The fact that children as young as 5 ride the train alone, says more about Japanese society than the actual infrastructure itself.

You need to continue comparing US infrastructure to that of developed countries.

Another thing I noticed with Tokyo is all the stations are basically giant shopping malls with train platforms attached, they're destinations in themselves. So there is probably a lot of revenue coming in from that to JR East and the other station operators. Here in the US cities there often are no vendors at all in a train station, you can't even buy a coffee.

From the riders viewpoint, Japan's infrastructure and subway and bus systems are far beyond the technology-only comparisons. Connectivity, cleanness, punctuarity, safety, disruption-free technology, and manners of users, all of these are into the consideration of the infrastructure in Japan. In summer, every station has a cooling sysyem and in winter, every station has a warming system.

It's about culture of Japan too. They are in general a culture that keeps things clean and maintained (which is a large component of efficiency). I visited a subway station in Japan that I would imagine was built/renovated in the 60s or 70s. There was a public restroom in the station and it was cleaner than some restrooms I've seen in nice hotels in the US.

This video still doesn't get to the heart of the issue, which is the difference in how the two systems are funded. They got so close to explaining it when they said Japan's subways remained profitable throughout the pandemic but then just stopped. The difference is that Japan's system is heavily funded by real estate and the tax revenue from land around stations. This is called "value capture". New York's system used to be funded this way, but sometime last century the US decided it was better to fund infrastructure expansion with debt rather than with value capture.

As a new yorker, i get annoyed daily by how pathetic our transit system is. It's genuinely so insane to me that despite being such a major city, the people in power don't do enough to make the changes that will make the system more efficient.

Another aspect of Japanese transit that differs from the US is that many transit companies also double as developers/ real estate companies. This means they have diverse sources of income and a vested interest in maximizing the safety, convenience, and profitability of developments near their stations.

As an American that has lived in Tokyo and traveled to NYC, as soon as I saw the video title, I laughed out loud. I knew this was going to be embarrassing for the USA. We need more of this, please.

In America a public space, culturally is viewed as "my space" because "I pay taxes" and the general _me me me me_ baby culture of America, while in Japan a communal space is viewed as _OUR_ space. That is a big difference.

Best part about Pasmo and Suica is they not only work in just Tokyo, but pretty much everywhere in all of Japan. In cities as far from Kagoshima to Sapporo. They all work on each others systems. On the buses, subways, commuter trains, light rail, It even works on the Disneyland monorail of all places.

Tokyo's metro system is a legit masterpiece. Not only are there an incredible amount of connections, but pretty much all these connections have an incredibly low amount of downtime waiting to hop onto the next train. Some times it's literally instant, which again when considering how many more connections there are... wow

The biggest reason for income not touched here that includes most Asian rail systems, including Japan, Hong Kong, and Singapore, to name a few, is land ownership around the stations. By owning and leasing the station and its direct surroundings, they can turn huge profits with large skyscrapers, business centers, malls, hotels, etc. all directly attached to stations. This also fosters a central hub for the station's local communities as a destination for residents to spend time and money at, rather than just passing through on a commute.

Another key about Tokyo’s system is that most (99.9%) companies will pay for an employee’s commuter pass. But will not cover other forms of transportation

They didn't address that NYC subway is 24/7. Tokyo Subway shuts down every night from midnight to 5AM. 5 hours a day gives a lot of time for maintenance and cleaning, which goes far to explain why the NYC subway looks and smells like a sewer.

They didn’t mention how clean and orderly the train in Japan are. They failed to mention how a lot of stations also stop in shopping centers (above, below, or next to) and drive ridership. When I lived in Japan there was seldom a time I didn’t stop at a Lawson Station for a snack before getting on the train. Rarely a restaurant I wanted to try was not near the station I was using. The station was within walking distance and walking there was always a serene and safe thing.

I think Japan having the transit card work for all modes of transportation and even to buy things (essentially a cash card) also makes using the train, bus, or taxi so much easier. You don’t need to have multiple cards or even a credit/debit card. Just one card loaded with cash. It’s always surprising how transit systems here in the US are unable to find a way to use one card especially when it comes to those that are so intertwined like that of NJ and NY

Subway systems in Paris, Amsterdam, London, Vienna and other cities have added numerous entire new subway lines and extended many existing lines in recent decades. The NYC subway has managed to add a few stations in that time.

