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Top ten cities with best public transit systems

by Alex Robertson Textor (RSS feed) on Nov 4th 2010 at 11:30AM

These ten public transportation systems, in random rather than top-to-bottom order, are among the world's best. The transit systems profiled here include some of the most impressively massive as well as some of the best-scaled urban transportation systems. Today's focus is on international public transit systems; as such, the better US public transit systems (New York, Chicago, and Portland, among others) are not included.

1. Curitiba, Brazil. The capital of Brazil's southern Paraná province has a widely emulated public transportation system consisting exclusively of buses running on dedicated lanes, all of which utilize bus shelters (see above). The system prizes simplicity. There is a single price for tickets. The network is estimated to be used by a remarkable 85% of the population.

2. Moscow, Russia. If you take the metro to work in Moscow, you don't really have an excuse for being late. The sheer reliability and frequency of Moscow's metro system makes it among the world's best. The city's metro system also features a number of ornately beautiful stations. Some stand-out stations include Mayakovskaya, Kiyevskaya, and Kropotkinskaya.

3. Vienna, Austria. Vienna's public transportation system is a favorite for tourists in part due to its iconic red streetcars, which have become a symbol of the city. The city's five U-Bahn (subway) lines join 30 streetcar lines and over 80 bus lines in blanketing the city with transit options.

4. Hong Kong. The public transportation system in this crowded metropolis absorbs most of its residents' transportation needs. Hong Kong's Mass Transit Railway takes the lion's share of traffic. Fares are paid via a smart card known as an Octopus Card, which can be used to charge transactions in all sorts of non-transit venues.

5. Munich, Germany. Bavaria's biggest city boasts a very comprehensive multi-pronged public transportation system, which consists of an U-Bahn (subway), S-Bahn (commuter rail), an inner-city tram network, and buses. Munich's transit systems is efficient and its range is broad.

6. Seoul, South Korea. The famously user-friendly public transportation system is centered on an integrated metro-bus system. It's very contemporary throughout and extremely useable for visitors, with English language announcements and Wi-Fi access soon to be rolled out on subway trains.

7. London, United Kingdom. The Tube is pilloried by many who ride it on a daily basis, and in fact has a number of structural problems that render certain lines slow and not particularly user-friendly. At the same time, it has an awe-inspiring range. London is also well-served by buses, a light rail, and ferries for cross-Thames travel.

8. Paris, France. Parisians benefit from a multi-level public transportation system: the Métro (subway), commuter train (RER), bus, and the tram system. The most recent addition to the transportation system is a tramway covering the city's periphery. Paris boasts an incredible density of underground stations.

9. Copenhagen, Denmark. The Danish capital's highly regarded public transportation system includes a driverless metro network. The metro's two lines are fully automated and run 24 hours a day. A major metro extension is due to debut in 2018. Buses and commuter trains fill in the blanks.

10. Tokyo, Japan. Tokyo's public transportation system includes a subway network, light rail lines, and bus lines. The system features enormous numbers of riders, high-tech displays, and remarkably user-friendly features throughout. The subway system is also incredibly clean, and as such stands apart from most other well-used public transportation systems.

(Image: xander76 / Flickr)

Filed under: Asia, Europe, South America, China, Japan, South Korea, Russian Federation, Austria, Denmark, France, Germany, United Kingdom, Brazil

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Dick Jordan Nov 4th 2010 1:50PM

What about Seattle, Washington and Portland, Oregon, where downtown city public transit is free, frequent, and works well? (I've ridden the bus/subway in London, Paris, Vienna, Munich, and elsewhere in Europe, too).

Alex Nov 4th 2010 1:59PM

Watch out for Washington DC, where you'll apparently be lynched by the locals if you don't know every facet of the Metro system prior to visiting.

Roger Nov 5th 2010 10:09AM

I've had nothing but good experiences on the DC Metro. I had some problems figuring out the ticket machine and three people teamed up to help me. The DC metro employees have been helpful to a fault. I was in the Metro recently after Jon Stewarts Rally to Restore Sanity. The place was packed and still people were polite. OK, there was one crazy guy but that's nothing out of the ordinary for a big city.

Fiznatty Nov 4th 2010 3:12PM

I was actually going to mention Seattle as a joke.

The area's finally getting a much-needed light rail system that should have been built 30 years ago. The local government turned down federal funding for it back then (funding that went to Atlanta instead and helped that city get the Olympics).

In another 10-15 years when the project is complete this region may finally have public transportation it can really be proud of.