Gotta roll with it. Situations's out of your control so don't let it bother you. +1 on the suggestions for noise cancelling headphones.

I commute daily on NJ Transit trains to midtown Manhattan. I've noticed that the early morning trains are very quiet. Everyone's reading a paper, book, listening to iPod, or whatever. If someone gets on and starts gabbing, it will generate a lot of dirty looks. Some people may even get up and change their seat. On the way home, it's a different story and people are generally more verbal.

Either way, life's too short.