Hakone Free Pass - Is It Worth Buying? • Intrepid Scout

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Hakone Free Pass

Are you planning a trip to Hakone and wondering if Hakone Free Pass in worth buying?

Absolutely, it is worth buying!

It will help you save money on transportation in Hakone, as well as give you plenty of discounts on entrance fees to many of Hakone’s attractions. Find out how!

Here are all the details:

first of all, find out which pass to buy (different options are available)

second, how much does Hakone Free Pass cost (it is called ‘Free Pass’, however, it it not ‘Free’)

third, where can you buy the pass

moreover, what is included in Hakone Free Pass

and finally, how much will you save if you buy the pass

Which Hakone Free Pass to Buy

There are two kinds of passes available. Notably, you can purchase:

2-Day Hakone Free Pass, or
3-Day HaKone Free Pass

To clarify, 1-Day Pass is not available.

How Much Does It Cost

The prices vary for 2-Day Pass and 3-Day Pass. It all depends on what station you are leaving from.

Let’s take a closer look:

Specifically, if you are leaving from Tokyo Station in Tokyo:

2-Day pass costs 5,700 yen for an adult ticket and 1,500 yen for a child ticket
3-Day pass costs 6,100 yen for an adult ticket and 1,750 yen for a child ticket

If you are leaving from Machida Station in Tokyo, then:

2-Day pass costs 5,420 yen for an adult ticket and 1,420 yen for a child ticket
3-Day pass costs 5,820 yen for an adult ticket and 1,670 yen for a child ticket

If you are leaving from Odawara Station in Odawara, Kanagawa, which is the gateway station to the Hakone area, then:

2-Day pass costs 4,600 yen for an adult ticket and 1,000 yen for a child ticket
3-Day pass costs 5,000 yen for an adult ticket and 1,250 yen for a child ticket

Moreover, a child ticket is for a child between the ages of 6 to 11 years old.

Where Can You Buy Hakone Free Pass

Hakone Free Pass can be bought at Odakyu Sightseeing Service Centers.

There are several Odakyu Sightseeing Service Centers. Following are their locations:

Tokyo Station
Shinjuku Station (West Exit) in Tokyo
Shinjuku Station (South Exit) in Tokyo
Odawara Station in Odawara

Each location is clearly marked. Once you get to the station, follow the signs for Odakyu Sightseeing Service Center.

In addition, you can purchase the pass at Ticket Vending Machines located at every station on Odakyu lines.

As an example, I purchased my Hakone Free Pass at Odawara Station in Odawara.

It was not difficult to locate Odakyu Sightseeing Service Center. Once, I exited the train terminal, I followed the signs for Odakyu Sightseeing Service Center.

Following is the map of the station and the picture of the center.

Odawara

Hakone Free Pass

What Is Included in the Pass

Hakone Free Pass includes round-trip travel on the Odakyu Line from Shinjuku Station in Tokyo, Machida Station in Tokyo, or Odawara Station in Odawara.

In addition, it includes unlimited use of eight Hakone-area transportation modes:

Hakone Tozan Line
Hakone Tozan Bus
“Kanko Shisetsu-meguri” Bus (Tourist Attraction Sightseeing Bus)
Hakone Tozan Cable Car
Hakone Ropeway
Sightseeing Cruise
Odakyu Hakone Highway Bus
Tokai Bus Orange Shuttle

On top of that, you will get discounted entrance tickets to many of Hakone’s top attractions.

For example, the entrance ticket to Hakone Open Air Museum costs 1,600 yen, however with Hakone Free Pass, you will be able to purchase it for 1,400 yen!

How Much Will You Save If You Buy the Pass

I calculated that you can save approximately 1,000 yen by purchasing the pass instead of making individual purchases for each mode of transportation.

Following is the breakdown based on the recommended clockwise Hakone Sightseeing Loop:

Hakone Map

Photo Credit: Hakone Free Pass

1. First, if you travel from Shinjuku Station in Tokyo to Odawara Station in Odawara, it will cost you 880 yen.

2. Second, from Odawara Station you will need to take Hakone Tozan Line train to Hakone-Yumoto.

The cost is 310 yen.

3. Third, from Hakone-Yumoto you will hop on Tozan Bus Line H and take it to Motohakone-ko.

The cost is 1,180 yen.

Hakone Tozan Bus

4. Fourth step: from Motohakone-ko you can walk to Hakonemachi-ko via the Ancient Cedar Avenue. You can also visit the Hakone Checkpoint along the way if interested. Free!

5. Next, from Hakonemachi-ko board Hakone Sightseeing Cruise across Lake Ashi and get off at Togendai-ko.

The cruise will cost you 1,000 yen.

6. Moreover, once at Togendai-ko take the Hakone Ropeway to Owakudani and from Owakudani take another ropeway to Sounzan.

This part will cost you 1,370 yen.

7. Furthermore, from Sounzan you can hop on the Hakone Tozan Cable Car and take it to Gora.

This part of the journey will cost you 420 yen.

8. Next, from Gora, take the Hakone Tozan Train all the way back to Odawara.

It will be 670 yen

9. Finally, from Odawara take Odakyu Line to Shinjuku Station in Tokyo (one-way).

It will cost 880 yen.

Total cost is 6,710 yen if you were to pay individually for each mode of transportation. Hakone Free Pass from Shinjuku in Tokyo is going to cost you 5,700 yen. You will be saving about 1,000 yen!

Romancecar

There is another option of getting to Hakone from Shinjuku. It is via the Romancecar.

Hakone Free Pass

Romancecar travels from Shinjuku Station in Tokyo to Hakone-Yumoto train station. The journey on Romancecar takes only 75 minutes.

Moreover, you save additional time since you do not need to transfer in Odawara and Romancecar will take you directly to Hakone-Yumoto Station.

Romancecar

The ticket for the Romancecar costs 2,280 yen. If you have Hakone Free Pass, then you need to pay a surcharge 1,090 yen for the Romancecar.

The Bottom Line

Besides the savings, I love the peace of mind of having an unlimited travel pass.

You do not feel restricted and you can hop on and off as desired if you see something cool along the way. Or, if you accidentally get on the wrong bus, you don’t have to pay for your error.

In addition, if you really like one of the activities, you can go through it multiple times.

For example, the cruise on Lake Ashi could be repeated if you are looking for the famous view of Mt Fuji and the weather is not cooperating in the morning, you can take the cruise again in the afternoon or in the evening in hopes that you will catch the glimpse of it.