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I wonder how much this service costs. If it is as expensive as taxi services in Tokyo, it could fail. While I don’t think it’s possible for the cost to match th

I wonder how much this service costs. If it is as expensive as taxi services in Tokyo, it could fail. While I don’t think it’s possible for the cost to match that of a train, if this service materializes successfully, it could become the most disruptive innovation in Japan. How about California or Phoenix?

Aeolun 2y ago
> If it is as expensive as taxi services in Tokyo, it could fail. You mean cheap? How are taxi services in Tokyo expensive?
klausa 2y ago
I think the killer feature for this will be if it's readily available at night, for reasonable prices. I love living here, but the "do we go home or stay out all night?" decision at ~23:30 when out sucks. If I could get across town for ~3000 JPY at 2AM without having to wait 50 minutes for a cab around Shinjuku, I'd be ecstatic.
- ryan_lane 2y ago
  Taxis are readily available, but the price after hours is why people don't take them. I doubt waymo will be able to bypass taxi pricing.
  - kalleboo 2y ago
    At least where I live in Japan (not Tokyo), a huge portion of taxi drivers quit over COVID, and it can be impossible to get a taxi during many times of the day. This wasn't a problem at all 5 years ago.
  - klausa 2y ago
    My experience trying to get home from around 二丁目 says otherwise re/ availability, but I'll admit I might have given up too quickly.
  - sushid 2y ago
    Can you elaborate for those less informed? Is there a higher fare after the trains stop?
    - numpad0 2y ago
      There are late night fees, and taxis in general are 3-10x expensive relative to trains. Trains in Japan cease operations during nights, and last stops of trains move progressively towards core Tokyo to position vehicles for morning operations. This means you can't just stay at the table until stations close and catch the very last one, but people have varying time limits for train rides home. So binge drinking train riding bar goers has to know the absolute latest time they must give up their mugs, which they're going to miss anyway, but will still try anyway, to be stuck mid-way to queue up for a taxi. Or they can be smarter and get stuck at Shinjuku, queueing for a taxi. The smartest ones hit 24/7 places like McD, karaoke, or internet cafe. Or get couples of cans at 7-11 and raid a friend's apartment. None of them are smart, they're all drunk. I've never taken a taxi in that kind of situation, but I imagine the experience wouldn't be great. Waymo at midnight is certainly going to be a game changer to them.
      - klausa 2y ago
        One thing to add, which is the thing that surprised me: not only the trains stop; _there are no replacement bus services_. Where I'm from, where the rail services when they stop for the night, have _some_ replacement — you might need to wait 30 minutes for a bus, and then ride it along the U-Bahn tracks and the trip will take 45 minutes instead of 15; but there is _a_ way to get home before the trains resume.
        danielhep 2y ago
        Even in the US, every major city has overnight bus services. I live in Seattle and have taken the half hourly to hourly bus home at 3am before. It's wild to me that Tokyo has none.
        klausa 2y ago

Aeolun 2y ago

> If it is as expensive as taxi services in Tokyo, it could fail. You mean cheap? How are taxi services in Tokyo expensive?

klausa 2y ago

I think the killer feature for this will be if it's readily available at night, for reasonable prices. I love living here, but the "do we go home or stay out all night?" decision at ~23:30 when out sucks. If I could get across town for ~3000 JPY at 2AM without having to wait 50 minutes for a cab around Shinjuku, I'd be ecstatic.

ryan_lane 2y ago
Taxis are readily available, but the price after hours is why people don't take them. I doubt waymo will be able to bypass taxi pricing.
- kalleboo 2y ago
  At least where I live in Japan (not Tokyo), a huge portion of taxi drivers quit over COVID, and it can be impossible to get a taxi during many times of the day. This wasn't a problem at all 5 years ago.
- klausa 2y ago
  My experience trying to get home from around 二丁目 says otherwise re/ availability, but I'll admit I might have given up too quickly.
- sushid 2y ago
  Can you elaborate for those less informed? Is there a higher fare after the trains stop?
  - numpad0 2y ago
    There are late night fees, and taxis in general are 3-10x expensive relative to trains. Trains in Japan cease operations during nights, and last stops of trains move progressively towards core Tokyo to position vehicles for morning operations. This means you can't just stay at the table until stations close and catch the very last one, but people have varying time limits for train rides home. So binge drinking train riding bar goers has to know the absolute latest time they must give up their mugs, which they're going to miss anyway, but will still try anyway, to be stuck mid-way to queue up for a taxi. Or they can be smarter and get stuck at Shinjuku, queueing for a taxi. The smartest ones hit 24/7 places like McD, karaoke, or internet cafe. Or get couples of cans at 7-11 and raid a friend's apartment. None of them are smart, they're all drunk. I've never taken a taxi in that kind of situation, but I imagine the experience wouldn't be great. Waymo at midnight is certainly going to be a game changer to them.
    - klausa 2y ago
      One thing to add, which is the thing that surprised me: not only the trains stop; _there are no replacement bus services_. Where I'm from, where the rail services when they stop for the night, have _some_ replacement — you might need to wait 30 minutes for a bus, and then ride it along the U-Bahn tracks and the trip will take 45 minutes instead of 15; but there is _a_ way to get home before the trains resume.
      - danielhep 2y ago
        Even in the US, every major city has overnight bus services. I live in Seattle and have taken the half hourly to hourly bus home at 3am before. It's wild to me that Tokyo has none.
        klausa 2y ago