How much is the Hakone Tozan Railway?

Hakone-Yumoto to Gora is ¥460 for adults and ¥230 for children. Odawara to Gora is ¥770 and ¥390. Children under 6 ride free, and the Hakone Freepass covers it.

How long is the Hakone Tozan Railway ride?

About 40 minutes from Hakone-Yumoto to Gora. The cable car from Gora to Sounzan adds about 10 minutes.

Can I use Suica on the Hakone Tozan Railway?

Yes, IC cards such as Suica and PASMO work on the mountain train. They do not work on the cable car from Gora to Sounzan.

Do I need to reserve seats on the Hakone Tozan Railway?

No. Regular trains have no reserved seats. Only special trains, such as the evening runs in hydrangea season, need booking.

When is hydrangea season on the Hakone Tozan Railway?

From about mid-June to mid-July. The flowers bloom lower down first and move up the line as the season goes on.

Is the Hakone Tozan Railway included in the Japan Rail Pass?

No. It is a private railway. Use the Hakone Freepass, or buy single tickets or the 1-day Nonbiri Kippu.

Hakone Tozan Railway: The Mountain Train Guide for 2026

08/27/202510/10/2026

A red Hakone Tozan Railway train climbing through blue hydrangeas in bloom beside the track

Quick answer

The Hakone Tozan Railway is the mountain train from Hakone-Yumoto to Gora, covering 8.9 km in about 40 minutes and climbing from 96 m to 541 m with three switchbacks.
Hakone-Yumoto to Gora costs ¥460 for adults and ¥230 for children.
Trains run about every 15 minutes in the daytime.

Contents

What Is the Hakone Tozan Railway?

The Hakone Tozan Railway is the small red mountain train that climbs from Hakone-Yumoto, at the bottom of the Hakone valley, up to Gora. It covers 8.9 km in about 40 minutes and climbs from 96 m above sea level to 541 m, on gradients of up to 80 per mil (8%), the steepest of any adhesion railway in Japan. It opened in 1919.

It is the first leg of the Hakone loop and, for many children, the highlight. The train stops in the forest, the driver and conductor swap ends, and it sets off uphill in the other direction.

For the full day, see 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.

Route and Stations

The mountain trains run between Hakone-Yumoto and Gora, with five stations in between. The line officially starts at Odawara, but the Odawara to Hakone-Yumoto section is served by Odakyu trains.

You change to the mountain train at Hakone-Yumoto.

Station	Fare from Hakone-Yumoto (adult)	What is there
Hakone-Yumoto	Start	Hot spring town, shops, Romancecar terminus
Tonosawa	¥160	Small onsen stop in the gorge
Ohiradai	¥220	Switchback inside the station
Miyanoshita	¥310	Fujiya Hotel, old hot spring street
Kowakidani	¥420	Hotels and day spas
Chokoku-no-mori	¥460	Hakone Open-Air Museum
Gora	¥460	Cable car to Sounzan, Gora Park

Most visitors ride straight through to Gora. Families with older children often stop at Chokoku-no-mori for the Hakone Open-Air Museum, whose sculptures stand on open lawns where children can run, and then ride one stop on to Gora.

Gora is the top of the line and a natural lunch stop. The cable car leaves from the same station, and Gora Park, a French-style garden on the slope, is a short walk or one cable car stop up.

Miyanoshita is the stop for the old hot spring street and the Fujiya Hotel, one of the oldest Western-style hotels in Japan. Getting off and on again costs nothing extra with the Freepass.

With single tickets you pay for each ride.

A red Hakone Tozan train at the platform at Hakone-Yumoto Station — Hakone-Yumoto, where you change from the Odakyu Line to the mountain train

The Switchbacks and What You See

The line climbs the valley with three switchbacks, at Deyama signal stop, Ohiradai Station and Kami-Ohiradai signal stop. At each one the train pulls into a dead end, the driver and conductor change places, and the train sets off uphill in the opposite direction.

It is the easiest way to explain to a child how a train climbs a mountain.

On the way up you cross the Hayakawa river on a high iron bridge near Tonosawa and pass through tunnels and forest on tight curves. From Kami-Ohiradai there are views back down the valley.

The wide front windows are the best spot. At the top end, get on early to stand at the glass.

Fares and Passes in 2026

A single ride from Hakone-Yumoto to Gora is ¥460 for adults and ¥230 for children. The mountain train's fares were last revised in October 2022 and did not change in the October 2025 revision, which raised the ropeway, the pirate ship and the Freepass.

Ride	Adult	Child (6 to 11)
Hakone-Yumoto to Gora	¥460	¥230
Odawara to Gora	¥770	¥390
Odawara to Hakone-Yumoto	¥360	¥180
Cable car, Gora to Sounzan	¥430	¥220

Children under 6 ride free, up to two for each paying adult or child. A six-year-old who has not started school still counts as an infant.

IC cards such as Suica and PASMO work on the train, but not on the cable car. Buy a ticket at Gora for that.

Hakone Freepass. Covers the train, cable car, ropeway, pirate ship and most buses. From Shinjuku it is ¥7,100 for 2 days (child ¥1,600). The full comparison is in our Hakone Freepass guide.
Nonbiri Kippu (1-day ticket). Unlimited rides on the mountain train between Odawara and Gora for one day, ¥1,580 (child ¥500). It does not cover the cable car.

