Transport Guide: Tokyo to Lake Kawaguchi – via Trains, Highway Bus
Mount Fuji is a famous symbol of Japan and Japanese culture.
If you want to take a look at Mount Fuji, you can visit Lake Kawaguchi.
It is the most easily accessible of the Fuji Five Lakes, with train and bus connections to and from Tokyo.
Let’s follow our guide and get ready to go to Lake Kawaguchi!
1. JR Fuji Excursion
The fastest and the most convenient way to go to Lake Kawaguchi from Tokyo is by JR Fuji Excursion.
You can arrive at Lake Kawaguchi with just one train ride in around 2 hours.
However, it only has 3 trains on weekdays and 4 trains on weekends.
You can take the train at Shinjuku Station.
Estimated Travelling Time: 1 hour 53 minutes
Fee (Single Trip): around 4,130 yen
Schedule: (Check timetable here)
2. JR Railway + Fujikyu Railway
If you would like to take a more flexible route, take the JR railway and change to Fujikyu railway.
You can take the local train at JR Shinjuku Station to Otsuki Station, then change Fuji Kyuko Line to Kawaguchiko Station.
Both trains have local and rapid trains, with rapid trains taking a shorter journey.
The JR Chuo Line has three types of limited express trains heading to Otsuki Station, namely the “Kaiji,” “Azusa,” and “Super Azusa.”
Additionally, the Fuji Kyuko Line offers two types of limited express trains: the “Mt. Fuji Limited Express” and the “Mt. Fuji View Limited Express”.
To ride in the unreserved seats, you need to purchase a limited express ticket, and to ride in the reserved seats, you need to purchase both a limited express ticket and a reserved seat ticket.
JR Chuo Line Limited Express Train + Fuji Kyuko Line Limited Express Train
Estimated Travelling Time: 2 hours and 20 minutes
Fee (Single Trip): around 4,130 yen
Schedule: (Check timetable here)JR Chuo Line Local Train + Fuji Kyuko Line Local Train
Estimated Travelling Time: 2 hours and 40 minutes
Fee (Single Trip): around 2,510 yen
Schedule: (Check timetable here)
Smart Travellers Must-have: JR PASS!
With the 3-day JR Tokyo Wide Pass (15,000 yen), you can ride unlimited times on regular (rapid) trains or limited express trains covering the area from Tokyo city to Otsuki Station.
Additionally, you can also use the pass to ride the JR Fuji Excursion Limited Express train directly to Kawaguchiko.
If you plan to visit other tourist spots in the suburbs of Tokyo, purchasing this JR PASS is highly recommended.
3. Highway Bus
Choosing the highway bus allows boarding from multiple locations, including Narita Airport, Haneda Airport, Tokyo Station, Shinjuku Station, and other stations in the city.
It takes about 1 hour and 50 minutes to reach Lake Kawaguchiko on average.
We suggest you buy the ticket online beforehand.
Estimated Travelling Time: around 2 hour
Fee (Single Trip): around 4,130 yen
JR Fuji Excursion VS JR Railway + Fujikyu Railway
| JR Fuji Excursion | JR Chuo Line Limited Express Train + Fuji Kyuko Line Limited Express Train | JR Chuo Line Local Train + Fuji Kyuko Line Local Train | Highway Bus | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Estimated Travelling Time | 1 hour 53 minutes | 2 hours 20 minutes | 2 hours 40 minutes | around 2 hours |
| Fee (Single Trip) | around 4,130 yen | around 4,130 yen | around 2,510 yen | around 2,060 yen |
