public transportation

In Tokyo public transportation is generally very efficient and good. The trains run very frequently (about every 5 min.) and very well cleaned. In fact it always gives me the impression somebody cleaned every handle just before I stepped into the train. This however comes at a price. In Tokyo there are two different Metro operators in addition to the trains from Japanese Rails. Some smaller private lines operate the outbound trains. For my daily trip to Kashiwa I first take the Tokyo Metro from Yushima to Kita-Senju (190 Yen). There I board the Tsukuba Express and get for 550 Yen to Kashiwanoha Campus. From there I have to take the bus for 160 Yen with yet another company to get to the actual university campus (or walk for about 30 min). You can buy monthly tickets, but since they each are valid for only one of the operating company’s trains, they are not worth the cost (at least in my case). Another word about the Tsukuba Express: It comes in three varieties: Local train (stops at every station), Semi-Rapid Train (stops only at some stations) and Rapid-Train (stops at very few stations, excluding Kashiwanoha Campus). Sometimes it is good to change the trains in between your journey. When you sit in a local train and the train waits a bit longer at a station there is usually a semi-rapid or rapid-train taking over, so it is time to switch to that train.

Most people in trains read or sleep. In the evening you usually find most people sleeping, but you can see them at any time of the day. Sometimes you also see people sleeping while standing (very unpleasant sleep in my own experience). Some people are typing something into their mobile phones. What I first thought were text messages I now believe are some kind of games.

This morning I accidentally took a seat in the wrong car. I was immediately approached by a conductor who told me “this train is only for ouman”. I thought he meant the train stops at a certain station. Then I realised the car was for women only. Indeed outside of the car some small pink posters indicated this. I must have overlooked them since they are about the size as the standard advertisement you see everywhere.