When to buy
Ride date minus one month, at 10 AM JST, which is 7 PM CT the evening before. For a Thu Feb 11 ride, be online Sun Jan 10 at 7 PM CT. For a Sat Feb 13 return, Tue Jan 12 at 7 PM CT. For a panorama seat, be online at 7.
What you need
The Romancecar ticket needs a fare ticket too: a Hakone Freepass or an IC card. Regular expresses take about 2 hours and seats are not guaranteed.
Buy it in EMot
EMot sells the Romancecar and a digital Hakone Freepass for smartphones. Each traveler needs their own phone for the digital Freepass. There is a ¥50 online discount per Romancecar ticket in EMot. Paper passes sell at Odakyu stations.
Thu Feb 11, 2027 is a public holiday, so buy the minute seats open if you ride that day.
FAQ
How long is the Romancecar to Hakone?
About 80 minutes from Shinjuku to Hakone-Yumoto.
When do Romancecar tickets go on sale?
One month before the ride at 10 AM JST, which is 7 PM CT the evening before.
How many panorama seats are there?
The GSE trains have 16 panorama seats at each end.
Is the Romancecar covered by the Japan Rail Pass?
No. It runs on Odakyu, not JR.
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