Some lines lose money, but other lines make more money than is lost. The losing lines are still important because if the system doesn't have enough coverage, pe

Some lines lose money, but other lines make more money than is lost. The losing lines are still important because if the system doesn't have enough coverage, people won't trust it. It also happens to be the case that the lines with "that kind of schedule" are the most profitable lines. That's why they run so often. JR East (All of Japan above Kanto) finances: http://www.jreast.co.jp/e/investor/ar/2016/pdf/ar_2016-02.pdf http://www.jreast.co.jp/e/investor/ar/2016/pdf/ar_2016-02.pd... According to Wikipedia Tokyo Metro made ¥63 billion in 2009. Tokyo also has the biggest Taxi economy in the world, but as a parent said, they're more for special occasions, and cost about as much as you'd expect to pay someone to be your personal driver.