Train to Shonan, Odawara and Atami with no surcharge from Tokyo. Rapid train on Ueno-Tokyo line

Most of Rapid trains have double decker Green car. (C) Sonic Rail GardenAtami, Ito, Shimoda, Mishima, Shuzenji
Most of Rapid trains have double decker Green car in Greater Tokyo area. (C) Sonic Rail Garden
Rapid trains on Shonan-Shinjuku line have green and orange colors.

Rapid trains on Tokaido line have Shonan (green and orange) colors.

***This rapid line will be connected with Takasaki and Utsunomiya rapid lines in March 14, 2015. Now Tokyo is departure station and it makes us be easy to get a seat. But after March 14, 2015, all trains will come from Takasaki, Utsunomiya via Omiya and Ueno. Tokyo station is in the middle of this train network. That means it may be harder to get a seat. You may have to stand up on board.***

Tokaido line is the name of major line that connects Tokyo (=東京) with Kobe (=神戸) via Nagoya (=名古屋), Kyoto (=京都) and Osaka (=大阪). But this name is used as Rapid train route for operating between Tokyo and Atami (=熱海) via Yokohama (=横浜), Odawara (=小田原). This train is traditionally called Shonan Densha (=湘南電車=Shonan train). Because this train goes throuth Shonan area where Kamakura and Enoshima are located in. If you go to Yokohama from Tokyo station, this train is fastest and even faster than Shinkansen, because Shinkansen does not have any station in downtown Yokohama. This train is a sort of commute train. But all trains have two double decker Green cars in the formation. This train is fully covered by Japan Rail Pass. Especially you use Japan Rail Pass Green, you may take Green car of this train. Let’s see the details.

Accommodation

Please refer the post of Rapid service network in Greater Tokyo. You can see some images of Green car and intrerior.

Route, schedule and required time


View Tokaido line in a larger map

This train is operated every 10 minutes between Tokyo and Atami in daytime and weekend, and every 5 minutes in the peak hours. And some trains are extended to operate to Ito (=伊東). Some of the trains are called “Rapid Acty”. This train skips several stations and is a bit faster than Rapid train.

Stations

The trains stop at these following stations on basic route:

Tokyo-Shinbashi-Shinagawa-Kawasaki-Yokohama-Totsuka-Ofuna-Fujisawa-Tujido (Rapid Acty skip this station)-Chigasaki-Hiratsuka-Oiso (Rapid Acty skip this station)-Ninomiya (Rapid Acty skip this station)-Kozu-Kamonomiya (Rapid Acty skip this station)-Odawara-Hayakawa-Nebugawa-Manazuru-Yugawara-Atami

Travel time

Travel time among the major stations are as follows:

Tokyo-(3min)-Shinbashi-(6min)-Shinagawa-(16min)-Yokohama-(15min)-Ofuna-(20min)-Hiratsuka-(13min)-Kozu-(6min)-Odawara-(24min)-Atami

If you go to Yokohama, please don’t think about using Shikansen. It takes 19 minutes to Shin-Yokohama from Tokyo. This is the fastest among all trains. But Shin-Yokohama is a few stations away from Yokohama. You need to transfer to local train to get Yokohama. This Rapid train is faster than Shinkansen and is the fastest to get Yokohama among all trains.

If you go to Kamakura, Yokosuka-Sobu Rapid train is more convenient. Tokaido Rapid line do not take you to Kamakura. You need to change the train somewhere, such as Yokohama or Ofuna.

Comments

  1. LOW SING EI says:

    Hi Takeshi,

    We are a small family with 2 kids are planning to travel from ueno to odawara, any suggestion route which is cheaper and faster? We do not have JR pass.

    Thank you.
    Sing Ei

    • Hi Sing Ei,

      As you probably read the post above, Tokyo-Ueno line train is the best one. You can get there by only the base fare which is 1,490 yen for one way. Child who is 6 to 11 years old is half of this fare. Under 5 years old is free.