Timetable and Travel Time

Trains run about every 15 minutes in the daytime, and the ride from Hakone-Yumoto to Gora takes about 40 minutes. Under the timetable from 16 March 2026, the first train up leaves Hakone-Yumoto just after 6:00 and the last at about 21:30.

You do not need a reservation. The mountain train has no reserved seats on regular services. Because Hakone-Yumoto is the start of the line, you can let a full train go and wait about 15 minutes for the next one to get seats together.

From Shinjuku, the Odakyu Romancecar reaches Hakone-Yumoto in about 80 minutes. The limited express fee is ¥1,200 for adults and ¥600 for children on top of the fare or the Freepass.

Our Hakone day trip guide compares the Romancecar, regular Odakyu trains and the Shinkansen.

Hydrangea Season and the Ajisai Train

From mid-June to mid-July, hydrangeas bloom along the track and the line is nicknamed the Ajisai Train, the hydrangea train. The flowers open first lower down and move up the mountain as the season goes on, so somewhere on the line is in bloom for about a month.

It is the busiest time of year on the railway, and it falls in the rainy season. Special evening trains run in hydrangea season with reserved seats.

Check Hakone Navi in late spring for the dates and booking.

The Hakone Tozan Cable Car from Gora to Sounzan

At Gora you change to the Hakone Tozan Cable Car, a funicular that climbs 209 m in 1.2 km to Sounzan in about 10 minutes, where the Hakone Ropeway starts. It is ¥430 for adults and ¥220 for children, and the Freepass covers it.

The two-car cable car has a stepped floor to match the slope. It stops at four small stations on the way, including Koen-kami for the upper gate of Gora Park.

From Gora it runs about every 15 to 30 minutes, so check the next departure before you stop for lunch. At Sounzan you walk straight across to the Hakone Ropeway.

The station sign at Gora surrounded by hydrangeas in bloom — Gora, 541 m. Change here for the cable car to Sounzan

Hakone Tozan Railway with Kids and Strollers

The mountain train is fine for children, but it is a small, busy train, so plan for the stroller rather than the children. The operator does not publish a stroller rule for the train.

On a full train an open stroller blocks the aisle, so fold it, or bring a baby carrier instead.

The cable car is harder. The stepped floor makes a baby carrier much easier than a stroller between Gora and Sounzan.
Wheelchairs can be borrowed at Hakone-Yumoto, Gora and Sounzan stations.
Toilets. Use them at Hakone-Yumoto before you board. The ride up takes 40 minutes.
Switchbacks. Children enjoy them more if you tell them what is about to happen. The train stops and reverses three times.

ONO

I have ridden the Hakone Tozan Railway. Some trains are crowded, but if you let one go, you can sit on the next, so there is no need to squeeze onto the train in front of you.

Crowds and the Best Time to Ride

The train is most crowded going up on weekend and holiday mornings, when the Romancecars from Shinjuku arrive at Hakone-Yumoto, and coming down in the late afternoon. Hydrangea season, the autumn leaves in November and the Golden Week holidays in early May are the peaks.

Go early. A train before 9:00 has room to stand at the windows.
Weekdays are much quieter.
Coming down, leave Gora before 16:00 to beat the return wave.
Hakone Navi shows real-time congestion on the line.

The Mountain Train with a Baby or Luggage

With a baby or heavy luggage, the train, the cable car and the queue for each are the hard part of the loop. Leave large bags in a coin locker at Hakone-Yumoto before you board.

After the ropeway, the loop continues on the Hakone pirate ship.

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.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much is the Hakone Tozan Railway?: Hakone-Yumoto to Gora is ¥460 for adults and ¥230 for children. Odawara to Gora is ¥770 and ¥390. Children under 6 ride free, and the Hakone Freepass covers it.
How long is the Hakone Tozan Railway ride?: About 40 minutes from Hakone-Yumoto to Gora. The cable car from Gora to Sounzan adds about 10 minutes.
Can I use Suica on the Hakone Tozan Railway?: Yes, IC cards such as Suica and PASMO work on the mountain train. They do not work on the cable car from Gora to Sounzan.
Do I need to reserve seats on the Hakone Tozan Railway?: No. Regular trains have no reserved seats. Only special trains, such as the evening runs in hydrangea season, need booking.
When is hydrangea season on the Hakone Tozan Railway?: From about mid-June to mid-July. The flowers bloom lower down first and move up the line as the season goes on.
Is the Hakone Tozan Railway included in the Japan Rail Pass?: No. It is a private railway. Use the Hakone Freepass, or buy single tickets or the 1-day Nonbiri Kippu.

Sources

https://www.hakonenavi.jp/international/en/transportation/hakone-tozan
https://www.hakonenavi.jp/hakone-tozan/
https://www.hakonenavi.jp/assets/file/hakone-tozan_fee_260730.pdf
https://www.hakonenavi.jp/_wp/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/dea7e989e1d5e7a7dd432f62889824d8.pdf
https://www.hakonenavi.jp/transportation/ticket/nonbiri/
https://www.hakonenavi.jp/hakone-tozan/ajisai/
https://www.hakonenavi.jp/faq/
https://odakyu-global.com/passes/romancecar/

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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