Japan's first railway line was Yokohama - Shinbashi (next to Tokyo) line built in 1872. The first subway line was built in 1927, between Asakusa - Ueno. Many Japanese railway companies have various sources of income like retail, hospitality, real estate, invested in the foreign real estate markets including the US, because they are private companies. Tokyu, for example makes only 18% of revenue from transport, 52% from retail and other services and 22% from real estate and 7% from hotels & resorts.

i just came back from japan yesterday and the railways are fantastic, transfers are easy, trains are clean, fare is cheap, and everything interconnects (you can even use the same card for the tokyo disney resort monorail, subway, commuter trains, and they are all different rail companies. also you can use those same cards at some convenience stores, vending machines, shops, restaurants too) if only the us cared more about public transportation than they did about cars

Not to mention places like Japan and Korea are more respectful and don't have graffiti, urinate, or people fighting in subways.

I lived in Japan for a year, and yeah, their public transit is the best.

It's pretty simple, Japan is clean and safe. In New York it's dirty and dangerous.

One key difference they don’t break down when it comes to Japan’s system vs America is that companies pay for their employees transportation to work. Even though the subway system in Japan is more expensive, majority of the cost is fulfilled by companies. In America, very few companies pay for employee transportation.

American transit isn't doomed! We used to have the most developed rail network in the world. We got there through deliberate effort. We lost it for a variety of reasons that other people have pointed out. But if we got there before, we can get there again. We just have to want to do it. And I'm optimistic, since people seem to be fed up, and are realizing it could be better.

In short: Better governance and coordination in Japan.

Every time I visit Japan I look forward to riding the public transit especially trains and the subway because I know it will be clean, safe, punctual, and a pleasant experience(maybe not as much doing rush hour). I don’t think I ever look forward to public transit here in the US.

I’ve been to Japan and I live in New York. Our public transit is the difference between night and day versus Japans. Japans trains/platforms/ tracks/ stations are clean, automated messages are clear and concise, have cushioned seats (will not last a day in NY), passengers are respectful (only noisy people are the foreigners), efficient, always on time, platform crews are so helpful (also hold the doors for you) people let you out before you go into the train, train cars designated only for women, stations a brightly lit, all the employees care about their jobs. If something is broken like a light going out, they replace it right away at the next station. New York transit have dirty trains/ platforms/ tracks/ stations, everyday there are delays, many times it doesn’t matter if you take the local or express both just as slow (rushing into the station the last 500 feet doesn’t count as express), dimly lit stations, get the train doors shut right in front of face, crews not helpful, rude passengers rushing in (while you try to get out) to get a seat, customer service non existence. Hearing “train is delay sorry for any inconvenience” daily is the norm.

Why are asking transit systems to make money, while we don't ask the same from highways? It's not a fair ask.

In Japan, the term "through services" are pretty common in the railway world. Cities such as Tokyo and Osaka has made the term subway or metro too ambiguous because most subway lines has through services with other private railways that connects to other cities. Such as in Tokyo, there's the Tokyo Metro (Subway) Fukutoshin Line which connects with Tobu Railway's Tojo Line and Seibu Railway's Yurakucho Line and Ikebukuro Line on the north end and with Tokyu Railway's Toyoko Line in the south. The Toyoko Line also connects with the Yokohama Rapid Railway Line on it's other hand. Thus, commuters can get from Saitama Prefecture suburbs to Shinjuku, Shibuya, and then to Tokyo Prefecture's suburbs and all the way to Yokohama's Chinatown in Kanagawa Prefecture. But the hiccup here is when one of the interconnected lines delays, it will delay the other lines as well

As someone who likes to travel to the United States, it was a big news for me that the LIRR arrived at Grand Central Station. Travelers are happy to be able to go to the center in 30 minutes from JFK and at an affordable price. The pleasure of going to the eastern part of Long Island has also increased. I am looking forward to visiting New York. However, the completion of rail transit in Los Angeles and Honolulu is still delayed. I feel like I've been waiting another light year...

I'm from Tokyo and now live in NYC. One nice thing about Japan is that pretty much every company pays for your commuting fares (a monthly ticket between your station and your office) and you can use it for personal purposes too. The video said that it's not a flat fare in Tokyo but because your company pays for it you don't really have to worry about paying to take a train.