      Cheers,

      Takeshi / JPRail.com

  2. Chee Wai says:

    Hi Takeshi,
    I am from Haneda Airport to Odawara then to Hakone.
    What is the most suitable train / routes that I should take? Do I have to go to Tokyo Main station first or from the Shinbashi station ?
    What is the most cheaper and faster way to Haneda?
    Thanks
    Chee Wai

  3. Vivian says:

    Hi Takeshi,
    How can i go from hakone to nagoya? Im planning to buy the 3 days JR tokyo wide pass as im going to the gala yuzawa.
    Is that pass cover any trains from hakone/odawara to nagoya?
    And what to take from nagoya to tokyo besides the shinkasen?
    Thanks

    • Hi Vivian,

      Nagoya is completely outside coverage area of Tokyo Wide Pass. You should use JR pass instead of Tokyo Wide Pass.

      If you use Tokyo Wide Pass, you have to pay for Shinkansen from Odawara to Nagoya, Nagoya to Tokyo. It costs more than 20,000 yen. Tokyo Wide Pass is 10,000 yen and JR pass 7 days is 29,100 yen. JR pass is cheaper.

      Shinkansen is most common way between Odawara and Nagoya, and between Nagoya and Tokyo. If you take trains, Shinkansen is basically only choice. There is no other express trains other than Shinkansen. Local train does not connect Tokyo and Nagoya directly. You need to transfer many times and not realistic choice.

      Cheers,

      Takeshi / JPRail.com

      • Vivian says:

        Hi Takeshi thanks for the prompt reply.
        So it is better to buy JR pass if i would like to travel to odawara nagoya tokyo
        Then buy the ticket for joetsu shinkasen to gala yuzawa?
        Thanks.

  4. ayu says:

    Hi,Takeshi

    I will but JR Tokyo Wide Pass. My trip will be Tokyo – Atami _ Kawazu -Tokyo. 2nd day is Tokyo – KAwaguchiko lake – Fuji Mount -Tokyo. Is it ok using JR Tokyo wide Pass?

    cheers

  5. RINA HARNADI says:

    Hi Takeshi,

    If I take Shinkansen from Shin Osaka to Tokyo but want to stop at Odawara station to visit Hanoke n Gotemba. Is it possible?
    Is there any lockers for my baggage at Odawara station?

    Please give me some advice…thx for your help.

    Regards,
    Rina

  6. Mila says:

    Hi Takeshi,
    Thank you for this post! 🙂
    I have a quick question: I will be in Tokyo from April 4 to 14. I already purchased a JR East pass and would like to see Odawara. Is is possible to go from Tokyo to Odawara on a JR East pass (and will it be free?). Which station should I board in Tokyo?
    Thank you!

  7. michael jobson says:

    my wife and i wiil be staying intercontinental grand hotel in yokohama Oct 11th 2016 We would like to tavel to odawara and use hakone free pass travelling on 13th. oct. 2016.Can you please advise itinery

    • Hi Michael,

      You may take Shinkansen from Shin-Yokohama or Tokaido line train in the post above from Yokohama to Odawara. And you can use Hakone Free pass.
      In my website, I don’t make the detailed itinerary personally as I mentioned above the comment section.

      Cheers,

      Takeshi / JPRail.com

  8. Wen Kao says:

    Hi, my family are traveling from Hakone to Yokohama Cosmo world, what is the best and fastest way to get there?
    Can we use either Suica or Pasmo card to JR Tokaido Rapid Line?

    Regards
    Wen

    • Hi Wen,

      Take Hakone Tozan Railway to get Odawara. And then as you guess, take this Tokaido Rapid train to Yokohama. You can get there by Yokohama Minato Mirai line from Yokohama. All trains can be taken by Pasmo or Suica.

      Cheers,

      Takeshi / JP Rail

  9. Mardi Laurie says:

    My family is visiting Hakone and we need to travel to Kyoto. What is the best way to get there from Odawara. We will have a JR pass.
    Thanks,
    Mardi

  10. Gunawan Hidajat says:

    If I had the JR Kanto Area Pass, can I ride the Tokaido Line to Yokohama and Odawara from Tokyo, or need additional fees or have to use other JR, thanks.

    • JPRail says:

      Hi Gunawan,
      Tokaido line is okay. Tokaido Shinkansen is not covered by this pass because it is owned by JR Central.

      Cheers,

      Takeshi / JP Rail

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