Best Cities for Transit, Ranked

Unsurprisingly, cities in Asia and Europe top the list.

1 minute read

December 5, 2022, 8:00 AM PST

By Diana Ionescu @aworkoffiction


Blurry view of semi-crowded subway car

YIUCHEUNG / Subway passengers

A newly released list from the Oliver Wyman Forum and the University of California Berkeley’s Institute of Transportation Studies ranks transit systems in cities around the world, with Hong Kong coming in first thanks to its “low fares, limited delays or service disruptions, and for supporting itself financially.” Amelia Pollard details the list for Bloomberg CityLab.

One of the keys to Hong Kong’s success, says Andreas Nienhaus of Oliver Wyman, is the city’s willingness to make “individual mobility” less attractive to residents. “They have either large green zones or large car-free zones, or just make it very expensive to drive personal vehicles in the city. And this helps.” Other cities in the top of the list included Zurich, Stockholm, Singapore, and Helsinki. “The report also gives credit to Oslo’s multimodal network that includes park and ride stations, as well as allowing bikes on public transit.”

U.S. cities ranked low “because of their over dependence on cars,” according to Pollard. “Additionally, the report ranks cities on “mobility readiness,” with San Francisco topping the list in part for its EV-charging network. That said, Oliver Wyman points out concerns that San Francisco’s aging infrastructure puts it at risk in a region prone to natural disasters like earthquakes and wildfires.”

Monday, November 21, 2022 in Bloomberg CityLab

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

June 25, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Map of Western U.S. indicating public lands that would be for sale under a Senate plan in yellow and green.

Map: Where Senate Republicans Want to Sell Your Public Lands

For public land advocates, the Senate Republicans’ proposal to sell millions of acres of public land in the West is “the biggest fight of their careers.”

June 19, 2025 - Outdoor Life

Person wearing mask walking through temporary outdoor dining setup lined with bistro lights at dusk in New York City.

Restaurant Patios Were a Pandemic Win — Why Were They so Hard to Keep?

Social distancing requirements and changes in travel patterns prompted cities to pilot new uses for street and sidewalk space. Then it got complicated.

June 19, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Close-up of full beer glass with purple train-themed design sitting on bar between two frosty tall cans.

Platform Pilsner: Vancouver Transit Agency Releases... a Beer?

TransLink will receive a portion of every sale of the four-pack.

7 hours ago - Cities Today

Vintage red Toronto streetcar passing in front of Rogers Arena in Toronto, Canada.

Toronto Weighs Cheaper Transit, Parking Hikes for Major Events

Special event rates would take effect during large festivals, sports games and concerts to ‘discourage driving, manage congestion and free up space for transit.”

June 30 - blogTO

Map of Berlin with ring roads in green and red.

Berlin to Consider Car-Free Zone Larger Than Manhattan

The area bound by the 22-mile Ringbahn would still allow 12 uses of a private automobile per year per person, and several other exemptions.

June 30 - Streetsblog USA

Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools

This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.

Planning for Universal Design

Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.