Tokyo has incredible nightlife, and I want to experience as much as I can. However, when I try to plan things out, I’m confined to, “last train leaves by…”
Most the trains stop around midnight. How do people get around after that? Are there late night taxis or Ubers? How can I get back to my hotel at 3am after late-night Karaoke?
13 comments
Back in in 2005-07, I walked a lot, and then got tired, and waited, resting at a train station til it opened at 5am or whatever. That was kind of the only option back then.
Stayed at a capsule hotel in rippongi one time. It was comfortable AF.
I mean, if you’re out until 3AM, you just need to make it a little bit more to make the 4:30/4:45AM train on the Yamanote Line.
Taxis are an option, but they are expensive in Tokyo. Uber will just call you a Taxi or private car service in Tokyo – don’t expect UberX or anything like that.
The real recommendation is that if you’re planning to do a significant amount of nightlife, you should stay in an area that has the nightlife you want to engage in. It’s probably cheaper than taking taxis, all things considered.
You can either wait until the trains start back up at 5am or take a taxi. Taxis run 24/7. The fares are higher after midnight though. If you like the nightlife, you should stay at an area close to where all the fun is at.
There are always taxis available or you can walk if you’re feeling really adventurous and/or energetic.
Also a lot of concert venues (aka live houses) start shows much earlier in the day and end before last train. Or they start late in the evening and run all night until first train.
Finally this is what capsule hotels are actually for as opposed to a budget-friendly lodging option.
i was thinking about this for my upcoming trip and was thinking bike rental apps would be a good option if the distance isn’t super far. are there any restrictions on time of day for them?
if not, packing a bike light and handlebar mount for phone would be a nice way to experience the city
Stay in the area where you want to go out and walk back to hotel.
I went to a party to a friend’s place and close to last train he told everybody that it’s close to last train so we can either leave now or stay until first train. I know someone who also waited for first train at McDonsld.
I would just stay at a capsule hotel. Last time I was in Japan, we didnt plan our night and we ended up chilling at an Internet cafe until the trains started back up LOL
Taxi, but I stay close to the Shinjuku gay scene so it won’t be a fortune.
Karaoke or hang out at a McDonald’s. Or shell out for a taxi.
– [What To Do When You Miss the Last Train](https://livejapan.com/en/in-tokyo/in-pref-tokyo/in-shibuya/article-a0002490/)
– [Things to Do in Tokyo When You Missed the Last Train](https://www.timeout.com/tokyo/things-to-do/things-to-do-in-tokyo-when-youve-missed-the-last-train)
stay at the bar until first train.
People tend to stay out until the first train. You can sleep at McDonald’s for a couple hours if you can’t make it
You don’t unless you’re willing to shell out cash for a taxi. That’s the reason why capsule hotels exist in the first place. They were initially meant to be a cheap place to sleep if you missed the last train.
Where is your hotel located? If you’re staying along Yamanote Line and partying late within Yamanote Line, you will be able to take a taxi back to your hotel for maximum 10,000yen. This option is a last resort if you’re on a tight budget. Or wait it out at karaoke until 4:30~5:00am when the first trains start up again.
If the weather is good, walk back to the hotel. It’s easy. When I was young and missed the last train, I used to walk from Roppongi or Shibuya back home to Ikebukuro because I was cheap ass kid. That was before most people had mobile phones, let alone smartphones with apps. I just went from convenience store to convenience store, getting a “Super Mapple” from the magazine stand and asking the clerk which way to Meiji-dori in my very broken Japanese.