Mt. Fuji Day Trip from Tokyo (2026): Book FUJI EXCURSION or the Kawaguchiko Bus, Cost in USD
The simplest Mt. Fuji day trip from Tokyo is the direct FUJI EXCURSION limited express from Shinjuku to Kawaguchiko: ¥4,200 (about $26.52) one way, roughly 2 hours, booked online up to one month ahead on JR-EAST Train Reservation. The cheaper option is the highway bus from Busta Shinjuku: ¥2,000 (about $12.63) one way when you book and pay online (¥2,200 otherwise), about 1 hour 45 minutes if traffic is normal. Both get you to Kawaguchiko Station, the hub for the lake and the classic Fuji photo spots. Summit climbing is closed: the official climbing season ended on September 10.
Want the lowest price: Shinjuku–Kawaguchiko highway bus, ¥2,000 ($12.63) online, ¥4,000 ($25.25) round trip.
Already have a JR TOKYO Wide Pass (¥16,000): it covers JR East lines and Fujikyu Railway lines. A Japan Rail Pass (the nationwide one) does not cover the Otsuki–Kawaguchiko section; you pay that part separately.
Book both directions: seats go on sale at 10:00 a.m. Japan time one month before travel (that is 8 p.m. Eastern / 5 p.m. Pacific the day before, in November). Reserve the return train when you book the outbound.
Climbing: the official season ended September 10. This guide is for the lake area, not the summit.
Official pages: FUJI EXCURSION fares and timetable (Fujikyu Railway) · JR-EAST Train Reservation · Shinjuku–Kawaguchiko highway bus (Fujikyu Bus)
Dollar amounts use $1 = ¥158.40 (exchange rate published November 4, 2026). Your card statement will differ slightly, and a card with a foreign transaction fee adds that fee. See which US cards charge no foreign fee in Japan.
1. Train or bus: the numbers side by side
| Shinjuku to Kawaguchiko, adult one way | FUJI EXCURSION (train) | Highway bus |
|---|---|---|
| Price | ¥4,200 ($26.52): base fare ¥2,580 + limited express ticket ¥1,620 | ¥2,000 ($12.63) booked and paid online; ¥2,200 ($13.89) otherwise |
| Time | About 2 hours (e.g. 7:30 Shinjuku → 9:28 Kawaguchiko on the official timetable) | About 1 hour 45 minutes; depends on traffic |
| Departs from | JR Shinjuku Station | Busta Shinjuku, 4th floor (connected to the south exit of Shinjuku Station) |
| Booking opens | 10:00 a.m. Japan time, one month before travel | One month before travel |
| Seats | Reserved seats. There are no unreserved cars; the "seat-unspecified" ticket only fixes date and section and does not guarantee a seat | All seats reserved |
The bus is about half the price. The train costs more but runs on rails, so it is not slowed by expressway traffic. Fujikyu Bus itself warns that arrival can be delayed by road conditions and that the fare is not refunded for a late arrival.
2. How to book FUJI EXCURSION from the US, step by step
- Open JR-EAST Train Reservation (JR East's English booking site) and create a member account.
- If you do not have a pass, choose "Purchase tickets". If you have a JR TOKYO Wide Pass, choose "Seat reservation (Use a pass)" instead.
- Search by station: Shinjuku to Kawaguchiko, your date, departure time and number of passengers, then choose a FUJI EXCURSION train. Choose a reserved seat. The other option, a "seat-unspecified ticket" (Fujikyu's English page calls it an "unreserved seat ticket"), fixes only the date and section, not a seat, so it is a poor choice for a first trip.
- Search again for your return train (Kawaguchiko to Shinjuku) and book it now. Each train is searched separately.
- Pay by credit card. JR East notes that some card transactions may be blocked by the card company; if that happens, try another card or buy at a station in Japan.
- Pick up the paper ticket in Japan before boarding. At a JR East reserved seat ticket vending machine, use the QR code or pickup code from your confirmation email, or insert the credit card you paid with. At a ticket counter, give the pickup code or the card. (A passport is needed when you pick up a pass, not a regular ticket.) Collect your return ticket at the same time in Tokyo.
Fujikyu Railway's Japanese page says FUJI EXCURSION tickets go on sale at 10:00 a.m. Japan time, one month before the travel date. In November that is 8 p.m. Eastern or 5 p.m. Pacific on the previous day in the US. The site accepts reservations from 5:00 a.m. to 11:50 p.m. and 0:10 a.m. to 1:50 a.m. Japan time, so plan for the time difference from the US.
