Comment by strken

No, loud conversation on a train during commuter hours really is rude where I live.

Most patrons have a conversation at a normal volume where the words are clear to their conversation partner but not to people sitting further away.

Speaking loudly enough to be understood from a significant distance is rude because it prevents other people from having their own conversations, and it forces people who are not having a conversation to listen to you. Speaking at an appropriate volume is not anti-social, it is pro-social: other people can't be social themselves if you're too loud.

The unwritten rules loosen up at night, during events, or at other times when there's a boisterous crowd.