How to Get From Hakone to Fujikawaguchiko

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You would think traveling from Hakone to the Mt Fuji Five Lakes area (in particular, Kawaguchiko—the main resort town) would be simple, considering how popular these two destinations are.

But nope!

To be fair, the journey is simple once you know what you’re doing, but it takes a few transfers and timetable calculations.

For quick reference, Hakone to Lake Kawaguchiko is only 55km, but it takes roughly 2.5 hours by bus to get there—and that is if you line up all those transfers back to back gracefully.

Many visitors take a roundtrip ticket from Tokyo (Shinjuku Sta.) to Hakone on a day trip, but what if you wanted to combine these two destinations and travel from Tokyo one way and stay overnight in a ryokan in one of the two towns? (Or both! This is what I did!)

If you want to visit Fujikawaguchiko after Hakone, read more about it below!

In this guide, I’m sharing how to easily get from Hakone to Kawaguchiko by public transport.

Of course, if you have a rental car, it would be much easier and faster, but if you’re traveling alone without a car, here’s how to do it!

The Best Ways to Get From Hakone to Kawaguchiko (Fuji Five Lakes)

First, please note that getting from Hakone to Kawaguchiko will depend on where you stay in Hakone.

This guide details how to get from Hakone to Kawaguchiko from Hakone-Yumoto town.

➡️ Please note that if you are lodging in Gora, Motohakone-ko, Miyanoshita, or other areas in Hakone, you may have an extra step to take!

No matter where you start, you should aim to get to Gotemba, where you must transfer to Mt Fuji and Kawaguchiko Station.

✨ Money-saving tip: The transportation from Hakone to Kawaguchiko (via Gotemba Premium Outlets) is included in your Hakone Freepass.

If you want to spend two full days in Hakone and leave for Kawaguchiko on the third morning, I suggest purchasing the 3-day Hakone Freepass instead of the 2-day since the cost difference between the passes is only ¥400.

Paying for this journey (Hakone–Lake Kawaguchiko) without the free pass will cost an extra ¥2,600 – ¥3,000. So you will save a fair amount of money by getting the 3-day pass instead of the 2-day and using that 3rd day to make this journey.

Hakone to Kawaguchiko — By Bus

🚌 First step: Take the “T” bus (Ｔ桃源台線) from Hakone-Yumoto to Sengoku.

Starting in Hakone-Yumoto, take the Hakone Tozan bus line “T” (Togendai) toward Sengoku.

This first portion of the journey will take roughly 30 minutes (with 24 stops) and costs ¥840.

You can tap your IC card on the buses.

If not using the Hakone Freepass, recharge your IC card with sufficient funds at the Hakone-Yumoto station.

🚌 Second step: Walk < 30 seconds to the next bus stop to take either the G bus line (blue) or W bus line (gold) to Gotemba Station.

Alternatively, if you don’t see a G or W bus coming soon (timetables posted at the bus stop), then you can also board the “M” bus line (orange) that goes to the Gotemba Premium Outlets. This is what I ended up doing!

If you want to shop at the outlets before moving on to Kawaguchiko, this is a good way to do it.

And if not, no worry! You can use the free shuttle bus from Gotemba Premium Outlets to Gotemba Station, where you will take the third leg of your trip.

🚌 Third step: Board the final bus from Gotemba Station (Gotembaeki) to Lake Kawaguchiko Sta. on track 1-2.

After arriving at Gotemba, walk up the stairs inside Gotemba Station and follow signs for the “Mt Fuji side”.

Then, cross the terminal and head down the steps on the other side.

On tracks 1-2, you will see signs for buses departing to Lake Kawaguchiko Station and Fuji-Q Highland.

From Gotemba Station to Kawaguchiko Station takes roughly 1hr30m by bus and costs ¥1,750.

In total, I paid approximately ¥3,390 to get from Hakone to Kawaguchiko by bus without the Hakone Freepass.

(I extended my stay in Hakone by one night, so I could no longer use my expired Hakone Freepass for this journey. Bummer!)

Hakone to Kawaguchiko — By Train?

There is no direct train service to get from Hakone to Kawaguchiko. You can only travel between these two destinations via bus or car.

Hakone to Kawaguchiko — By Car

Of course, the fastest and easiest way to get to Fuji Five Lakes and Kawaguchiko, at your own pace, is by rental car.

According to Maps, the road from Hakone to Lake Kawaguchiko by car will take roughly 1 hr 15 min (55.8 km) via 国道138号.

This isn’t the best option if you’re a solo traveler in Japan like me.

However, if you’re traveling in a group with family or friends, this may be more cost-efficient and will give you much more flexibility.

Note: You must have an international driver’s license to rent a car in Japan.

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