The train runs coupled with a "Kaiji" or "Azusa" limited express between Shinjuku and Otsuki. Make sure you board the FUJI EXCURSION cars shown on your ticket.
3. FUJI EXCURSION timetable (official, from March 14, 2026)
| Direction | Weekdays | Weekends and holidays |
|---|---|---|
| Shinjuku → Kawaguchiko (departs) | 7:30, 8:30, 9:30, 10:30, 11:34★ | 7:30, 8:30, 9:02★, 9:30, 10:30 |
| Kawaguchiko → Shinjuku (departs) | 14:08, 14:58, 15:39★, 16:48, 17:41 | 14:08, 14:58, 16:12★, 16:48, 17:41 |
| Arrives Shinjuku | 16:08, 16:59, 17:45★, 18:48, 19:48 | 16:06, 16:58, 18:29★, 18:46, 19:40 |
★ = seasonal extra trains. Weekday extras (No. 93/94) run on weekdays October 22 to December 29 and January 12 to February 26, with no service January 4–8. Weekend extras (No. 81/78) run Saturdays and Sundays October 24 to February 28, plus December 30 and 31. Check the official timetable before you book; times can change.
The last direct train back leaves Kawaguchiko at 17:41. If it is full, JR East publishes an official guide for when FUJI EXCURSION is fully booked.
4. How to book the highway bus
- Since October 1, 2026 this route, run jointly by Fujikyu Bus and Keio Bus, is sold on two sites: Fujiyama Connect (Fujikyu Group) sells Fujikyu Bus departures plus some Keio Bus seats, and Highwaybus.com (Keio Bus) sells Keio departures. The fare did not change. Both sites show every bus on the route; when you pick one, you are sent to the site that sells it.
- Search from Shinjuku (Busta Shinjuku) to Kawaguchiko Station, pick your date and time, and book your return bus at the same time.
- Book and pay online to get the ¥2,000 fare. Reservations open one month ahead and close 10 minutes before departure.
- Your seat number comes in a "Departure Confirmation Email" before departure. If you book on the day, that email may arrive after the bus leaves; then ask the crew for your seat when you board.
- What to show when boarding: on Fujiyama Connect, open the web ticket from the URL in your confirmation email or from My Tickets and show it to the driver (a printout is also accepted; screenshots are not). On Highwaybus.com, either show the mobile ticket on your phone or bring a printed web ticket. Without a ticket you may have to pay again.
- Be at the boarding area on time: Fujikyu Bus says your seat may be given away if you are not there at departure, even with a ticket.
Changes and refunds: cancel on the same site you booked. You cannot move a booking between Fujiyama Connect and Highwaybus.com; you cancel and rebook, and a cancellation fee may apply. Tickets bought at convenience stores cannot be refunded at the ticket counter.
Luggage: Fujikyu Bus does not take luggage reservations. If the hold is full, your bag may not be loaded, and you cannot keep it on a seat. For a day trip, leave large suitcases at your Tokyo hotel.
Kids: children under 6 ride free unless they take their own seat. The child fare is half the adult fare, rounded up to the nearest ¥10.
5. JR passes: which ones cover the Fuji trip
| Pass | Price (adult) | Fujikyu section (Otsuki–Kawaguchiko) |
|---|---|---|
| JR TOKYO Wide Pass (3 consecutive days) | ¥16,000 ($101.01) | Covered: the pass lists "Fujikyu Railway Lines". Extra fees apply only for reserved seats on Fujisan Express / Fujisan View Express and for Fuji Tozan Densha trains |
| Japan Rail Pass (nationwide) | See official site | Not covered: the official pass site lists Otsuki–Kawaguchiko on FUJI EXCURSION as a section requiring separate fares and charges |
Is the Wide Pass worth it just for Fuji? No. A FUJI EXCURSION round trip is ¥8,400 ($53.03), about half the pass price. The pass only pays off if you add other trips within the same 3 days (for example Nikko or Karuizawa).
Getting around Tokyo before and after: Suica or PASMO on iPhone and Android.
6. If the direct train is full: the Otsuki transfer
You can ride a JR limited express from Shinjuku to Otsuki, then change to the Fujikyu Railway. From Otsuki to Kawaguchiko, Fujikyu's official fare table lists the local train at ¥1,170 ($7.39). The JR part (Shinjuku–Otsuki) is paid separately; check it in JR-EAST Train Reservation when you search.
