This study examines whether timing reliability and route coverage impact the rail ridership trends in New York City and Tokyo, Japan. The study also examines demographic trends of ridership in these two cities. This research aims to look at an international case study of rail ridership and assess whether lessons learned from this case study can be applicable in the United States. Content analysis was used to evaluate an array of journal articles relating to rail ridership and community accessibility to the rail system. Results of this study can help inform improvements each city could explore for application to their public transportation plans and policies.