JR East to bring forward last train departures on 17 lines in Tokyo

East Japan Railway Co said Wednesday it will bring forward last train departure times on 17 lines in the Tokyo metropolitan area by up to some 40 minutes from next spring, as late-night passengers continue to decline amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Ok, so let's think about this a moment, passengers are down NOW, but you are going to wait until next SPRING to implement this?

Instead of having ‘normal trains’ where it possible to take a seat, JR still wants to continue packing people in to maximize discomfort for the passenger and profit for the company....

Hotels near train stations may see their business pick up as people who’ve missed their last train home will check in for the night.

People like me in the outer 'burbs depend on those last trains to be able to attend professional development events and network in the evening, and generally make it home from work in other parts of the country.

Granted, I haven't been on a train in six months, but "Demand for the services will not return (to pre-coronavirus levels) even after the pandemic ends," is a ridiculous, arrogant assertion, especially if the Olympics go ahead.

As ever, JR acting the deaf, emptorphobic monolith.

"Demand for the services will not return (to pre-coronavirus levels) even after the pandemic ends," he said at the time.

I guess that means even during the Olympics, things won't go back to normal. Good news for the taxi companies at least.

Manga Cafes are going to see an increase in business from next Spring....

"Demand for the services will not return (to pre-coronavirus levels) even after the pandemic ends," he said at the time.

What, how did they conclude that? I'm pretty sure demand will be there for late night trains post-covid..

"Demand for the services will not return (to pre-coronavirus levels) even after the pandemic ends,"

So you want people to pay through the nose for Olympic tickets, jump through hoops and pay premium prices for flights, risk death by COVID and endure heatstroke in late July, then not be able to get back to their hotels at night?

Yeah, that's a pretty flexible definition of Omotenashi you have there.

Count me out.

Just scrap this nonsense. It's not going to happen. Skip to 2024 and reset.

I predict that next spring there will also be an uptick in the number of bicycles that move all by themselves across parts of Metro Tokyo... of course late at night.

I always thought it was best to have during the night less trains but regularly, not full absence which leads to people being unable to go out at some personal or work events.

It will reduce economy globally just for the profit of JR East company in my opinion.

And knowing the demography won't help, do they intend to mitigate every year the reduction of passengers by having earlier off the last train ?

Instead of having ‘normal trains’ where it possible to take a seat, JR still wants to continue packing people in to maximize discomfort for the passenger and profit for the company....

exactly

Selfish dumb anti-social corporation that is OK to ruin peoples lives for profit.

if not so many customers, have less trains but same late time.

people will be forced to sleep in offices or 24hr comic cafes or have no social life.

Ok, so let's think about this a moment, passengers are down NOW, but you are going to wait until next SPRING to implement this?

Given the complexity of JR's urban network, it will take quite a bit of planning to reschedule all those trains and run simulations to make sure things work well and coordinate. So spring next year is probably a reasonable timeframe to work with.

Normal schedule, one train per hour throughout the night. Otherwise can you imagine the crush at last-train time?

Hello COVID!

something fishy going on with this company. I have been on the trains lately and it sure doesn't seem empty as they say even for the last trains.

They should do the opposite and ask government to cover one train between the hours of midnight to 05h00 and then full schedule again.

That will make for more spending at bars, restaurants… Earlier trains, means less retail spending.

simple.

If nobody is riding the late trains then what is the point? They are doing this because the late trains are running nearly empty. Same thing with a store. If you post your hours as closing at 11:00pm but you almost never have a customer after 10:00pm, what is the point of keeping employees on the clock and the store open past 10:00pm? Train operators know what times their customers show up and if nobody is dribbling in after a certain hour it seems pointless to run that last train nearly empty.

For the first time in Japan in known history passengers are to a level where it might just be safe to ride, or safER, during this pandemic, and they want to put it back to maximize profit and pack the trains again. And no doubt they have their palms spread out for handouts, too.

Do you honestly think a 17-34 minute change in the last departure time is going to suddenly change lightly trafficked train routes (at that time of night under current conditions) into packed trains? Some of the comments here are way over the top.

Before Corona, I missed my last train 90%.

Because of overwork and over-drinking at the Girls Bars.

But during these days, thanks to Corona, I never miss my last train.

Sometimes Corona does good things too...

But 40 minutes forward, that is a lot!

Decrease the service but the people will still parrot about how "convenient" the trains are here.

How about this JR: All last trains are moved forward to 7 or 8 pm pm thus forcing companies across the board to allow workers to leave for home and spend time with their family. This might also help to increase newborns for 2021 (and/or increase divorce rates).

They should do the opposite and ask government to cover one train between the hours of midnight to 05h00 and then full schedule again.

That will make for more spending at bars, restaurants…  Earlier trains, means less retail spending.

simple.

I can totally see taxi drivers and internet cafe shops making a lot of bucks on the first few months of the change.

For the first time in Japan in known history passengers are to a level where it might just be safe to ride, or safER, during this pandemic, and they want to put it back to maximize profit and pack the trains again. And no doubt they have their palms spread out for handouts, too.

@Monty

ow you get to save money, go home and talk with your wife more-fantastic

I guess that means even during the Olympics, things won't go back to normal. Good news for the taxi companies at least.

When we visited Singapore we discovered the MRT stopped running at midnight while taxi fares doubled from their daytime rates at midnight. Nice. We had enough cash on us for the MRT but not enough for a cab, so we walked........and walked........