Japan’s train service is exemplary for being consistently punctual not only because the trains are super fast but also because punctuality is ingrained in Japanese culture. Arrival delays are mere seconds and rarely occur.

In one incident of delay in April that affected 600 passengers, tardiness was not to blame. A snake was reported in one coach, prompting railway authorities to pull the train out of service as a precaution.

The Osaka-bound train was replaced as officials investigated how the snake got on board. Commuters are prohibited from carrying snakes into trains.

Meanwhile, Italy has challenged Japan in terms of train service punctuality.

Trenitalia had its own way of making its high-speed Silver Arrow arrive on time in Genoa during the national transport strike last month that stopped local buses, trams and the subway from serving commuters.

The train scheduled to leave at 4:20 p.m. on 8 November left the station 50 minutes earlier, or at 3:30 p.m., to arrive on time at its destination. The haste saw the train departing half empty, leaving dozens of passengers searching in vain for the train on the departure board.

Trenitalia said it alerted passengers to the schedule change beforehand through a mobile phone alert but some, including an Agence France-Presse journalist, reportedly did not receive it.

The railway operator said the Silver Arrow arrived on time and the passengers who missed it were able to take the next train, at 4:57 p.m., or claim a refund.