Hakone Free Pass 2026: Price, Coverage and Where to Buy

What Is the Hakone Freepass?

The Hakone Freepass is a 2-day or 3-day pass from Odakyu that gives unlimited rides on almost all transport in Hakone, plus one round trip on the Odakyu Line between your starting station and Odawara. It also gets you discounts at around 70 museums, hot springs and other places in Hakone.

It is the ticket most visitors use for the Hakone loop of mountain train, cable car, ropeway over Owakudani, the Lake Ashi pirate ship and the bus back. If you are still planning the day itself, start with our Hakone day trip guide.

Private tour

Hakone Private Tour from Tokyo by Train The ropeway, the pirate ship and Hakone Shrine, with your guide on the loop with you. From US$890 per group.

How Much Is the Hakone Freepass? 2026 Prices

The 2-day Hakone Freepass costs ¥7,100 for adults and ¥1,600 for children from Shinjuku, and ¥6,000 and ¥1,500 from Odawara. The 3-day pass is ¥400 more for adults and ¥250 more for children.

These are the official fares since the revision on 1 October 2025. Many websites still show the old ¥6,100 Shinjuku price.

There is no 1-day Hakone Freepass. The Odawara price also applies if you buy the pass in Hakone, Gotemba or Mishima. That version covers the Hakone area only.

Use it if you arrive by Shinkansen or are already in Odawara.

Child Fares and Children Under 6

Child fares apply to children aged 6 to 11. Children under 6 do not need a ticket on the Freepass routes. On the Romancecar, a child under 6 who sits on a parent's lap needs no ticket, but one who takes a seat needs a child ticket and a child limited express ticket.

For a family of two adults and two children aged 6 and 9, the 2-day pass from Shinjuku costs ¥17,400 in total.

What the Hakone Freepass Covers

The Hakone Freepass covers eight kinds of transport inside the Freepass area, with unlimited getting on and off for the days on the pass.

1. Hakone Tozan Railway (mountain train, Odawara to Gora)
2. Hakone Tozan Cable Car (Gora to Sounzan)
3. Hakone Ropeway (Sounzan to Owakudani to Togendai)
4. Hakone Sightseeing Cruise (the Lake Ashi "pirate ships", Togendai to Hakone-machi and Moto-Hakone)
5. Hakone Tozan Bus (designated area)
6. Odakyu Highway Bus (designated area)
7. Tokai Bus (designated area)
8. The "Kanko Shisetsu-Meguri" sightseeing bus

The Shinjuku, Machida and Fujisawa versions add one round trip on the Odakyu Line between your starting station and Odawara, on local or express trains. You may get off along the way.

The discounts at around 70 places are part of the coverage too. Show the pass at the ticket desk. The current list is on the official Hakone Navi website.

For each ride in detail, see our guides to the Hakone Tozan Railway, the Hakone Ropeway, Owakudani and the Hakone pirate ship cruise.

What It Does Not Cover

The Freepass does not cover the Romancecar fee, the Shinkansen or rides outside the Freepass area.

• The Romancecar limited express fee. Buy a separate seat ticket, which is ¥1,200 for adults and ¥600 for children from Shinjuku to Hakone-Yumoto (¥50 less online).
• The Shinkansen and any JR line.
• Izu-Hakone Bus routes, and the other sightseeing boats on Lake Ashi run by a different company.
• The premium cabin on the pirate ships, which is an extra fee.
• Museum and hot spring entry. The pass gives a discount, not free entry.
• Any ride outside the Freepass area. You pay the fare for that part.

If you also want the Fuji Five Lakes area, Odakyu sells a separate Fuji Hakone Pass.

Where to Buy the Hakone Freepass

You can buy the Hakone Freepass online on EMot, at Odakyu stations, at 7-Eleven stores in Japan, or at stations and bus centres in Hakone. Paper passes go on sale up to one month before you travel.

• Online (digital), EMot Online Tickets. Buy on your smartphone and show a QR code at the gates. Each digital pass belongs to one phone, but children without a phone can be added with the "For Group" option, up to four tickets on one device. The group must travel together.
• Odakyu stations (paper). Paper passes are sold at Odakyu Sightseeing Service Centers and ticket machines at Odakyu Line stations, including Shinjuku.
• 7-Eleven stores in Japan. These sell it through the 7-Ticket service, with no issuing fee. The version with the Odakyu round trip is sold for Shinjuku departures only.
• In Hakone. You can buy it from ticket machines at Hakone Tozan Railway stations and at the Hakone Tozan Bus information centres, including Odawara, Hakone-Yumoto, Moto-Hakone and Togendai. These sell the Odawara-price version.
• Odakyu Travel stores and major travel agencies in Japan also sell it.

If you leave from Shinjuku, buy before you board. A pass bought in Hakone does not include the Odakyu train from Tokyo.

Is the Hakone Freepass Worth It for 1 Day?

Yes for most visitors doing the full Hakone loop, even on a single day. Since October 2025 the two most expensive rides alone cost an adult ¥3,700 one way.

