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JohnBraden (Offline)
Busier Than Shinjuku Station
 
Posts: 1,110
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Madrid/Misawa/Chicago
05-09-2011, 04:05 PM

Quote:
Originally Posted by dogsbody70 View Post
some trains can be really crowded-- especially at rush hour--The underground also can be choc a bloc not only at rush hour.

I would rather miss a train than be forced to stand like sardines in a tin. when I have seen the videos of Rush hour trains in Japan and see those guards pushing passengers in-- it must feel dreadful-- how can anyone breathe?
I would like to add that some of those cases you may have seen where attendants push people in to the cars only happen in certain cars that are closest to the main exits of the station.

All the stations I have been in Tokyo have maps that show where the exits and transfer points are in relation to the train car you are riding. People use these to position themselves closest to the exit of the destination station. That way, their commute is shortened by that little bit. That doesn't mean that all cars on that train are packed.

I took the Yamanote line train many times at rush hour and purposefully walked all the way to the end car to avoid such nuisance and I didn't have any issues with being mobbed. The cars there are much longer than those here in Chicago and they have 4 exits per side (six on 2-3 cars per train) while there are only 2 per side here. Plus, all seats face inward in benches, and the six door cars have no seats.
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