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How to take the last train, get a seat, and wake up on time Monday June 12
Everyone who's ever lived in Japan knows about "the last train".
The inevitable, and oft-cursed shuuden. Perhaps you've even missed one before. Perhaps you've ridden one only to find yourself smushed against an alcohol-soaked salaryman. Perhaps you wanted to stay out longer, but had to leave the party early. Even if you've never experienced these delights, I've accumulated some tips for late-night Japanese commuter train travel to make your journey more pleasant.
I begin with the story of my last Saturday night. I was at an izakaya in Shinjuku at 11:23; I remember the time because I had just looked up the train schedule on my phone; to my surprise, I discovered that my last train was leaving in six minutes at 11:29. The station was only two blocks away, but I was still pretty sure I was going to miss the train and be forced to start calling friends in Tokyo proper for a place to crash.
When I arrived at the ticket machines, the lines were abominal. Fifteen, twenty people deep. And since most people had later trains than I, no one was really in a hurry; slow-walkers abound. It was a mess, and I was convinced I was done for. Yet, through some act of God, the train was running an unusual three minutes behind, and as I dashed up to the platform, the chime was signaling the closing doors... and he's safe. Lesson learned:
If you're going out in a major Tokyo center (Shibuya, Shinjuku, etc), and you plan on taking the last train, or the second to last train, or what have you, buy your return ticket before going out. Train tickets are valid for the same-day, so planning ahead doesn't cost you anything extra. This is also a nice self-protection against spending your train money on accident on one more drink.
After making this train, I had to transfer at Shinagawa to go down to Yokohama on the Keikyuu line. The last train leaves Shinagawa at midnight, and I arrived at 11:50. Plenty of time, but I'd experienced the "Shinagawa shuuden" once before on a weekend night: it was the most crowded train I had ever ridden on, and I had been squished, standing, between two salarymen who reeked of sake. Not the best way to spend the 40-minute ride home.
You've been out partying. You're tired, and just want to be home. So what's better than to go to sleep when you get on, and wake up when you need to get off? It's like time-space-travel. If you're like me, though, you can't sleep standing up. While many people have mastered this skill, I still believe everyone would prefer a seat. This is not foolproof, but here are my time-tested seat acquistion tricks:
The Strength-in-Numbers Attack
- Get there early.
People queue up at the boarding locations beforehand, so if you have time to spare, wait for the next train so you can get pole position at the front of the line. - Get far away from the stairwells.
Move far away from the common stairwells to find a shorter queue. In many cases, other people use this trick too, so it might not always work. - Strength in numbers.
This trick is not friendly, nor polite, so use with discretion. When a near-empty train arrives (say, when that train originates at the station you're at), make sure you and all of your friends are at the same door. Then, the first person in the train when the doors swing open should go as far as possible to the next door down and sit down, thus "claiming" the seats to the close side of that person for your door. If you have two guys, one to sit, and one to run interference by standing in the middle of the car, this method works exceptionally well. - Draft a good team.
When you're alone, and can't use the above trick, make sure to join a line of winners. Don't get right behind an old woman with a cane and expect to get a seat. Remember, everyone is thinking the same thing you are, so you need to have every advantage on your side. Timing is huge. - The U-Turn.
This one is also a little dodgy; in some places, the train companies have specifically banned it. If you get on at a station that usually is very busy, try taking a train in the other direction to a less-crowded, more remote stop. Then, transfer to a train in the direction you originally wanted to go, easily finding a seat. Keep in mind that this varies based on route, and can also add at least fifteen minutes to your journey.
Congratulations. You have a seat. You're on your train, on time. Now take a nap and start catching up on the sleep you were already missing by being out so late. I can't help you fall asleep, but we'll assume you've got that covered. There's only one problem. Maybe you've been drinking a little bit, maybe you haven't, but it's late night, and you're a little worn out. Have you ever woken up all of a sudden, and think, "Whoa, is this my stop? Is this my stop? Where the hell am I?", only to find that you can't see out the window because the train is crowded? Save yourself the trouble:
When you get on the train, use your phone to find out when the train gets in to your station. Then, set your mobile phone's alarm for one-two minutes before your arrival. Make sure it's on vibrate mode; it's only good manners. Then, fall asleep with ease: your phone will wake you up right when you need to get ready to get off.
I wish you the best of luck. The Japanese people are very polite, but when it comes to train musical chairs, it's war, ladies and gentlemen. The exception you should mind is when there is someone who obviously needs a seat: someone on crutches, a pregnant woman, someone with some sort of immobility issue, or an elderly person. Luckily, you don't see too many of these types on the last train on a Saturday night.
Tools
- Eki-kara: Timetable and transfer information in Japanese