Add the bus back to Hakone-Yumoto or Odawara and the round trip from Shinjuku, and one loop usually costs above the ¥7,100 price of the pass. On a second day the pass is clearly ahead.

It is not worth it if you are only going to Hakone-Yumoto for a hot spring and back, or if you will travel around Hakone by car. For a one-day plan built around the lake and the ropeway, Odakyu Hakone also sells a 1-day Sightseeing Cruise & Ropeway Pass (¥5,000 adults, ¥1,400 children) and an Owakudani 2-Day Pass (¥5,000 adults, ¥1,300 children).

ONO

I recommend the Freepass to families who want to spend two days or longer in Hakone. You get to ride a lot of different kinds of transport, and the Odakyu train from Shinjuku is included.

Using the Freepass on the Hakone Loop

The classic loop uses every ride on the pass in one direction, in this order.

1. Odakyu Line from Shinjuku to Odawara or Hakone-Yumoto
2. Hakone Tozan Railway up to Gora
3. Cable car from Gora to Sounzan
4. Ropeway from Sounzan over Owakudani to Togendai
5. Pirate ship across Lake Ashi to Hakone-machi or Moto-Hakone
6. Hakone Tozan Bus back down to Hakone-Yumoto or Odawara

The ropeway and the boats stop in strong wind or when volcanic gas rises at Owakudani, so check the official transit status page on the morning you travel. With bags or a stroller, this loop means five changes and a queue at most of them at weekends.

Validity and Rules for Using the Pass

The pass is valid by calendar day, not by hours.

• Day 1 is the start date on the pass (for a pass bought on the day, the day you buy it, whatever the time). A 2-day pass runs to the last service of the following day. It is not 48 hours.
• Show the pass or scan the QR code at each gate or to the conductor. The paper pass is collected at your last station.
• If a ride stops for weather or volcanic gas, refunds are given at your last station only if you did not use the pass at all.
• Discounts. Show the pass at the ticket desk of participating museums, hot springs and shops.

If you bought a pass before 1 October 2025 for a later date, it is still valid at the old price.

Hakone Freepass with Children

The Freepass is the best value for independent travel. With small children, plan fewer rides and longer stops rather than the full loop. If you want a private bath on your Hakone trip, see our guide to Hakone ryokan with private onsen.

Our private tours are on foot in Tokyo and Yokohama. Your guide rides the trains with you, and each of you pays your own fare with an IC card. See our Tokyo private tour with kids.

You may also like

Hakone Day Trip from Tokyo: The Loop, Costs and Kids Tips Hakone day trip from Tokyo. The loop by mountain train, cable car, ropeway over Owakudani and Lake Ashi pirate ship, with 2026 fares and family tips.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much is the Hakone Freepass in 2026?

From Shinjuku it costs ¥7,100 for 2 days and ¥7,500 for 3 days for adults. Children pay ¥1,600 and ¥1,850. From Odawara it is ¥6,000 and ¥6,400. Prices rose on 1 October 2025.

What does the Hakone Freepass cover?

It covers eight kinds of transport in Hakone (the mountain train, cable car, ropeway, pirate ship, Hakone Tozan Bus, Odakyu Highway Bus, Tokai Bus and the sightseeing bus), plus one Odakyu round trip from your starting station. It does not cover the Romancecar fee or the Shinkansen.

Where can I buy the Hakone Freepass?

You can buy it online on EMot Online Tickets, at Odakyu stations and Sightseeing Service Centers, at 7-Eleven stores in Japan, and at Hakone Tozan Railway stations and bus centres in Hakone.

Is there a 1-day Hakone Freepass?

No. It is sold as a 2-day or 3-day pass only. It is still usually worth buying for one full day on the Hakone loop.

Does the Hakone Freepass include the Romancecar?

No. It covers the regular Odakyu fare, but the Romancecar needs a separate limited express ticket, which costs ¥1,200 for adults and ¥600 for children from Shinjuku.

Do children need a Hakone Freepass?

Children aged 6 to 11 pay the child fare, ¥1,600 for 2 days from Shinjuku. Children under 6 need no ticket.

Can I use the Japan Rail Pass in Hakone?

You can use it only as far as Odawara, by Shinkansen or JR lines. From there, buy the Odawara version of the Hakone Freepass.

Is the Hakone Freepass valid for 48 hours?

No. It runs by calendar day. Day 1 is the start date, and a 2-day pass ends with the last service on the next day.

Sources

https://odakyu-global.com/passes/hakone-freepass/
https://www.hakonenavi.jp/international/en/discount_passes/free_pass
https://www.hakonenavi.jp/international/en/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/re_price202510.pdf
https://odakyu-global.com/passes/romancecar/
https://www.hakonenavi.jp/international/en/status_information
https://www.hakonenavi.jp/transportation/ticket_info/fee/

Plan a Private Day with a Local

Every tour is private, for your group only, and planned with you before you arrive. From US$550 per group for a day on foot in Tokyo or Yokohama, or from US$890 for a day trip by train to Kamakura, Hakone or Mt. Fuji. Travelling with children? See our Tokyo private tour with kids.

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