Skip the Bus Tour, Ride These Instead
Most “Fujiyoshida bus tour” listings bundle the same three or four stops into one long day and charge extra for a guide reading from a script you could get off a signboard. You can ride the same routes yourself, on the same public buses, for a fraction of the price.
Getting here from Tokyo
Highway coaches from Shinjuku Expressway Bus Terminal, Tokyo Station’s Yaesu exit, and Shibuya Mark City run direct to Fujisan Station and Fuji-Q Highland, taking about 100 to 120 minutes for roughly ¥2,000 to ¥2,500 one way. That’s often cheaper and faster than the train, though weekend traffic on the Chuo Expressway can eat into the time savings. The alternative is the JR Chuo Limited Express “Fuji Excursion,” which runs direct from Shinjuku to Fujikawaguchiko in about 115 minutes with no transfer.
Once you’re in town
The Subaru Line 5th Station shuttle runs from Fujisan Station and Kawaguchiko Station up the toll road to the Mount Fuji 5th Station at 2,305 meters, about 50 minutes each way for roughly ¥2,500 return. During the July 1 to September 10 climbing season, the road closes to private cars under the “My Car Regulation,” so this shuttle is the only way up, not an optional add-on.
The Fujikko retro bus is a heritage-styled loop connecting Fujisan Station, Oshino Hakkai, and Lake Yamanakako. It moves slower than a rental car, but it stops exactly where the photographs happen, and a single fare beats what a bundled tour charges for the same three stops.
Where the packaged tour actually earns its price
A general-OTA “Fuji Five Lakes bus tour” repeats these same legs with a markup for narration and fixed pickup times. That’s worth paying for if you don’t want to work out schedules yourself or you’re on a tight one-day window from Tokyo. If you have half a day free, buying separate tickets for the Subaru Line shuttle and the Fujikko loop costs less and lets you set your own pace at each stop.
One practical note: cash or an IC card like Suica, Pasmo, or ICOCA is required on local buses, since card-reader coverage isn’t universal yet. Buy Subaru Line shuttle tickets at the counter inside Fujisan Station rather than through a reseller. For what’s worth seeing once you step off, see Fujiyoshida’s attraction tours .
Verdict: DIY bus-hopping beats a bundled tour here unless your schedule is genuinely tight. Buy your Subaru Line shuttle ticket before 10 a.m.; the counter line at Fujisan Station gets long by midday during climbing season.