Yeah, but one thing about the subways here in Japan that I think is weird: if I ride the subway to work (11-minute ride) most of the time literally nobody talks.
Nobody uses the phone (it's bad manners here), so like the only time anybody talks is like when a group of people gets on together (not usually the case when I commute).
I mainly bike so my subway experience might not be very typical, but it's one anecdata point.
Almost all my subway-riding experiences this year have been such that 95% of the other passengers are wearing masks, and nobody talks.
Can't be the main factor, but it might be one factor.
This. Talking on the phone on public transport is considered bad manners and practically never happens. Commute trains are dead silent with the exception of friends/family/coworkers traveling together. On top of all this everyone wears masks.
Nobody uses the phone (it's bad manners here), so like the only time anybody talks is like when a group of people gets on together (not usually the case when I commute).
I mainly bike so my subway experience might not be very typical, but it's one anecdata point.
Almost all my subway-riding experiences this year have been such that 95% of the other passengers are wearing masks, and nobody talks.
Can't be the main factor, but it might be one factor.