Couple of things to consider - Tokyo metro is not the only company to run trains in Tokyo 23-district, there are tonnes more from both private and also JR (public) companies, among them many are listed companies. this historic background helps to speed up investment which is hard to replicate for other countries - There is a goverment strong hand planning to make companies to work with each other on "Throught Train" that works across networks for Japan, this extends the reach which helps to expand coverage, and encourage suburbs to develop outside the Tokyo central district. the train companies compete while at the same time collobrate with each other - a distance base charging mechanism is pretty much standard across the globe which helps to increase revenue (for longer distance ride and to be fair) and encourage short distance travel (increase ridership) - Signaling system and automation does a big role in giving on time performance and cramping more trains in shorter window, e.g. HK peak hour the train is every 1.5 minutes, and Shinkansen departing every couple of minutes. you would never expect that in US

Its hte wrong question toask. HOW did Japan get that far ahead..... The correct question would be... Why is there ZERO development in the US.

I literally just came back from Japan last night and the transit system there is bar none. It is always on time, always clean , always quiet, always safe. In fact driving in Tokyo can take more time depending on the traffic situation. As a Canadian, I was in complete awe of what they have built. Hong Kong also has an excellent transit system. New York needs to learn a lot from both countries. Banning performers on the train will be a first good step… this is not a race thing either. I am black and I find it annoying.

Did you know that many companies in Japan pay transportation costs for their employers? Even if you drive to work, the company will pay for the train or bus fare from your home to your place of work, in addition to your salary.

The reason is simple. Japan invested heavily in public transit and infrastructure while the USA choose to invest in the military industrial complex. As a result, Japan has the best public transportation in the world and the USA has the most aircraft carriers in the world.

The main problem with the NYC train system is the lack of stations being convenient. There are tons upon tons of train stations that we could help renovate and get into proper working conditions. They are not only convenient for everyone but also safe. Some people have stated on videos related to the abandoned stations that some of these recently decommissioned stations, abandoned ones from only a couple decades ago are still within near, to somewhat perfect condition for usage but are not used at all and if they were would make transportation a lot more convenient for the average new yorker.

Korea subway system is great too. I went everywhere in Seoul and it was so efficient, clean, cheap and punctual.

This video is very very bad. Mostly because they asked the wrong "expert" (Sorensen wrote a very bad book where he mostly complained Japanese planning didn't conform to his NIMBY Torontoite standards and didn't talk about transport planning at all). New York has actually spent way more on its system over the last 30 years than Tokyo has, Tokyo's profitable not just because it has higher fares but because it lower operating costs (no conductors, regular maintenance because no 24 hour service) and construction costs are somewhere between a sixth and quarter the cost per kilometer of NY projects like 2nd avenue subway or East Side Access. Urban Japanese railways only get subsidies for capital project not operations and usually have to cough up fare revenue to pay the debt the state incurred to build those projects. Also Tokyo invested consistently not so much because they were wise magic Asians but because Japan has a more market oriented land market than the US, you can built apartments and supermarkets next to train stations in Japan, not in the US*. Trains are only successful if you have the necessary densities along the rail corridors. And most of Tokyo's rail corridors are run by private rail corporations who are also real estate/commercial development conglomerates. Tokyo metro is built around helping those companies succeed. (Weird the WSJ doesn't talk about that given its a business paper, but Sorensen got his PHD ignoring them). This meant there was always a business-passenger lobby that campaigned for more investment. In the US the political establishment imposed a car oriented social model backed by tax and zoning system that encouraged sprawl and killed off the passenger rail companies. It helps not having poisonous "urban" politics. *America on land and transport is the most socialist major economy. The PRC is more market oriented. Hilariously Japan is actually not a world leader necessarily on fare integration, the IC card system are seamless to use but actually charge you for changing between transport operators. Its Central Europe that leads on integrated fares. Furthermore the governance issue misses that Japan is actually much more complicated, the wider Tokyo area has more than 20 rail operators including 8 large private rail companies, two High speed rail operators, 3 subway systems and a host of government owned commuter lines, spread over 9 prefectures with over 100 municipalities. By that standard the MTA's feuding agencies, the Mayor vs state, the tension between the 3 NY area states are actually quite simple. Did I mention that all the relevant governments are the "same party". Tokyo urban area is a multi-party system.

The MTA representative displayed a complete lack of concern regarding the outdated state of the NYC subway system when compared to Japan's impeccable infrastructure. Unfortunately, this issue extends beyond just the subway system and reflects the overall sorry state of US infrastructure, making us a laughing stock among wealthy nations.

