Hakone Free Pass or pay per ride

The Hakone Freepass pays off when you ride the full loop in two days, including the ropeway and cruise. Single tickets fit a lighter day, especially when grandparents skip some segments, so add up your own segments before you buy.

How much does the pass cost, and what does it cover?

From Shinjuku, the Hakone Freepass costs 7,100 yen for 2 days and 7,500 yen for 3 days (adult). It covers the Odakyu round trip between Shinjuku and Odawara plus Hakone trains, the cable car, the ropeway, the cruise and designated buses ¹. It runs to the last service of the final day.

At RM 2.603 per 100 yen on 19 October 2026, that is about RM 185 for 2 days and RM 195 for 3 days ^{1 2}. Children aged 6 to 11 pay 1,600 yen or 1,850 yen, and children under 6 do not need a ticket ³.

What does the Romancecar add?

The Limited Express Romancecar takes about 80 minutes direct from Shinjuku to Hakone-Yumoto, with all seats reserved. It costs 1,200 yen one way and is not covered by the pass ⁴.

A round trip adds 2,400 yen, about RM 62 at the same rate ^{4 2}. Our Romancecar versus JR guide compares the options.

How does the loop work with and without the ropeway?

The classic loop uses a train, a cable car, the ropeway, a cruise and a bus. The ropeway runs about 4 km from Sounzan to Togendai, and the cruise between Moto-Hakone and Togendai takes about 30 minutes ⁵.

Plan	Segments used	Suits
Full loop.	Train, cable car, ropeway, cruise, bus.	Active groups with two days.
Without the ropeway.	Train, bus to the lake, cruise.	Elders or wind-risk days.
Light day.	Train and one stop.	A short, easy visit.

The more segments you ride, the better the pass looks. Our Hakone loop in one day shows the timing.

What if the ropeway closes?

The ropeway runs 9:00 to 17:00 from February to November and 9:00 to 16:15 in December and January ⁶. It may be suspended in strong wind, thunder, typhoons or volcanic gas conditions. The pass covers designated buses, so a bus fallback keeps the day going.

How do you test the pass against single tickets?

1. List the segments each person will ride.
2. Add each fare from the official Odakyu route search.
3. Add the Romancecar if you want it.
4. Compare the total with the pass price.

Use the rail pass break-even tool for the maths, and read regional pass versus single tickets. We do this sum for you.

When is another plan better?

If you stay in Hakone for one night, read the Yumoto, Gora and Sengokuhara guide. If you travel with grandparents, read the Kanto grandparents guide. The Hakone page gives the wider picture.

What should Malaysian travellers know?

Hakone can feel cooler than Tokyo, so bring a layer and a rain jacket. The loop crosses stairs at stations and boat landings, so elders benefit from a slow pace. Halal options are limited near the lake, so we plan meals ahead.