The 19 cities with the best public transport in the world – according to locals

With a skyscraper-filled cityscape in front of a lush, mountainous backdrop, Hong Kong has got to be one of the most iconic cities on the planet, and it’s got the public transport system to do it justice. A whopping 98 percent of locals we surveyed said they’re happy with Hong Kong’s public transport, which includes the MTR (Mass Transit Railway), a 10-line network that serves Hong Kong Island, Kowloon and the New Territories, all the way to the border with mainland China. The city also offers air-conditioned buses and minibuses, not to mention iconic double-decker trams – arguably the coolest way to get around any city. 

📍 Discover the best things to do in Hong Kong

Shanghai’s transport has a lot riding on it – literally, given the city is home to almost 25 million people – so no wonder it’s so well-practiced at efficiency: 94 percent of locals rate it highly. Twenty metro lines, which span 800km and include the downtown metro and the suburban railway, form the bedrock of this city’s transport network. That’s supplemented by a healthy supply of buses (there are around 2,000 routes), taxis and ferries. Oh, and there’s the Maglev, the world’s fastest train, which can travel at speeds of 430km per hour. It covers the 30km route between Pudong International Airport and the Longyang Road metro station in a speedy eight minutes. 

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It’s only appropriate that China’s second-largest city is home to its second-most expansive public transport network, and Beijing trails just behind Shanghai with an approval rating from the locals we surveyed of 91 percent. China’s capital city brags 1,200 bus routes, 27 metro lines and thousands of taxis, but thanks to flat roads and cycle lanes, it’s a great place to get around by bike. In fact, widespread cycling in the city earned China the nickname of ‘Bicycle Kingdom’, which has seen something of a resurgence thanks to bike-sharing schemes. Bike-hailing apps include Didi Bike, Hellobike and Meituan – these operate in Mandarin, and require a local sim card and your passport details to sign up.

While an underground network is often the star of the show when it comes to transport in a major city, Abu Dhabi’s metro lines are still in the works. But that doesn’t mean it’s tricky to get around (nor hamper the satisfaction of locals – 88 percent of which are happy with the city’s offering): instead, there are air-conditioned and wheelchair-accessible shuttle nuses, which operate across eight different routes, run to popular sight-seeing spots such as the city centre, Yas Island, Saadiyat Island, Jubail Island and the Grand Canal, and are free to use. A rather futuristic looking trackless tram is also a popular way to get around Abu Dhabi, but no matter how you’re travelling, download the Darbi app to help you navigate. 

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A solid 88 percent of Taipei locals rate their public transport, but to see everything that’s on offer in all its glory, head to Taipei Main Station. It’s where everything interconnects – the Taiwan High-Speed Rail, which has been operating since 2007 and can reach 300 km/h; the Taipei Metro, lauded locally for its cleanliness and punctuality, and the intercity bus network, which are regular and use electronic screens with destinations in English and Mandarin at most stations. Load up an EasyCard (which covers metros, buses and YouBikes) and be on your way. 

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Having been whisking Londoners across the city since 1863, the Underground has earned its long-standing reputation as a reliable and extensive network (which is technically the oldest of its kind in the world) and has won itself a local approval rating of 86 percent. The tube – as the Brits say – spans 402 kilometres in total, and was supplemented three years ago with the opening of the swish, squeaky-clean, high-speed Elizabeth Line. But there’s a lot going on above ground, too: the overground, which has recently had a tourist-friendly rebrand, Lime Bikes, which are popular (it’s thought there are around 30,000 kicking about the place) and 675 bus routes (97 of which operate through the night). If you’re in the city for a while and possess a UK railcard, attach it to your Oyster card for a third off all off-peak journeys. 

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Visit Vienna describes the city’s public transport system as ‘cheap, frequent, fast, clean, efficient, and rarely overcrowded’ – what more could you want? Comprised of a metro (U-Bahn), local trains (S-Bahn), tram system (straßenbahn) and bus network, all of the city’s transport is operated by Wiener Linien which means ticket buying is simple – no wonder 84 percent of locals have a good impression of the transport. One thing that’s worth noting is that Vienna’s transport network operates on a trust basis – there are no ticket barriers anywhere, but there are likely plain-clothed conductors, so make sure you buy a ticket to avoid being fined. 

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Whether you’re travelling by bus, subway or even taxi, Korea’s T-money card is a handy tourist transport card to use which will make getting around the city a breeze. Download the Kakao app, and opt for either the subway (which is generally considered one of the most efficient in the world, and not just by the 84 percent of locals who rate it), or the colour-coded buses. There are five types in Seoul: blue and green will take you over cross-town routes (and there are also mini green buses which stick to one neighbourhood), red will take you from Seoul to the city’s peripheral regions, and yellow buses loop around the popular tourist spots. 

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Mumbai’s transport lifeblood comes in the form of local trains, which you can navigate and keep one eye on the schedule by using the m-indicator app. They can be pretty damn crowded, but are by far the most efficient option when it comes to getting across this gorgeous city, and the network overall has the approval of 83 percent of locals. If you’d prefer a leisurely transport option (or it’s rush hour, when the trains are at their sweltering busiest), you can instead opt for a bus, taxi, metro or auto-rickshaw. 

