A new list of the world’s best cities for public transportation focuses primarily on Asia and Europe.
In 50 cities, Time Out, a publisher of global city guides, polled 20,000 people to find out how they felt about the mass transit systems in their respective cities.
Out of the 19 cities listed, only destinations in Asia and Europe make up the top ten, with Berlin taking the top spot.
No other continents are represented; Buenos Aires, Doha, or Melbourne will have better luck next year, but New York City is the highest entry from North America, coming in at number 15.
Despite the fact that only locals were surveyed, travelers can also use this list to decide where to go next and how to get around.
What makes great transportation?
Subways, above-ground trains, buses, trams, and even ferries are all examples of public transportation, which is a broad term. To be included on Time Out’s list, at least 80% of those surveyed had to agree that public transportation makes it simple to move around their city.
Time Out’s data show that a whopping 97% of Berliners were pleased with their city’s mass transit infrastructure, praising its dependability, comfort, and safety.
Aesthetics, on the other hand, should be taken into account when traveling by bus or train.
One of the cities praised for its beautiful subway stations was Stockholm, which came in seventh place. It has been dubbed “the world’s longest art exhibit” due to the colorful and dramatic designs of many of its Tunnelbana stations.
The stations themselves aren’t the only ones with a reputation for being attractive.
The well-known above-ground trains of Hong Kong, also known as “ding dings” due to the sound they make, have their very own Pantone color, “HK Tram Green.”
Although the trams now come in a variety of designs and colors, the iconic green color dates back to the British military’s surplus of green paint after World War II.
Asian standouts
Asia is home to seven of the top 19 cities with the best mass transit systems.
The majority are in east Asia, with Singapore, Shanghai, and Taipei all receiving praise, but Mumbai managed to sneak in at number 19.
Chalo Pay, a brand-new app that eliminates the need to carry cash when booking and paying for transit tickets, was recently launched in the Indian megacity.
However, Tokyo came out on top for the continent, coming in third place.
The city’s mass transit system was praised for being clean, effective, and simple to use, even for people who don’t speak Japanese.
European stars
Six of the top 19 cities were in Europe, and two more were in the United Kingdom—London and Edinburgh.
A number of these cities received praise for having a single, unified payment system that covered a variety of modes of public transportation.
Water taxis that take passengers across the harbor in Copenhagen can be part of a typical commute, while Amsterdam’s 10-place system makes it easy to switch between buses, trains, and trams.
The fact that both of these cities are included on CNN’s list of the world’s best cities to explore by bicycle might not be a coincidence.
As a result of European Union sustainability initiatives, numerous metropolitan areas offer incentives to reduce automobile traffic. It is possible to visit major tourist attractions while reducing your carbon footprint by taking the tram, train, or bicycle.
The world’s best cities for public transit
1. Berlin, Germany
2. Prague, Czech Republic
3. Tokyo, Japan
4. Copenhagen, Denmark
5. Stockholm, Sweden
6. Singapore
7. Hong Kong
8. Taipei, Taiwan
9. Shanghai, China
10. Amsterdam, Netherlands
11. London, UK
12. Madrid, Spain
13. Edinburgh, UK
14. Paris, France
15. New York City, US
16. Montreal, Canada
17. Chicago, US
18. Beijing, China
19. Mumbai, India
