Are trains crowded in Japan?

Japan has some of the world's most infamously crowded trains, particularly the nation's capital, Tokyo. International media has photos of school children and businessmen alike crammed like sardines into train cars, with white-gloved attendants packing them in...



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Japan's trains can at times be some of the most crowded in the world. You may have even seen videos online of people being pushed into trains to be able to fit, and you probably thought, “No way!” However, it's actually quite a common sight in the packed city of Tokyo!

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To be fair, most lines aren't that crowded most of the time. There are some lines that are a crush in the morning rush and if you want to avoid the crush you travel earlier (or a lot later). Making trains longer means you have to make stations longer.

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While you may be accustomed to chatting with your traveling companions while using public transportation, this is not the norm in Japan. Loud chatter or other disturbance is considered rude. You may notice that most Japanese train passengers stand or sit in silence. If you must converse, try to do so quietly.

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Rail in the US is dominated by freight movements, the passenger sector is very much and afterthought and doesn't receive much investment. As a result their lines are slow, dominated by freight, and their rolling stock is old and low tech. Japan, in contrast, has one of the best and most modern railways in the world.

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The Tokyo public transport system is the fastest and the most convenient way to travel around the city. It is advisable to avoid the morning rush hour between 7:30am and 9am, as during these hours trains are often so busy that passengers must be pushed to fit onto the train by station staff.

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Worldwide. The world's busiest passenger station, with a passenger throughput of 3.5 million passengers per day (1.27 billion per year), is Shinjuku Station in Tokyo.

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The FWSI for passengers per kilometer of movement of passenger trains of Japan is 7.54 × 10-9, proving that safety in Japan is the sixth best of the states compared.

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In many cases, flying is cheaper than riding there by bullet train. The easiest way to save on shinkansen costs is with an EX-IC card. You pay a deposit to get issued the card. Then, you download the EX App to your phone.

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Most trains do not operate 24 hours; for example, in Tokyo they do not run in the early morning 01:00-05:00, and the Shinkansen never runs overnight. If you are planning to be out late and are relying on the train to get home, be sure to find out when the last train is leaving.

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The most common answer to the question is that the Tohoku Shinkansen route is the longest rail journey. This covers an impressive distance of 674.9 km between Tokyo and Aomori. It is the longest shinkansen line and by most metrics, the longest continuous train journey in Japan.

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You should use public transportation in the main cities of Japan. Tokyo is an example of a city with a super convenient public transportation system. In its most popular regions, you can find a station every 300 or 400 meters.

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The most efficient way to travel around most of Japan is by train. Whether you're being whisked through the countryside aboard the famous Shinkansen bullet train or are winding your way up a wooded mountainside in an electric streetcar, trains in Japan are punctual, comfortable, safe, and clean.

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However, in Tokyo, you'll notice that using the Uber app for rides isn't as common as you'd think. In short, yes, you can use Uber in Tokyo, but mostly to hail a taxi. But, more often than not, stopping a random taxi on the street might be faster (and cheaper) than requesting a taxi via the ubiquitous app.

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How Many Days in Advance Should I Buy Tickets? Generally speaking, Japanese train tickets can be purchased 1 month prior to departure but the presale dates vary according to the rail operator.

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Ticket cost The basic fare depends on the travel distance between your departure and destination station. The cost per kilometer is around 20 yen for short distances, and decreases to under 10 yen for longer trips.

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