- By Ridam Sharma
- Thu, 15 May 2025 12:04 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
World’s Best Public Transportation System: The transportation system across the globe has become expensive over the past decade, mainly due to the cost of fuel and labour. Nowadays, hiring a private cab costs a fortune, therefore, travellers worldwide opt for public transportation like metro, buses, and railways to keep their visits affordable. Additionally, other than being efficient and reliable, a good public transportation system also highlights the quality of standard of the place. Some of the countries truly stand out with their exceptionally well-developed public transport system, which are backed by seamless connectivity, sustainability, and innovation. Here’s a list of ten countries that have the best public transportation systems in the world, as per Statista’s Global Transport Index report.
List Of 10 Countries With the Best Public Transportation Systems:
| Rank | City | Average Public Transport Cost | Public Transport Stops/100,000 People | Fleet Of Public Transport Units/ Per Million People | Metro Routes | Shared Bikes Available | E-Scooter Schemes | Electric Vehicle/ Per 100,000 People | Public Transport Score |
| 1. | Paris | £1.85 | 149 | 1,176 | 16 | 15,761 | 10 | 325 | 10.00 |
| 2. | Stockholm | £3.03 | 303 | 1,280 | 7 | NA | 6 | 910 | 9.41 |
| 3. | Hong Kong | £1.22 | 62 | 1,767 | 9 | NA | 0 | 58,754 | 8.82 |
| 4. | New York City | £2.20 | 46 | 1,644 | 28 | 25,247 | 3 | 236 | 8.24 |
| 5. | Oslo | £2.99 | 586 | 1,539 | 5 | 1,939 | 3 | 2,760 | 7.65 |
| 6. | Brussels | £2.16 | 210 | 1,264 | 3 | 3,657 | 5 | 326 | 7.06 |
| 7. | London | £2.70 | 220 | 1,105 | 11 | 10,696 | 3 | 400 | 6.47 |
| 8. | Berlin | £2.65 | 208 | 1,219 | 10 | 290 | 5 | 564 | 5.88 |
| 9. | Buenos Aires | £0.12 | 150 | 1,275 | 6 | 1,883 | 0 | NA | 5.29 |
| 10. | Madrid | £1.32 | 77 | 1,183 | 12 | 1,815 | 8 | 69 | 4.12 |
Source: Statista And William Russell Global Transport Index report
Paris, France
Paris has one of the world's most extensive and well-linked public transport systems. Paris possess the famous Paris Métro, with 16 lines and over 300 stations, offering quick underground links around the city. The RER (Réseau Express Régional) covers both city and suburbs, and the Transilien trains reach further into the Île-de-France region. Paris also has a comprehensive network of buses with 347 lines, 13 tram lines that mainly cover the suburbs, and a night bus service known as Noctilien.
Stockholm, Sweden
Stockholm's SL (Storstockholms Lokaltrafik) managed public transport is efficient and reliable. There are three main metro lines (green, red, blue), large bus and tram networks, commuter trains to the suburbs (Pendeltåg), and ferries linking the islands of the city. One ticket or pass gives unrestricted travel across all modes of transport, which helps residents and tourists to freely explore the city.
Hong Kong, China
Hong Kong's Mass Transit Railway (MTR) is the backbone of its public transport system, with a 10-line rapid transit network, light rail, and feeder bus services. The MTR has more than 245 kilometres of track and 179 stations, serving millions a day with a punctuality rate of 99.9%. They also have the Octopus card system, which allows easy, contactless payment of fares on all public transport.
New York City, United States
New York City has one of the world's largest and busiest public transport systems, controlled mostly by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA). The system consists of the widespread subway system, city buses, Staten Island ferries, commuter rails, and even an aerial tramway.
Oslo, Norway
Oslo has a multi-modal public transportation system that includes metro (T-bane), trams, buses, and ferries. The city's advancement is highlighted through its electric trams and buses. The system allows convenient transfers and serves urban and suburban regions, which place Oslo at the forefront of green and accessible public transport.
Brussels, Belgium
Brussels' public transport, run by STIB/MIVB, consists of metro, tram, bus, and shared bicycles. The metro has four lines, with trams and buses providing cover to areas not covered by the metro.
London, England
London's transport is globally famous, centred on the London Underground (the Tube), which features 11 lines serving the city and suburbs. The network has extensive bus, tram, Overground, Docklands Light Railway (DLR), and river services. Tickets are handled easily by the Oyster card and contactless payment.
Berlin, Germany
Berlin's mass transit is operated by BVG and consists of the U-Bahn (subway), S-Bahn (city rail), trams, and buses. All modes are covered with unified ticketing, and the network reaches well into the suburbs, so Berlin is very accessible.
Buenos Aires, Argentina
Buenos Aires has a well-structured public transport system with a metro (Subte), a wide range of bus routes, and suburban trains. The Subte operates six lines linking main districts, with buses covering almost every corner of the city. Payment is made easy with the SUBE card, which operates on all modes and public transport.
Madrid, Spain
Madrid's public transport network is one of Europe's biggest, with a metro system of 12 lines, widespread bus services, and light rail. Madrid's Metro is world famous for its cleanliness, safety, and space.
India's Rank In The Global Transport Index:
India does not rank among the top 10 in the Global Transport Index. The position is largely on account of the huge population of India and the scarcity of infrastructure and facilities. However, the nation of billions has been continuing to make efforts to improve its quality of transportation over the last few years through better policies and development strategies.