The last train
You missed the last train. Now what?
Tokyo's trains stop for about four hours every night. Here are your options, from your own bed to a karaoke sofa.
Tokyo's trains do not run all night. On most lines the last departures leave the big stations somewhere between midnight and 1 AM, and the first trains start again at about 5. In between, the shutters come down and everyone still out is improvising.
Two words to know. The last train is shūden (終電). The first train is shihatsu (始発). Any transit app will show you both for your route. The time that matters is the last connection all the way to your stop, which can be a good deal earlier than the last train out of the station you are standing in.
What kind of night is this?
Take a taxi
A taxi is the only way home. Fares rise 20 percent between 22:00 and 05:00, and a ride out to the suburbs can cost more than a hotel room. Check the estimate in a taxi app before you get in. If the number hurts, try another answer.
Capsule hotel or business hotel
A capsule hotel gives you a bunk, a locker, and a shared bath, and many take walk-ins late at night. Some are men only and others have separate floors, so check before you walk over. A business hotel costs more and gives you a door that locks.
Internet café
Internet and manga cafés sell a night pack: a private booth, a reclining seat or a flat mat, free soft drinks, and often a shower, for one overnight price. You will be asked to register as a member, so have your passport with you.
Karaoke until the first train
Karaoke chains sell an overnight “free time” package that runs until around the first train. You get a private room, a sofa, a phone on the wall for ordering drinks, and nobody to judge your second wind. An izakaya that stays open until morning is the other answer.
The options, side by side
| Option | Cost | Sleep | Know before you go |
|---|---|---|---|
| Taxi | ¥¥¥ | Your own bed | 20 percent surcharge from 22:00 to 05:00. |
| Business hotel | ¥¥¥ | Excellent | Walk-ins are possible. Weekends fill up. |
| Capsule hotel | ¥¥ | Good | Check who it accepts before you go. |
| Love hotel | ¥¥ | Very good | Overnight “stay” (宿泊, shukuhaku) rates begin late in the evening. Built for two. |
| Internet café | ¥ | Fair | Membership and ID at the desk. |
| Karaoke | ¥ | Poor, by design | Ask for the overnight free-time rate. |
| All-night diner | ¥ | None | A table and a drink bar. Fewer stay open all night than used to. |
The ¥ signs show relative cost. Actual prices depend on the area, the day of the week, and how late it is.
What not to do
- Don't plan to wait inside the station. Stations close after the last train and staff will walk you out.
- Don't sleep on the street. Tokyo is safe by big-city standards, and sleeping drunks still lose wallets and phones.
- Don't follow a tout who offers to solve your problem. He is not offering the cheap option.
- Don't expect a seat on the first train. Everyone had the same idea.
Phrases for after midnight
| Japanese | Say it | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 終電は何時ですか？ | Shūden wa nanji desu ka? | What time is the last train? |
| 始発は何時ですか？ | Shihatsu wa nanji desu ka? | What time is the first train? |
| ここまでいくらぐらいですか？ | Koko made ikura gurai desu ka? | About how much to get here? Said to a taxi driver, showing the address. |
| 朝までいくらですか？ | Asa made ikura desu ka? | How much until morning? |
| 今から泊まれますか？ | Ima kara tomaremasu ka? | Can I stay tonight, starting now? |