Hakone is a loop, not a place. You go up on a mountain train, change to a cable car, change to a ropeway, cross a lake on a pirate ship, and come back on a bus. Ticketing that individually is the whole reason the Hakone Freepass exists — and why it has sold over ten million copies in twenty years.
It is ¥7,100 from Shinjuku for two days, and it covers eight kinds of transport plus the round trip from Tokyo. Genuinely good value, and unusually simple.
With one catch that catches almost everybody: the Romancecar is not included. The nice limited express you pictured yourself taking to Hakone needs a separate ticket, and people find that out at the gate.
Hakone Freepass at a glance (2026)
| From Shinjuku | ¥7,100 / 2 days · ¥7,500 / 3 days (adults) Children 6–11: ¥1,600 / ¥1,850 |
|---|---|
| From Odawara (Hakone area only) | ¥6,000 / 2 days · ¥6,400 / 3 days (adults) Children: ¥1,500 / ¥1,750 |
| 🚨 Romancecar | NOT included. +¥1,200 each way (Shinjuku → Hakone-Yumoto) · children +¥600 |
| What's covered | Unlimited rides on 8 kinds of transport — mountain trains, cable cars, ropeway, buses, the Lake Ashi pirate ship |
| Bonus | Discounts at ~70 facilities — onsen, museums, restaurants. Just show the pass |
| 3 days vs 2 days | Only ¥400 more. Barely a decision |
| Format | Paper, or on your phone — no ticket machine, no counter Japanese |
The Hakone Tozan train and the cable car, from Odawara. These are two of the eight modes the Freepass covers — and riding them is the point, not the means to an end.
The Romancecar catch
The Romancecar is Odakyu's limited express — the comfortable, reserved-seat train with the panoramic front windows that shows up in every photo of “going to Hakone”. Naturally, you assume the Hakone pass covers the Hakone train.
It does not. The official page says it in one line: a separate Limited Express Romancecar ticket is required to use the Romancecar.
| Freepass (Shinjuku) | ¥7,100 — covers the ordinary trains and the whole Hakone loop |
|---|---|
| Romancecar supplement | +¥1,200 each way to Hakone-Yumoto (children +¥600) |
| Realistic total | ¥7,100 + ¥2,400 round trip = ¥9,500 — the official site publishes this exact sum |
Shinjuku or Odawara? This is the real decision
There are two versions of the pass, and the ¥1,100 gap between them is not about quality — it is about where you're coming from.
| From Shinjuku ¥7,100 | Includes the round trip from Tokyo plus the Hakone loop. Buy this if you're based in Tokyo. |
|---|---|
| From Odawara ¥6,000 | Hakone area only — no Tokyo legs. Buy this if you're arriving from Kansai by shinkansen, because you'd be paying for Tokyo legs you never use. |
The official site does the arithmetic for the Kansai case itself: Freepass (Hakone area only) ¥6,000 + Odawara→Shinjuku ordinary fare ¥910 + one-way Romancecar ¥1,200 = ¥8,110, on top of your fare from Kansai to Odawara. Which is the polite way of saying: don't buy the Shinjuku version if you're not starting in Shinjuku.
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Eight kinds of transport — which is the actual point
This is the bit that justifies the price, and it is easy to under-appreciate until you are standing in Hakone with a map.
The pass gives unlimited rides on eight types of transport: the switchback mountain railway, the cable car, the ropeway over the volcanic valley, local buses, and the pirate ship across Lake Ashi. The classic Hakone day is a loop that uses most of them in sequence — so “unlimited” is not a gimmick here, it is how the day is shaped.
Buy those individually and you are queueing at four or five different ticket counters, in Japanese, while your loop schedule slips. The pass is buying you the absence of that.
2 days or 3 days? Barely a question
¥7,100 for two days. ¥7,500 for three.
That is ¥400 — under 6% more for 50% more time. If there is any chance you stay a third day, the maths does not argue with you. This is unusual and worth flagging, because most passes punish you for the longer option.
Lake Ashi and Hakone Shrine, plus the Hakone Ekiden finish line. This is roughly the far end of the loop — how far round you get is the real difference between the 2-day and the 3-day.
Getting there
Hakone-Yumoto is the gateway station and where the Freepass area really begins. From Shinjuku it is a straight run on the Odakyu line — ordinary train (covered) or Romancecar (not covered).
Coming from further afield and wondering whether a national rail pass covers this? It doesn't — Hakone runs on Odakyu, not JR. Our JR Pass guide is honest about where that pass does and doesn't pay off.
Tips for foreign visitors
- Budget the Romancecar separately, or accept the ordinary train. It is not in the pass.
- Coming from Kansai? Buy the Odawara version (¥6,000). You'd be buying Tokyo legs you won't use otherwise.
- Take the 3-day if you're even slightly unsure. It's ¥400.
- Buy it on your phone. Odakyu's mobile ticket skips the machine and the counter entirely.
- Show the pass everywhere — around 70 places give a discount and none of them will offer first.
- Children are 6–11. Outside that band, adult fare.
Owakudani, reached by the Hakone Ropeway: the black eggs boiled in the sulphur springs, said to add years to your life. The ropeway is on the Freepass — the eggs are not.
FAQ
How much is the Hakone Freepass in 2026?
Does the Hakone Freepass include the Romancecar?
What does the Hakone Freepass actually cover?
Is the 2-day or 3-day Hakone Freepass better value?
Should I buy the Shinjuku or Odawara version?
Is the Hakone Freepass worth it for a day trip?
Can I buy the Hakone Freepass on my phone?
Sources & further watching
Read directly from Odakyu's official English page in July 2026 — including their own worked examples:
- Odakyu — Hakone Freepass (official English) — prices by departure station and duration, the Romancecar supplement, the 8 transport types, ~70 facility discounts, child age band, mobile ticketing
Prices and coverage are as of July 2026, read from Odakyu's official English Hakone Freepass page. Fares vary by departure station — confirm on the official page before you buy. Some links on this page may be affiliate links, which means we may earn a commission if you book or buy through them — at no extra cost to you. See our affiliate disclosure.
