Three in the morning. You are walking back from somewhere. The nearest toilet - according to your phone - is the fast food restaurant that closes at 2am, the pub that locked its doors an hour ago, and a public toilet kiosk that the map claims exists but does not seem to be where the map says it is.
Finding a toilet at night is genuinely harder than during the day, and the strategies that work vary significantly by city. This guide covers twelve major cities with practical, tested advice for each.
London - Automated and open around the clock
London has around 300 standalone public toilet facilities, but only a fraction are open 24 hours. The key ones are the JCDecaux Superloos (Healthmatic in some boroughs) - large, coin-operated automated kiosks found in major public squares and transport nodes. The City of Westminster and London Borough of Camden have the densest overnight provision.
The reliable overnight options: McDonald's (most central London locations are 24hr), Tesco Express stores open 24hrs, and petrol stations on the A-road ring roads. Waterloo, King's Cross, and Victoria train stations have toilet facilities operating overnight (charge applies, around 30p).
New York City - The American pragmatism approach
New York has the USA's least impressive standalone public toilet provision for a city its size, but compensates through commercial density. 24-hour Walgreens and CVS stores have accessible customer restrooms. McDonald's in midtown stays open 24hrs. Bodegas (corner stores) will often allow toilet use at night for regular customers or with a small purchase.
The PATH train stations between Manhattan and New Jersey have 24-hour toilets. Penn Station (Amtrak) and Grand Central Terminal have facilities open around the clock.
Tokyo - Simply not a problem
Tokyo's density of convenience stores (コンビニ are genuinely open 24 hours - staffed, stocked, and with consistently clean toilets) makes overnight toilet access a non-issue in any urban or suburban area. Navigate to the nearest 7-Eleven (there are 2,100 in Tokyo alone). Problem solved.
Paris - The Sanisette, post-midnight
Paris's 400+ Sanisette automatic kiosks are theoretically open 24 hours and free. In practice, a small percentage are shut for maintenance at any given time. The Sanisettes near major tourist spots (near the Eiffel Tower, around the Marais, near the Place de la République) tend to have higher maintenance priority. RATP metro stations - those open for night buses (Noctilien routes) - have toilet facilities in the station but access is behind the fare gates.
Sydney - Beach facilities and the 7-Eleven alternative
Sydney's council-operated amenity blocks at major beaches (Bondi, Manly, Coogee) stay unlocked overnight. 7-Eleven stores in Australia operate 24hrs. The CBD has the Town Hall public toilets (open 24hrs), the Wynyard Park facilities, and several council kiosks near the waterfront.
Singapore - The city that never really closes
Singapore's Changi Airport is open 24hrs and accessible by MRT until midnight then by night bus. 24-hour hawker centres (the famous Chomp Chomp Food Centre operates through the night on weekends) have toilet facilities. Most 7-Eleven stores, Cheers, and similar convenience retailers are open 24hrs with accessible toilets.
Berlin - The MiMa network
Berlin operates a network of "MiMa Mobilé" standalone portable toilet units at nightlife-heavy locations (Kreuzberg, Prenzlauer Berg, Friedrichshain) specifically for the after-midnight crowd - a pragmatic response to public urination during the city's famous club nights. Rewe and EDEKA 24-hour supermarkets also provide the most reliably clean option in most Berlin districts after midnight.
The universal fallback
In almost any major city worldwide, at almost any hour, one of the following is within walkable distance: a 24-hour petrol station, a 24-hour fast food outlet, or a hotel lobby. Hotel lobbies are often overlooked - the toilet near reception in a mid-to-high-end hotel is not usually policed for non-guests, particularly at night when staff are minimal.
ToiletNearest.com's 24-hour filter shows all OSM-tagged facilities that have opening_hours including the current time. It is not exhaustive - many 24hr facilities are not tagged in OSM - but it gives the best available picture of what should be open where you are standing.