If his partner wasn't in the train car with him, perhaps Balthier's partner isn't here. There were other people on the train when Hob was on the way home from work. But then, he was alone and the train and destination had changed. At the time, for some reason, he thought nothing of it, which is also strange.

"Many cities have them where I come from." Which is clearly a different place than where Balthier is from.