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With just three lines, Doha’s subway network is hardly the most extensive on this list, but its driverless trains are some of the fastest in the world, and reliably ferry locals and tourists to and from the airport and the city’s top attractions through sleek, modern stations. No wonder 83 percent of locals approve of their transport. The lines are supplemented by ‘metrolink’ buses, which operate between a 2 and 5km radius of stations, and there are also Karwa buses serving the suburbs, but ride-hailing apps are popular for where these fall a little short.

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Delhi is vast, sprawling more than 1,400 square kilometres, and is home to more than 33 million people. Thankfully, it’s got an appropriately expansive and reliable public transport network keeping the city running, with 83 percent of locals in our survey rating it highly. The Delhi Metro is the bedrock (which also serves nearby cities of Faridabad, Gurgaon, Noida and Ghaziabad), but other railway services complement it: the Rapid Metro Gurgaon and other suburban trains connect the city with surrounding regions. Buses, cluster buses (which are air-conditioned), as well as auto-rickshaws and e-rickshaws cover the ground. 

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Singapore is compact, but what makes getting around this city even more efficient is its innovative public transport network – and that innovation has meant an 82 percent approval rating from locals. The MRT lines in Singapore, of which there are six, are the speediest way to get around, plus the driverless Light Transit Rail, which serves suburban areas. But it doesn’t end there – Singapore has a series of free shuttle buses and even an elevated monorail, which shuttles tourists to the beachy paradise of Sentosa Island. Be sure to download the MyTransport.SG app when you arrive. 

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First things first – get yourself a Zurich card. All travel, whether you’re nipping across the city or heading out to the airport, is covered by it, meaning you only need to purchase one to cover you no matter the mode of transport. It’s usable on Zurich’s streetcars, cable cars, buses, and boats and can either be purchased via the Zurich City Guide app or physically from a station. As for the transport itself, Zurich gained a local approval rating of 81 percent – pretty good, right?

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Brighton is significantly smaller than the other destinations on this list – it was named the second-most walkable out of all cities surveyed – but even little cities deserve solid transport options. There are decent railway connections to London which take just over an hour, but Brighton’s transport truly shines when you look at its bus services. Seventy-three routes operate across around 2,000 stops, with five main night buses on offer, and they’re simple to navigate with a tap-on tap-off payment system. No wonder 80 percent of locals gave the city’s public transport the thumbs up.

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The great thing about Edinburgh is that the city’s most famous attractions are pretty packed in together, so when it comes to getting around, you’ll likely be walking a fair bit. However, the public transport in the Scottish capital has got a reputation for reliability, which is probably why 80 percent of locals rated it positively. Getting further afield to attractions like the Royal Botanic Gardens, Edinburgh Zoo or Portobello Beach is made simple by buses, and there’s a tram line with 15 stops connecting the airport with York Place, which opened back in 2014. 

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Public transport in Oslo got a solid 79 percent approval rating from locals, and the network spans the metro, tram lines, buses and ferries (the city is spread across 40 different islands, after all). Pretty much all of it can be travelled on with a single ticket which can be topped up (excluding ferries to Bygdøy). But the best thing about transport in Oslo has got to be the Oslo Pass – you can select travel for 24, 48 or 72 hours and enjoy unlimited use of the city’s transport options within that time. Plus, the city relies almost solely on electric vehicles, so you can rest assured you’re getting around sustainably.

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Unlike a lot of the other cities on this list, the busiest form of public transport in Jakarta (which got an approval rating of 79 percent) is its buses. The TransJakarta Bus, known locally as busways, operates in its own lanes on the city’s roads to ensure service isn’t hampered by traffic and offers locals the most affordable option to get across the city. There’s also a system of Microtrans, which are medium-sized buses that serve between busways stations, and several railway options – Jakarta has an MRT and an LRT (light rapid transit) which have helped reduce the city’s congestion, and a commuter line, which serves Greater Jakarta, too. Learning a couple of Indonesian phrases will help with navigating the network here. 

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Also bragging a 79 percent approval rating from locals for its public transport is Warsaw, the capital of Poland. Here, options include trams, which are extensive and serve around a third of the city and half its population; then there’s the metro, which has two lines and connects Śródmieście with Bielany, Ursynów, Bemowo and Targówek districts and runs until 1am on weekdays and 3am on Friday and Saturday nights. In terms of buses, there are standard, fast, express, zone and nightlines, and the SKM trains (which stands for ‘szybka kolej miejska’ or urban rapid rail) connect the surrounding towns with Warsaw.

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Even though, as cities go, Tallinn is on the small side – just under half a million people call the Estonian capital home – its public transport network is still impressive. Fun fact: if you’re registered as a resident in Tallinn, public transport is free. Yes, you read that right – and it’s probably why 77 percent of locals say they’re happy with the city’s offering. But that doesn’t mean that tourists are fronted with the cost, as a one-day ticket costs a mere €5.50 (that’ll get you onto all of Tallinn’s buses and cute vintage trams).