[quickthrower2]

Almost. Take reliability of trains into account too. If you are physically closer you have backup options (buses, other trains, bicycle perhaps!). Sydney has such slow transport that if you need to make connections it can be quicker to cycle the same distance. The UK people live not just in suburbs but entirely different cities to commute to London, but using trains that if they go wrong - and they will - it’ll be long and/or expensive commute that day.

[bryanrasmussen]

> Sydney has such slow transport that if you need to make connections it can be quicker to cycle the same distance.

I believe that would come under the time to get home calculation. Aside from that all these other points would seem to be to Japan's benefit.

[skhr0680]

> Take reliability of trains into account too.

I think it's fair to say that Japan is the country in the world with the most reliable trains

[lillecarl]

Switzerland, but Japan is up there indeed!