The last train or bus in a city typically departs between midnight and 1am. If your evening extends beyond that, your transport options change completely. Some cities run 24-hour services. Others have overnight bus networks. Many have nothing except taxis and rideshare.
Knowing which category your city falls into before midnight saves significant money compared to discovering the last train left 20 minutes ago.
London runs 24-hour services on five Underground lines (Jubilee, Victoria, Central, Northern, Piccadilly) on Friday and Saturday nights. The rest of the network stops around midnight.
Night Tube fares: Identical to standard Tube fares. Your Oyster or contactless bank card covers night journeys at the standard capped rate. No separate night ticket required.
Night Bus network (N routes): Over 60 night bus routes operate across all seven nights of the week. Most run every 10 to 30 minutes. Standard bus fare: £1.75 per journey with Oyster or contactless. No night surcharge.
What this means for you: In London, there is no need to plan transport home from a late night. Tap your contactless card and take the Night Tube (Fri-Sat) or a night bus (any night). The daily cap still applies.
New York's subway runs continuously, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. This is unique among global metro systems for its scale.
Night fare: Standard $2.90 fare with OMNY contactless or MetroCard. No night surcharge. The weekly cap ($34 equivalent through OMNY) applies across all hours.
Night frequency: Trains run every 10 to 20 minutes on most lines between midnight and 5am. Express services switch to local stops at night. Check the MTA's weeknight schedule for your specific line.
Safety note: Platform choice matters at night. Wait in the designated off-hours waiting areas (marked by blue lights and intercoms) at quieter stations.
Enter your departure point and destination to see night bus and late train schedules. The Schedule Finder shows last departures, overnight services and first morning services so you plan your return journey before you leave.
Find Night TransportCalculate Night FareTokyo's train network stops between midnight and 1am and does not restart until around 5am. This creates a distinct late-night culture in the city.
Taxis after last train: Taxi fares in Tokyo increase by 20% after midnight. A taxi from Shinjuku to Shibuya costs approximately ¥1,500 to ¥2,500 during the day. After midnight: ¥1,800 to ¥3,000.
Uber in Tokyo: Available and cheaper than licensed taxis. Standard Uber pricing without the midnight surcharge that licensed taxis apply.
The 24-hour bus: Tokyo operates a limited number of 24-hour bus routes. Line S-1 (Shibuya to Roppongi to Shinjuku) runs every 30 minutes overnight at ¥220 per journey.
Manga cafes (漫画喫茶): Many Tokyo residents and travellers who miss the last train sleep in manga cafes until the first train. Cost: ¥1,200 to ¥2,000 for a private booth with internet and drinks until 5am. A practical and safe option.
Paris Metro stops between 1:15am and 5:30am. The Noctilien network of 47 night bus lines covers the city during this gap.
Ticket: Standard t+ ticket (€2.15) or loaded on Navigo Easy card. Night buses accept the same tickets as daytime Metro and buses.
Key routes:
Frequency: Every 30 to 60 minutes. Less frequent than London's night buses. Plan your journey before 2am to avoid long waits.
Bangkok's BTS Skytrain runs until around midnight. The MRT runs until around midnight. After that:
Options:
No formal night bus network equivalent to London or Paris operates in Bangkok.
| City | Night Transport Option | Cost Per Journey | Coverage |
|---|---|---|---|
| London | Night Tube + Night Bus | £1.75 to £2.80 | Near-complete |
| New York | 24-hour Subway | $2.90 | Complete |
| Paris | Noctilien Bus | €2.15 | Good central coverage |
| Berlin | U-Bahn + night bus | €3.50 | Good |
| Tokyo | Taxi / Uber | ¥1,800 to ¥5,000 | Full but expensive |
| Sydney | NightRide Bus | AUD $3.20 | Limited routes |
| Dubai | No night Metro | Taxi AED 40 to 80 | Taxi only |
| Singapore | Night Owl Bus | SGD $2 to $3 | 8 routes only |
The pattern is clear: European cities with comprehensive night public transport save travellers £10 to £30 per evening compared to Asian cities where taxis are the only option after midnight.