Hakone Ropeway

箱根ロープウェイ 早雲山駅

A gondola over a volcanic valley and down to the lake

⚠ Buses replace it in Dec–Feb works

Hours

Roughly 9:00–17:00 (varies by season and weather; check live status on Hakone Navi)

Tickets

One fare for any distance: adult ¥2,000 one way / ¥3,000 return, child ¥700 / ¥1,000 (from 1 Oct 2025). Covered by the Hakone Freepass

Address

Starts at Sounzan station (top of the Gora cable car); the other end is Togendai on Lake Ashi

From Sounzan the gondola climbs over the trees, then the ground falls away into the raw, steaming bowl of Owakudani. Those few minutes looking down through the vapour are the high point of the Hakone loop. Change cars at Owakudani and the second leg drifts down towards Lake Ashi and Togendai with Fuji off to one side. Cabins run continuously so there's no timetable to chase, but strong wind or heavy gas stops it fast.