Transportation question

Japan Traveller Questions
1
  1. Do you recommend a 7 or 14 day JR pass for this itinerary?
  2. What are our transportation options for Tokyo - Mt. Fuji - Hakone
  3. How do we go from Hakone to Kyoto?
    Day 1 - arrival Narita & Tokyo
    Day 2 - Tokyo
    Day 3 - Tokyo
    Day 4 Mt Fuji & Hakone
    Day 5 - arrive Kyoto
    Day 6 - Kyoto
    Day 7 - Nara & Kobe if possible
    Day 8 - Osaka
    Day 9 - Kyoto
    Day 10, 11 and 12 - Kyoto on Business
    Day 13 - Kyoto - Tokyo - Narita for flight back.
2

I’m in the middle of a similar itinerary.

You would need a two-week JR pass as you will be traveling significant distances from days 5 to 13 (9 days). However, it would probably be cheaper to pay for individual tickets for the Narita Express and the Tokyo - Odawara - Kyoto shinkansen, unless you plan a lot of side trips. There is also a regional pass that might help for the Kyoto-Osaka-Nara area. https://www.japan-rail-pass.com/pass-regional/kansai/jr-kansai-area-pass/order. Individual tickets cost around JPY 13 500 each way (USD 120 or so) for the Tokyo-Kyoto train and JPY 2900 (USD 25) for Narita Express so the total would be just over $300 for the main trains plus JPY 6300 (USD 57) for a 4-day Kansai area pass. Total is $360 versus $420 for the JR pass. Both exclude fares on the private Hakone area system.

Depending on your accommodation choice in Hakone, you will probably use either a bus or the private Hakone-Tozan railway. There is a local train which connects with JR at Odawara and takes you to Hakone Yumato. From there, you will switch to a bus or the narrow-gauge train to Gora depending on your destination. If you haven’t booked accommodation yet, the Raku ryokan at Kami-Gora is nice and moderately priced. You take the funicular from Gora to Kami-Gora to get there. Getting to Kyoto will require a backtrack to Odawara to get back into the JR system.

I can’t help with Mount Fuji. There are good views from the Hakone area, but you will need alternative transport if you’re planning to climb the mountain. Don’t underestimate the cold and thin air if you do plan to go to the summit.

The Japan travel app - by navitime - is very helpful with tourist information and detailed route planning, with fare information. Note that shinkansen fares have 2 components; the base fare and the compulsory seat fee.

3

Thank you so much! this is very very helpful.