The Hakone Loop: every leg in order, and whether it is worth it
The loop is a circuit, not a line. From Hakone-Yumoto you ride the Tozan switchback train up to Gora, a cable car to Sounzan, the ropeway over the sulphur vents of Owakudani to Togendai, a boat across Lake Ashi to Motohakone or Hakonemachi, and a bus back round to Yumoto. It works in either direction. The transport is the attraction here, and the thing that decides whether you finish it is the ropeway, which stops running in the late afternoon.
“You could explain that a loop is possible and how it can be done, and that it can be done from either side.” — Jorge, 5★, on the Hakone Freepass. He is right, and this page is that explanation.
The legs, in order
- Hakone-Yumoto to Gora, Hakone Tozan Railway. ¥460, about 35 minutes. The switchbacks are the point: the train reverses its way up the mountain, and in early summer the hydrangeas grow right up against the windows. Do not skip this leg to save time.
- Gora to Sounzan, cable car. A short haul straight up the slope.It is covered by the Hakone Freepass.
- Sounzan to Togendai, Hakone Ropeway. ¥2,000 one way, ¥3,000 round trip, ¥700 and ¥1,000 for a child. You cross directly over Owakudani, a live geothermal valley venting sulphur, and the smell reaches the gondola.
- Togendai to Motohakone or Hakonemachi, Hakone Sightseeing Cruise. ¥1,700 adult one way on the pirate ship. Hakonemachi to Motohakone, if you want both, is ¥600.
- Motohakone back to Hakone-Yumoto, Hakone Tozan Bus. Hakone Shrine’s vermilion torii stands in the lake at Motohakone, which is where most people stop before the bus.
How long does it take?
The time depends on how long you stand at each stop, and the planning constraint is the deadline rather than the total. The ropeway runs 9:00 to 16:45 from February to November, and 9:00 to 16:15 in December and January. Miss it and the loop breaks in the middle. What is fixed: the Tozan train alone is about 35 minutes, the coach tours that do a compressed version of this circuit allow around 30 minutes on the ropeway and 25 to 30 on the boat, and every one of them leaves Tokyo between 7:30 and 8:00 in the morning. That start time is not enthusiasm. It is arithmetic. Whether one day is enough comes down to the same clock.
What it costs to ride, leg by leg
On the published fares: the ordinary Odakyu train out from Shinjuku ¥1,270, the Tozan train to Gora ¥460, the ropeway one way ¥2,000, the cruise ¥1,700 and the ordinary train back ¥1,270 comes to about ¥6,700, against a ¥7,100 two-day Freepass. The cable car and the bus come on top, so the full ticket total is higher than ¥6,700. For a full day riding the whole circuit the pass is roughly break-even and probably slightly ahead. For half a day or a partial loop it is not. The full working is on is the Freepass worth it.
Is the loop worth it?
Yes, with one condition: you have to be willing to spend the day on the move. Joanne, who did a coach version, called it “A full day which ticked most modes of transportation! Bus, train, boat, cable car and feet!” That is the description. If what you want is a slow onsen afternoon, day trip or overnight is the page to read.
The ropeway suspends in high wind and the cruise changes route or stops in heavy fog or strong wind. Both happened to people who reviewed the products on this site. Check live status at hakonenavi.jp on the morning you travel, and have a plan for the loop breaking.
Do it yourselfHakone: Train Pass with Unlimited Rides & Activity Discounts
Cheapest way inHakone: Hakone Ropeway One-Way / Round-Trip E-Ticket
Frequently asked questions
How long does the Hakone loop take?
Longer than people expect, and the number that matters is the deadline rather than the duration: the ropeway’s last run is 16:45 from February to November and 16:15 in December and January. The Tozan train leg alone is about 35 minutes. Start from Tokyo early or you will not close the circuit.
Can you do the Hakone loop in either direction?
Yes. Yumoto to Gora to Sounzan to Togendai to the lake and back by bus, or exactly the reverse. Going anticlockwise puts the lake and the torii first and the switchback train at the end.
Do I need the Hakone Freepass to do the loop?
No, you can buy each leg. On a full day of riding, the ¥7,100 pass is roughly break-even against tickets, and two of the legs come on top of the ¥6,700 in tickets. See what a day really costs.
What happens if the ropeway is closed?
It suspends in high wind, and it takes scheduled maintenance closures in winter with substitute buses running instead. The loop still works, it just stops being a ropeway ride. Seasonal hours and closures are here.