Every guidebook sends you to Shinjuku Station for the Hakone Romancecar — one of the busiest railway stations in the world, especially with a suitcase in tow. What almost none of them mention is that there’s a second way to catch it.
It’s called the Metro Hakone, and it’s a completely different-looking train: a cute, retro-feeling blue Romancecar that runs straight through the Tokyo Metro Chiyoda Line. If you’re staying around Otemachi, it stops right there. If you’re in Shibuya, Omotesando Station (also on the Chiyoda Line) is an easy hop and a much calmer ride than fighting your way through Shinjuku.
Same destination, same comfortable reserved seats, none of the Shinjuku scramble.
Why This One Flies Under the Radar
Even for those of us who actually live in Tokyo, “Hakone” still automatically means the Shinjuku Romancecar — it’s just what comes to mind first, and the Metro Hakone gets left out simply because it’s a smaller, less frequent service, not because it’s hard to use.
The Catch
There’s really just one: it’s not an hourly train like the regular Shinjuku Romancecar. Here’s the current (Summer 2026) schedule.
Omotesando → Hakone-Yumoto
Weekdays
- 10:18am → 11:48am (Metro Hakone 21)
Weekends & holidays
- 9:04am → 10:37am (Metro Hakone 91)
- 11:04am → 12:45pm (Metro Hakone 93)
- 3:53pm → 5:29pm (Metro Hakone 21)
Hakone-Yumoto → Omotesando
Weekdays
- 2:18pm → 3:51pm (Metro Hakone 20)
Weekends & holidays
- 10:45am → 12:17pm (Metro Hakone 20)
- 4:16pm → 5:51pm (Metro Hakone 22)
- 5:45pm → 7:23pm (Metro Hakone 90)
Always double-check the current timetable before you plan your day around it — these do shift with seasonal schedule changes. If the schedule works for you, it’s an easy way to save time and avoid an extra trip across Tokyo.
My Take
If you’re staying near Otemachi or on the Shibuya side of town, I’d take this one over the Shinjuku departure without much hesitation. You skip the busiest station in Tokyo entirely, the blue train itself is fun to ride, and it feels a little bit like a secret — right up until you’re pulling into Hakone-Yumoto same as everyone else.
Practical Information
If you’re picking up a Japan eSIM for the trip, this is an easy way to get set up before you land.
One more thing worth knowing once you’re in Hakone: whether you came in on the Metro Hakone or the regular Shinjuku Romancecar, it’s worth picking up a Hakone Freepass once you’re actually there. It bundles the local transport you’ll be using around the area — the Hakone Tozan Railway, the cable car, the ropeway, local buses, and the Lake Ashi sightseeing boats — into one pass, so you’re not stopping to buy separate tickets every time you switch modes of transport. It’s particularly handy if you’re planning to cover more than one area in a day, like Gora, Owakudani, and Lake Ashi. One thing to keep in mind: the Freepass covers local transport within the Hakone area — it doesn’t include the Romancecar or Metro Hakone limited express fare from Tokyo. Worth checking the current coverage and any conditions on the Klook listing before you book.
Quick Q&A
Is the Metro Hakone the same as the regular Hakone Romancecar? A different Romancecar service, but the same destination — it’s a blue Romancecar that runs through the Chiyoda Line instead of starting at Shinjuku.
Which Chiyoda Line stations does it stop at? You can board the Metro Hakone from stations including Otemachi, Kasumigaseki, Omotesando, and Kita-Senju.
Can I board it from Omotesando or Otemachi? Yes, both are stops. No need to go anywhere near Shinjuku first.