto (H route)	8:03 p.m., weekdays and weekends
Romancecar, Hakone-Yumoto to Shinjuku	Just before 8:00 p.m.

From December 1 to March 19 the boats run a winter timetable, and the ropeway closes earlier in December and January. Start earlier or shorten the Owakudani stop.

Which direction: clockwise or counterclockwise?

Go clockwise: train and cable car up first, then the ropeway and the boat, then the bus down. There are three reasons, all from the operators’ own information:

1. Closing times. The ropeway stops at 5:00 p.m. and the boats stop around the same time. The bus from Moto-Hakone-ko runs until about 8:00 p.m. Doing the ropeway and boat first, and the bus last, means a late start or a slow lunch only costs you time at the end, not a missed leg.
2. Mt Fuji. Hakone Navi says Mt Fuji is easiest to see from the ropeway in the morning in summer, because clouds build up as the day warms. Clockwise puts you on the ropeway before noon.
3. The finish. The bus ends at Hakone-Yumoto, next to the Romancecar and the day-use onsen.

Counterclockwise (bus to Lake Ashi first) puts the ropeway late in the afternoon, close to its last run. It only makes sense if you start near Lake Ashi, for example after a night there.

Step by step around the Hakone loop

1. Shinjuku to Hakone-Yumoto

The Odakyu Romancecar runs direct from Shinjuku to Hakone-Yumoto in about 80 minutes, with every seat reserved. With the Freepass, you only pay the seat fee: 1,200 yen each way (1,150 yen online), as of October 2026. Regular Odakyu trains need no seat fee but take about two hours, and seats aren’t guaranteed. LINK#17 Romancecar from Shinjuku to Hakone covers booking and seat choice.

2. Hakone Tozan train: Hakone-Yumoto to Gora

The Hakone Tozan train climbs 8.9 km from Hakone-Yumoto to Gora in about 40 minutes. It zigzags up the slope through three switchbacks, where the driver and conductor swap ends. Board at platform 3 at Hakone-Yumoto. The fare is 460 yen without a pass.

3. Cable car: Gora to Sounzan

The cable car covers 1.2 km and climbs 209 m in about 10 minutes. At Sounzan, the ropeway platform is in the same building, about a 2-minute walk.

4. Ropeway and Owakudani

Gondolas leave about every minute, so there’s no timetable to plan around. Each section takes about 10 minutes: Sounzan to Owakudani, Owakudani to Ubako, Ubako to Togendai.

Get off at Owakudani. A one-way ticket to Togendai lets you stop here and continue later on the same ticket. Owakudani is a volcanic valley that still gives off steam and a sulfur smell. The black eggs boiled in the hot springs are sold at Owakudani Kurotamago-kan and Gokuraku-jaya. The OWAKUDANI KITCHEN restaurant is on the second floor of the ropeway station if you want lunch here.

Then ride on to Togendai via Ubako.

5. Lake Ashi cruise: Togendai to Moto-Hakone-ko

From the ropeway at Togendai, the boat pier is in the same building, about a 3-minute walk. The Hakone Sightseeing Cruise (the “pirate ships”) crosses Lake Ashi to Moto-Hakone-ko or Hakone-machi-ko in about 25 to 40 minutes. Boarding starts about 5 to 10 minutes before departure. Part way across, there’s a point where Mt Fuji, Hakone Shrine’s red lakeside torii gate and the lake line up in one view, weather permitting. The standard cabin is covered by the Freepass; the special cabin costs extra each time.

6. Hakone Shrine

From Moto-Hakone-ko, Hakone Shrine is about a 10-minute walk along the lake. The shrine’s charm office is open from 8:15 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., and the treasure museum from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

7. Bus back to Hakone-Yumoto

Take the Hakone Tozan Bus from Moto-Hakone-ko. The H route takes about 40 minutes and runs about every 15 to 20 minutes from mid-morning to 5:00 p.m. The R route is an express on the Hakone Shindo road, about 30 minutes, and runs mainly in the afternoon. Both are covered by the Freepass, and without a pass the fare to Hakone-Yumoto is 1,210 yen. The timetable notes that road traffic can delay buses, so leave a cushion before your Romancecar.

If something is closed or the weather turns bad

Problem	What to do instead
Ropeway closed between Sounzan and Owakudani (Dec 7 to 24, 2026, or for weather)	On the planned closure dates, take the replacement bus. On a weather closure, take the Hakone Tozan Bus from Gora toward Togendai (TG route, via Sengoku) and continue the loop by boat
Ropeway closed between Owakudani and Togendai (Jan 12 to Feb 26, 2027)	Take the replacement bus between Owakudani and Togendai
Ropeway closed all day	Skip Owakudani. From Hakone-Yumoto, take the bus to Togendai (T route) or straight to Moto-Hakone-ko, and build the day around Lake Ashi
Boats cancelled (fog, wind)	From Togendai, take the Hakone Tozan Bus back toward Hakone-Yumoto (T route, via Sengoku)
Rain or low cloud all day	Views will be limited; consider a museum and onsen day, or move the trip

If you pay as you go and a leg is closed, redo the fare math in Is the Hakone Freepass Worth It?. The pass pays off because of the ropeway and the boat.