I spent about 15 years in Tokyo as well as in Kanagawa Province without buying any cars. You can use the most efficient transportation system: trains, buses, subways and very local and slow trains for local residents. A few abandoned local railway stations have turned themselves into new tourist attractions, too. I miss that local slow trains service. You should ask a fan of Japanese Anime:Slam Dunk: where do you wanna go to Japan???!Thank you. 😊

I can use my Suica card in the Tokyo area and then board the Shinkansen and head down to Osaka or Kyoto and use it on local buses or even in the 7-11 to buy food or pay my electrical, water or gas bill. Then again, you can do that with your smartphone as well. And that's not new, it's been around for over a decade and half.

Riding the Tokyo subway is what got me to love the contactless payment system. So, when I got back to the US from a vacation trip in Asia, I started transitioning from "insert your card" to "tap and go" credit card. I mean, the OMNY is sort of in the right step direction, but Asia has the system beat because you can get a PASSMO or a SUICA, and use the same card for stores and other things on top of train tickets. Having NJTransit and the MTA work together for a single card system would definitely help, but yesh....bureaucracy. I know the MTA is trying to make improvements slowly with their system, but.....*sighs* Also, in Tokyo, most stations have conbini (convenient stores) and/or other shops you can stop by once you go past the gates. They even have an option for visitors to get platform tickets only if people just want to walk around a station (that ideally promotes the area) and not board a train. Can't do that with NYC's ancient set-up unless they start doing what the Japanese do. Get rid of old buildings and build new ones. The homeless, around Tokyo's stations, tend to stay outdoors. No one is allowed to stay in the stations past midnight as the stations close for maintenance before re-opening at around 4 a.m. or so. There are just so many nice ideas that you wish could be implemented into NYC's subways. And yes, clean well maintained bathrooms would definitely enhance an experience by a whole lot.

In the u.s. we like to focus on nonsense issues and throw tax dollars into bottomless pits. By the way, how hard is it to build a barrier so people don't get pushed onto the tracks?

It's unacceptable that all of these agencies haven't standardized on a single payment / ticketing system for the entire metro area. I remember going from Denver, a city with only one option (RTD), to Seattle, a city with two (King County Metro, Sound Transit) and it felt really confusing to me that I couldn't just buy an RTD-style day pass to use on both while I was there! Same thing in San Francisco - BART and MUNI are segregated heavily, thankfully I only needed MUNI while I was there but still, why design it that way...

Interesting to see the differences. Tokyo has the funding they need. NYC does not and that is why there is such a huge disparity. It seems the Tokyo system does not heavily rely on ridership for funding whereas NYC does. But I also say bureaucratic red tape holds up much of the funding that NYC has. I have felt for years MTA brass have mishandled the funding they have gotten.

Another area where Japan leads the US is toilet sanitation. For a first world country, it’s crazy how the US does not have bidets.

NYC and Tokyo are my 2 home cities. Having ridden both systems, the NYC system has easier maps to follow but overall the Tokyo (and Japan’s) system is much, much better. Tokyo’s is much cleaner, more on time, safer (not perfectly), and more efficient.

Japanese person here. I’ve been living in the states for almost a decade. 2:03 I do wish if more things were organised by the national level as opposed to each state. Not just the metro system, but in general, like the insurance system. It’s definitely more of a hassle when you move to a different state and you have to switch to a doctor licensed in that state. It used to make me wonder how American people tolerated inconveniences like that.🤔

Great video about infrastructure thank you so much!!

The problem isn't just investment; it's culture. Japan's subways are spotlessly clean and totally safe. Because Japan doesnt tolerate lawless and antisocial behavior. NYC does and the subway is a nightmare as a result.

There’s a reason why Japan’s subway is better: THEY ARE MORE EDUCATED AND CIVILIZED. They don’t destroy and screw with public transport.

Now realize the Japanese federal government is spending a mere $813Billion a year. US spends 7 times that. It would be nice if people would wake up to the fact it isn't a funding problem but a competence/grift problem

The real scandal is how the richest city in the world still has 100 year old switching systems in its subway.

In Prague, CZ, my annual travel card ( covering buses, trains, trams, and the metro up to about 10km from the centre ) costs *annually* $160. You don't need a car here. And if you want one for, say, driving to Germany for a weekend, you can hire one. Easy !

It's not just Japan who is "so far ahead". It's literally all developed nations, and a lot of developing ones, who have vastly better infrastructure. Americans don't realise how absolutely terrible infrastructure there is. It's so bizarre the way they talk about NY being "so complex", not realising that it isn't anywhere near as complex as most large European and Asian cities. You're not dealing with earthquakes, plague pits, and thousands of years of history below the soil.

also, another random tidbit, is the fact that the length of japan is similar to the length of the us east coast. so the fact that japan has multiple and various railways that services, not just tokyo itself, but all throughout the entire length of their country but the us has limited options just going from one state to the next is just... mind boggling lol

I had no IDEA that you need all these different payment cards in New York. That’s like Archaic. In Chicago, we just use one card, that works for both the city and the entire suburbs, Ventra.