Coming back this way, buy the JR ticket in advance. Fujikyu Railway says sales of limited express tickets for the JR "Azusa" and "Kaiji" trains from Otsuki are currently suspended at Kawaguchiko, Fujisan and Shimoyoshida stations. Book the Otsuki–Shinjuku limited express online before you leave Tokyo.
7. Once you arrive: a simple half-day plan
Know which station you want. Kawaguchiko Station is the end of the line and the hub for Lake Kawaguchi. Mt. Fuji (Fujisan) Station is a separate stop two stations earlier. The Fuji Subaru Line 5th Station is up on the mountain and served by different buses. This plan uses Kawaguchiko Station.
- At Kawaguchiko Station, take the Red Line (Kawaguchiko sightseeing bus). Fujikyu's one-day ticket for the Kawaguchiko, Saiko and Motosuko sightseeing buses is ¥1,500 ($9.47) for adults, ¥750 for children, sold as a mobile ticket (free Fujikyu Travel membership required; show the ticket on your phone screen to the crew). A 2-day version is ¥2,000.
- Ride to the Kawaguchiko Natural Living Center stop. Fujikyu's guide says Oishi Park, where Fuji can be seen down to its base, is a short walk from the stop.
- Ride the Red Line back to Kawaguchiko Station in time for your reserved train or bus.
Check the official sightseeing bus guide for the timetable before you go.
8. At Kawaguchiko: what changed for visitors
- The "Lawson with Mt. Fuji" photo spot: in May 2024 Fujikawaguchiko Town put up a screen in front of the Lawson near Kawaguchiko Station to protect residents and tourists from traffic accidents. The town's official tourist notice links an English photo-spot brochure with other places to photograph Fuji. Do not stand in the road for a photo.
- No drones: the town asks visitors not to fly or film with drones anywhere in Fujikawaguchiko.
- The same town page links an English public toilet map around Lake Kawaguchi and Japan traffic-rule leaflets.
9. Winter 2026 tips
- Do not try to climb. The official Mt. Fuji climbing site says the season ended September 10 and climbing outside the season is extremely dangerous: first-aid stations and mountain huts are closed, phone service is limited, and the weather is severe.
- The 5th Station is a separate trip. Treat it as optional in winter and check the bus operator's current service and road conditions before you plan on it; it is not part of the Kawaguchiko plan above.
- Use the seasonal extra trains. From late October to February there are extra FUJI EXCURSION departures (see the timetable above).
- Watch for event days. Fujikyu Railway lists a special train for the Fuji marathon on December 12 and 13, 2026. Expect busier trains around those dates.
- Buses can run late. On a short winter day, leave buffer time for the return bus, or take the train if you have a dinner or connection in Tokyo.
FAQ
Is Suica or PASMO alone enough for FUJI EXCURSION?
No. Suica, PASMO and other Japanese transit IC cards work at every Fujikyu Railway station for the regular fare, and local trains are fine with an IC card. But FUJI EXCURSION also needs a limited express ticket on top of the basic fare. The simplest choice is to buy both together on JR-EAST Train Reservation. One exception from Fujikyu: between Kawaguchiko and Mt. Fuji stations you can sit anywhere with a regular ticket.
Can I buy the bus ticket on the day?
Yes, at counters such as Busta Shinjuku (5:40 a.m.–11:45 p.m.) and Kawaguchiko Station (6:30 a.m.–7:00 p.m.), if seats remain. The online fare (¥2,000) is lower than the counter fare (¥2,200).
Can I climb Mt. Fuji in November?
No, not safely. The official climbing season ended on September 10.
Does the Japan Rail Pass cover the whole trip?
No. It does not cover Otsuki–Kawaguchiko (Fujikyu Railway); you pay that section separately.
Plan the rest of the trip
- Heading to Kyoto next: Tokyo to Kyoto Shinkansen tickets in USD.
- Cards and cash: US credit and debit cards and ATMs in Japan.
Next to read: Suica and PASMO on iPhone and Android for tourists.
Prices and rules checked against Fujikyu Railway, Fujikyu Bus, JR East (JR-EAST Train Reservation and JR TOKYO Wide Pass), JAPAN RAIL PASS (scope of validity), the Official Website for Mt. Fuji Climbing and Fujikawaguchiko Town official pages on November 5, 2026 (Japan time). Exchange rate: $1 = ¥158.40 (open.er-api.com, November 4, 2026).