Question
I’m in Tokyo for a short trip and tonight I got a bit carried away at an izakaya in Shinjuku. It’s almost midnight and I’m starting to worry about getting back to my hotel. I want to ask the staff at the gate, or maybe the owner of the izakaya, before I miss my ride. How do I ask “What time does the last train leave?” in Japanese?
Answer by Professional Japanese Teacher
終電は何時ですか。
Shuuden wa nanji desu ka.
What time does the last train leave?
Tokyo trains stop earlier than most visitors expect, so a night that runs to midnight already has a deadline on it. You can use this phrase at any station ticket gate, a koban, or just turn to the izakaya owner and ask. Shuuden literally means “end train,” the very last one of the night, and it’s the word natives actually use. Saigo no densha is technically correct but sounds odd.
If you want to ask about a specific line, drop the name in front:
山手線の終電は何時ですか。
Yamanote-sen no shuuden wa nanji desu ka.
What time does the last Yamanote line train leave?
One tip: once you hear the time, ask “doko kara desu ka?” — “from where?” The last train from one station can be quite different from the last train from another.