Late night traffic on Chuo Line commuter

[JR 500系]

 

Amazing human traffic this late in the night! I guess the Japanese really work hard... We can see quite a number of OLs (Office Ladies)and OMs (Office Men) amongst a number of youngsters... I would guess most of them stay in the outer skirts of Tokyo like Mitaka or Kokubunji or even Hachioji or Takao... And use the Chuo line to get to and from work...  

[ToniBabelony]

Yeah, I've been on that train a few times after getting plastered in Akihabara... It's a good thing it runs relatively early, so you can still grab one of the last trains on the Odakyū line. Metropolitan trains (JR and Tokyo Metro/Toei) stop about an hour or half an hour earlier than Private Railways who are outbound. The last trains AFAIK are always full (not particularly cramped) and smelly.

 

The rather interesting thing is that the late/last Chūō Main line (Rapid) train (to Mitaka) switches to the Chūō-Sōbu line (Local) at Ochanomizu, so seeing an orange train on the yellow line isn't a rarity.

[railsquid]

I haven't been that way late at night for a while, but I'm pretty sure it's not just the last train. Certainly the very early morning trains stop at all stations with the Chūō-Sōbu line local ones starting from/terminating at Ochanomizu. Some Chūō-Sōbu line local trains later in the evening (8pm-ish) also run beyond Mitaka.

 

Pro-tip: the very last westbound Chūō line train from Shinjuku (running from the Sōbu line and connecting with the last Yamanote line train) can be crowded to the point that not everyone can board.

[spacecadet]

11:30PM is late at night??

[bikkuri bahn]

11:30PM is late at night??

Well, it is if you have a 60 to 90 minute commute, want to to get home and get some sleep, and get up again at 6am for the next work day.

[katoftw]

I started watching this video before I took my 7yo to school.  This is what happened:-

 

 

He is doing better at Hiragana and Katakana than I do. haha

Edited November 25, 2015 by katoftw

[railsquid]

Amazing human traffic this late in the night! I guess the Japanese really work hard...

 

Guess again ;). Long hours doesn't necessarily translate into working hard, or efficiently. Anyway many of the passengers will probably be returning from drinking sessions etc., not coming straight from work.

 

 

I started watching this video before I took my 7yo to school.  This is what happened:-

 

PB250276.JPG

 

He is doing better at Hiragana and Katakana than I do. haha

 

Especially as those are Kanji wot he has wrote.

[miyakoji]

On weeknights that last special rapid departs Tokyo at 11:31 PM, Shinjuku at 11:45, and arrives at Otsuki at 1:10 AM. 

 

http://ekikara.jp/newdata/detail/1301062/25278.htm

[SuRoNeFu 25-501]

On weeknights that last special rapid departs Tokyo at 11:31 PM, Shinjuku at 11:45, and arrives at Otsuki at 1:10 AM. 

 

http://ekikara.jp/newdata/detail/1301062/25278.htm

And after arrived at Otsuki, the train would return back to Toyoda depot for late-night inspection...

 

Pro-tip: the very last westbound Chūō line train from Shinjuku (running from the Sōbu line and connecting with the last Yamanote line train) can be crowded to the point that not everyone can board.

And it would be something considered as "lucky" if you still able to board the train

[JR 500系]

Interesting discussion...

 

I don't know why, but I have a certain strong connection to the Chuo (中央本線) line with the blend of Sobu line tying in from Tokyo to Mitaka... Something about it makes me like it a lot.. even more than the Yamanote... Perhaps is the wide range of the various types of services just for commuter trains, like the Chuo-Sobu Normal service (中央線各停,), Rapid service (快速), Commuter Rapid (通勤快速), Chuo Special Rapid (中央特快), Ome Special Rapid (青梅特快), Commuter Special Rapid (通勤特快)...

 

Just a line with so many special services is amazing...

 

 

Off topic:

 

Yes I understand the culture of some Japanese... They actually think working long hours equate to being hardworking but actually... If you leave the office on time it shows you are not hardworking.... Also they will not leave the office earlier than their bosses/ superiors, which their bosses will not leave the office on time because it will reflect that they are not hardworking... This snowballing effect downwards is really bad for their families... Neglecting their families cause several social issues...

 

Then, they are 'advised' to go drinking with their co-workers and bosses even after work as a form of blending in and being 'part of the team'... That probably explains why they are leaving for home so late in the night... Long term wise, it's not only bad for their health but also for their social well-being with their families...

 

 

I started watching this video before I took my 7yo to school.  This is what happened:-

 

PB250276.JPG

 

He is doing better at Hiragana and Katakana than I do. haha

 

Amazing! He wrote those Kranji characters just from viewing the videos?? I understand Kranji characters are the hardest to learn unless if you have Chinese background (they are about the same characters to chinese ones) Did you took them on the Chuo line the last trip? How did it cast such a big impression on your 7yo?  :)

Edited November 25, 2015 by JR 500系

[spacecadet]

Well, it is if you have a 60 to 90 minute commute, want to to get home and get some sleep, and get up again at 6am for the next work day.

You guys are lightweights!

[Davo Dentetsu]

 

Especially as those are Kanji wot he has wrote.

If that was a reference... ANOTHER GEM IN THE CAN!  WAHEY-HEY! *paper bag*

 

[SuRoNeFu 25-501]

Perhaps is the wide range of the various types of services just for commuter trains, like the Chuo-Sobu Normal service (中央線各停,), Rapid service (快速), Commuter Rapid (通勤快速), Chuo Special Rapid (中央特快), Ome Special Rapid (青梅特快), Commuter Special Rapid (通勤特快)...

 

Just a line with so many special services is amazing...

And don't forget the limited expresses a.k.a 特急

 

Actually, the services on Chuo Line would have several notes:

 

1. Local (各駅停車, but running on 中央緩行線 instead of 中央快速線): for eastbound trains, it runs past Ochanomizu toward Akihabara and all the way to Chiba, instead of terminating at Tokyo. And for westbound trains, they are not running beyond Mitaka on normal hours...

2. Rapid (快速): this one is actually stopping at all stations of Chuo Rapid Line (and is considered as having same level with the local trains), but since it skips some stations of Chuo-Sobu Line between Ochanomizu and Nakano, it does considered as a rapid train.

3. Commuter Rapid (通勤快速): outside limited express trains, commuter rapid trains does not stop at some stations from Takao to Tokyo (only major stations like Hachioji, Tachikawa, Mitaka, etc).

4. Special Rapid (特別快速, usually abbreviated as 特快): it skips some stops between Tokyo and Tachikawa, but west of Tachikawa it stops at all stations.

 

CMIIW...

[railsquid]

Don't forget the occasional trains as far as Otsuki and Kawaguchiko...

[SuRoNeFu 25-501]

Don't forget the occasional trains as far as Otsuki and Kawaguchiko...

Well, this is true, as some of Chuo Rapid Line trains are operated beyond Takao to the west. Note that Kawaguchiko-bound trains are operated using the 4 car portion of E233-0's 6 + 4 formations (labeled as Hxx編成 in the official document of Toyoda depot)

[Jcarlton]

Are trains timetabled so that the reach their terminals at midnight or does the last train originate at midnight? Also is the last train outbound, inbound or both?

[railsquid]

Last Chuo line train from Shinjuku leaves at about 1am, though it departs from Tokyo earlier of course. Depending on line and direction, last trains are generally between midnight and 1am; JR seems to operate later than the private lines. Last trains often don't go to the end of the line, of course.