1:43 I would like to point out that the bottom right card is just a metro card. There is no special card for air train. You can use your metro card to pay the fare, while you can't do the same with the air train metro card.

Don't just compare subways. In Tokyo, there are more JR and private railways that run on the ground than the metro. This is very different from other major cities. In addition, development around the station is active and all railway companies are making profits. In most countries, railroads are in the red and run as public works.

Is it just me or did the video not answer the question of the title at all?

One major issue is employee pay. MTA workers on average make more than double what Tokyo Metro employees make, in some cases is 3 times as much. When you started that around thousands of employees, that makes a huge difference

There is a difference of perception in USA and Japan. In Japan public spaces are _our_ spaces and we all must work to maintain it, in America public spaces is _my_ space, and I can do whatever I want because _my_ tax dollars pays for it. This of course is not universal, but it's enough to make public infrastructure in the U.S very bad compared to Japan.

There are some key points that WSJ missed about public transportation in Tokyo. Aside from Tokyo Metro and Toei Subway, there are seven other railway companies that operate within the metropolis that are privatized and that includes JR East. They are are for-profit entities and make money by not only charging fare based on distance (where you have to tap a card at the station you start at and tap again at the station of your destination) but they also lease retail space in their stations that some actually look like shopping malls, they also own commercial properties around their stations and lease office space, and at least one of those companies owns and operates a chain of convenience stores. Privatized for-profit companies can work wonderfully as public transportation operators but unfortunately, in the West, so many people live in an ideological bubble that they can't fathom the thought of for-profit private entities providing a level of service that publicly funded transit agencies in the West can't be bothered to offer.

The payment cards also work on vending machines and many, many stores across the country. I use it to buy my groceries, books, clothes, etc because it’s so much quicker.

In my opinion, Japan has a national strategy to develop the railway from the late 19th century backed by private sector participation. This has continued to develop for over 150 years. The private railway companies have long diversified into real estate and city development, amassing wealth to reinvest into continuous improvement. On top of these is the Japanese’ emphasis on organization and precision, which is critical to run a transportation system.

As someone who has been to NYC many times and lives in Tokyo (I havent seen the video yet) this is my take 1. Tokyo subways are mostly privately owned. 2. there are ads literally everywhere 3. you pay based on distance traveled and the monthly passes are extremely limited and only make sense if you commute 5days a week or more. 4.wages are lower in Tokyo than NYC

Berlins system also is structured in a very similar and is probably the best in Germany. But because of full ownership by the government on all levels traveling the Berlin public transport system is also significantly cheaper than in Tokyo and New York.

I've also read that a lot of money from owning the land around the stations. These are leased out for restaurants, shops, and more. That makes these stations destinations themselves instead of just a transit stop. If you look at what's below, Tokyo station, you'd be shocked. So many shops. You can find shops, restaurants, grocery stores, it's kind of crazy.

I didn’t know that. So interesting and i give my congrulations to the journey.

I know there’s always an argument about car dependency, but having other means of transportation would actually be a plus for a lot of people, while some people might just want to stay in their cars. Others would rather take the train and that’s OK it would be pretty cool to see a high speed rail road train here in America so I could take a train from Atlanta to Cali so I hope we stop talking about it and really be about it 🫶🏾✌🏾🫶🏾

Now compare Toronto's system to literally anywhere 💀

Two biggest reasons: 1. Cultural. Japan is just different in terms of how they care for things. 2. They charge you for how long you travel, not just one fare to enter the system

5:27 I love that statement 😊

I've been to about a dozen countries, rich and poor, with various cities having metro and as a life long New Yorker I'm embarrassed by our system 100% of the time. Even Bangkok was better than ours by safety and cleanliness, but like old NY they have multiple metro companies. Comparing us to Tokyo is unfair. The rail connectivity all over Japan's cities is unbeatable.

I have taken public trains in New York, Tokyo, Rio de Janeiro, Germany, Paris, Hong Kong, Singapore and also in more than 50 other cities all over the world. It all boils down to the people. My experience is New York people are rude angry nonchalant extremely dirty and Tokyo are extremely polite will always help you clean always on the dot on time as per the schedule. It’s the people that matters.