Where to see Mt Fuji (no guarantees)

Mt Fuji is often hidden by cloud, so treat a view as a bonus. Hakone Navi lists these spots:

• From the ropeway: on the sections between Ubako and Owakudani and between Owakudani and Sounzan, and from Owakudani itself on clear days.
• From the boat: a point on Lake Ashi where Mt Fuji, the Hakone Shrine torii gate and the lake fit in one view.

Hakone Navi says summer views are best in the morning, before clouds build up, and that in winter the mountain is visible all day more often because of the cold. Check the weather forecast for Hakone the day before. If seeing Mt Fuji is the main goal, a night in Hakone gives you a second morning to try; see LINK#7 Hakone: day trip or overnight?.

What the day costs

All prices are adult fares, as of October 2026.

Option	Transport cost from Shinjuku	Notes
Freepass + Romancecar both ways	9,500 yen (9,400 yen with online seat booking)	Fastest and simplest; the setup this itinerary uses
Freepass + regular Odakyu trains	7,100 yen	About 2 hours each way, with a change and possibly standing
Pay fare by fare, regular trains	8,340 yen	Use paper one-way tickets at the ropeway and boat
Pay fare by fare, tapping a credit card	10,640 yen	A card tap on the ropeway and boat is charged as a 3,000-yen 1-day ticket each

The Freepass saves 1,240 yen on this loop, and it gives discounts at about 70 places. The full breakdown is in Is the Hakone Freepass Worth It?.

Buy the pass on Odakyu’s official Freepass page (digital) or at Odakyu stations (paper).

Day-use onsen on the way back

Hakone-Yumoto is the easiest place for a soak before the Romancecar. One example:

• Hakone Yuryo: about 3 minutes from Hakone-Yumoto Station by free shuttle bus (every 10 to 15 minutes). Adults pay 1,700 to 1,800 yen on weekdays and 2,000 to 2,200 yen on weekends and holidays; towels cost extra. Open 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. on weekdays (last entry 7:00 p.m.) and until 9:00 p.m. on weekends and holidays (last entry 8:00 p.m.). The Freepass discount list shows weekday entry at 1,500 yen. Tattoos have been allowed since April 1, 2025.

For more options, including places that accept tattoos, see LINK#11 Tattoo-friendly onsen in Hakone.

Who should do what

You are…	Best plan
First time in Hakone, one free day	This loop clockwise, Freepass + Romancecar
Watching your budget	Same loop, Freepass + regular Odakyu trains (7,100 yen)
Mainly here to see Mt Fuji	Pick a clear-forecast day and start early, or stay one night
Mainly here for onsen	Skip the loop: Hakone-Yumoto only, pay as you go
Traveling in December to February	Check the ropeway closure dates and the earlier closing times
Carrying big luggage	Leave it in Tokyo, or use lockers at Hakone-Yumoto
Not keen on handling seven rides and transfers yourself	A guided day tour (below)

Prefer a guided tour?

A guided day tour from Tokyo removes the timetable reading and transfers.

A tour suits you if:

• You’d rather not plan transfers or read Japanese timetables.
• You have only one day and don’t want to risk missing the last ropeway or boat.
• You want a guide to explain what you’re seeing.

Doing it yourself suits you if:

• You want to set your own pace, for example a longer onsen stop.
• You want to change plans on the day if the ropeway or boat stops.
• You’re on a budget: the Freepass covers all the transport in Hakone.

Before booking, check the pickup point, whether the ropeway and boat are included, whether it also visits other areas, and what happens if the ropeway is closed.

Practical tips

• Check the status page on the morning of your trip. If the ropeway or boat is closed, redo the plan before you buy anything.
• Wear layers. Hakone Navi warns that Owakudani feels cold on windy days from autumn to spring, and in winter it can feel below freezing even in daytime.
• Don’t tap a credit card on the ropeway or boat unless you want the 3,000-yen 1-day ticket. Buy one-way tickets at the window, or use the Freepass.

Related guides

• Is the Hakone Freepass Worth It?
• LINK#7 Hakone: day trip or overnight?
• LINK#17 Romancecar from Shinjuku to Hakone
• LINK#11 Tattoo-friendly onsen in Hakone