Is it better to go to Hakone from Tokyo Station or Shinjuku Station?

For the Odakyu Romancecar, Shinjuku is the natural starting station. But a private car can pick you up at either — Tokyo Station to Hakone is about 2 hours and ¥40,000 (Alphard), Shinjuku to Hakone is about 1h 50min for the same price since the bulk of the drive is on the Tomei Expressway. If your hotel is right next to Tokyo Station after Shinkansen arrival from Kyoto/Osaka, having the car meet you at the station saves the Shinjuku transfer entirely.

Can the driver collect us straight off the Shinkansen?

Yes. We meet you at the Yaesu South Exit taxi pool of Tokyo Station with a name board. Send us your Shinkansen arrival time at booking and we adjust pickup automatically if your train is delayed.

How does this compare to the Hakone Free Pass?

The Hakone Free Pass (¥6,100 from Shinjuku, 2 days) covers Romancecar + all local Hakone-Tozan trains, buses, ropeway and the pirate ship. It's excellent if you want to use the local network for sightseeing. A private car from Tokyo Station is for getting to your ryokan with luggage — most guests book the private transfer for arrival/departure and then use the Free Pass within Hakone for sightseeing.

What if our hotel is in Sengokuhara, not Hakone-Yumoto?

That's exactly where private transfer is most useful. The bus from Hakone-Yumoto to Sengokuhara is about 40 minutes and infrequent in winter. Private car goes directly via the Hakone Turnpike — same ¥40,000 fixed price, total trip about 2h 15min.

Tokyo Station to Hakone

75–90 km

~80 min

from ¥40,000 (~$267)

24/7

Quick AnswerTokyo Station to Hakone: private Alphard from ¥40,000 (up to 4 passengers + 4 suitcases), HiAce from ¥45,000 (up to 9 + 9). Fixed price, ~80 min, no late-night surcharge. Available 24/7. Operated by PLENS Inc. (Tokyo) since Dec 2025. 13,000+ Narita and Haneda airport transfers processed through our 6-partner DMC network across Tokyo, Nagoya, Osaka, Kyoto, Hokkaido and Okinawa. GetYourGuide Approved Supplier; also bookable on Viator and KKday. 24/7 English-speaking operations team in Tokyo coordinates with Type 2 commercial-licensed drivers across the network. You’re always in the loop — AI or a real person responds instantly, so you’ll never be left at the airport wondering where your driver is while juggling luggage and family. Book in 30 seconds at rydagent.com.

Group CapacityUp to 9 passengers + 9 large suitcases (HiAce)

About 2 hours direct to your ryokan

Skip Romancecar + Hakone-Tozan bus transfers

Hakone-Yumoto, Gora, Sengokuhara, Lake Ashi covered

Luggage stays with you door-to-door

By public transport from Tokyo Station, you'd take the JR Yamanote line to Shinjuku, transfer to the Odakyu Romancecar to Hakone-Yumoto (¥2,470 + ¥1,200 reserved seat per person, ~95 min), then a Hakone-Tozan bus or train to your ryokan in Gora or Sengokuhara — 2.5–3 hours total, two transfers, and a luggage scramble at Shinjuku. For 2 people that's ¥7,340 base; for a family of 4, ¥14,680. A private Alphard from Tokyo Station goes directly to your ryokan door in about 2 hours via the Tomei Expressway and Odawara-Atsugi Road for ¥40,000 — ¥10,000 per person for 4 travelers, suitcases stay in the trunk. Especially useful if your hotel is in Sengokuhara or near Lake Ashi, where the bus from Hakone-Yumoto adds another 40+ minutes.

Tokyo Station → Hakone