Japan actually cares about giving riders a great experience. MTA workers in NYC don't even care to speak clearly over the intercom.

The train station and trains in Japan are clean and orderly. I was very impressed. Before talking about infrastructure, let’s talk about culture because that is the most impressive.

The difference is that in Tokyo you buy a house and say "it's ok, I can get the subway to work". In the US you say "oh no, I have to get the subway to work". Everyone knows why.

The MTA has a mentality where you strive to meet the bare minimum. Good enough. In Japan, it’s sort of the opposite. And continuous improvement over time.

same here in China. clean, cheap, accessible, modern subway in every big city. safe, works perfectly well, and of course profitable. America is 3rd world country in terms of infrastructure

IC Card in Japan (Suica, Icoca, Sugoca, etc) not only can be used for metro and railways, but also the Bus. Furthermore, you can use those card in almost entire Japan. I used Sugoca for commuting by bus and railways at Fukuoka, Osaka, Kyoto, and Tokyo. 5:25 USA is no more the future, Japan is the future right now.

New York → public transport [Open 24 hours] Tokyo → The station space itself is the city (daily life) [Not Open 24 hours Maintenance from midnight every day] There are various facilities in the station. restaurants, bookstore,convenience store, clothing store, hotel ,housing, etc.

"It may not be up to Asian standard." LOL. At least he is honest🤣

Japan doesn't have a profitable rail system. It has certain profitable routes. And those routes are only profitable operationally. They still can't cover the capital costs of regular upgrades and repairs.

Not only Tokyo's metro beats NYC... Basically any European metro system does it, Paris, London, Madrid, Berlin, etc. Mid-size and small size systems like Lisbon, Oslo, Amsterdam, Stockholm, Rome, Athens, etc. also beat their US counterparts. Why? Because this is a car-centric country where public transit is seen like wellfare.

WMATA + Arlington Rapid Transit is a fantastic system

I really don’t think profitability is a good way to judge a public transit system. As a New Yorker who takes the subway multiple times a day, I can honestly say that it completely gets its intended purpose fulfilled.

Do we need to ask, i was in japan for a month and never saw one turnstile hopper/ fare cheat. i lived in nyc and if you just stood at one station you could easily see hundreds in a couple of hours.

The lack of a single integrated system for ride fares & payments in New York is jaw-dropping for a city that is supposed to be the best in the United States for mass transit. In Tokyo, there are several companies that operate several different railway lines & services from JR East, Tokyo Metro and the Toei Subway to the Keisei, Tobu & Odakyu railways to name just a few, but you can use the Suica/Pasmo or literally ANY IC card in Japan with them. There's no messing about with different cards or payment systems for each line, it's all accessible through a single system.

NYC doesn’t even need massive infrastructure investments to truly be world class, mostly just operational changes and full utilization of existing infrastructure. Just add the IBX as an orbital, turn NJT and LIRR into a frequent S-Bahn running through penn station, standardize fares across the region and add more dedicated bus lanes.

I've been to Japan, Singapore, Taiwan, Australia and S. Korea, their mass transport systems are superb. Why can't we Americans, the world's richest country, make our trains and stations clean and safe for the public as well?

guy at 5:30 sounds so proud of himself!

Not only in Japan, I think East Asia have so many great subway systems

This was just a comparison between the subway systems between Tokyo and New York. But that doesn't even factor all of the regional commuter lines that run through the wider Tokyo metro area. JR is the largest company that operated a whole network of these lines. JR issues the Suica cards which can be used in most places where JR trains run. Other rail companies like Keikyu also run regional commuter rail networks. They issue PASSMO cards. When one compares the regional metro rail networks of NY and Tokyo, Tokyo is several orders of magnitude larger in terms of mileage and number of passengers served. The secret in the on time performance of their trains lies with all of the station attendants as their busy stations. They control access to the trains. About thirty seconds before a train departs, a warning sound is given and the station attendants insure that no one interferes with the closing of the doors so that train can depart on time.

The time delays for trains and metro in NYC is outrageous… in Brazil, taking Rio de Janeiro for reference, the metro barely gets more than 30 seconds late during peak hours…

1:40 you can use the metrocard for half the things here lol and the Amtrak ticket is like complaining that you can't use Tap To Pay to get on a flight.

You can spend money to improve the infrastructure, but you can't change how the riders behave in the subway.

Taiwan has a great metro as well. When I was a kid I spent a few years in Taiwan and was there when the train began operating. My dad use to have a car to commute and the metro was so well done. My dad and many of his colleagues got rid of their cars.