In this article, we will take a detailed look at the 16 Countries With Most Efficient Public Transportation. If you want to skip our global overview of the public transport industry, you can take a look at our top picks of 5 Countries With Most Efficient Public Transportation.
In a faster and increasingly advanced world, it is very important to get from one place to another efficiently. People use cars, bikes, trains, and all different sorts of vehicles for quick travel. Indeed, the transport industry has expanded so extensively that there are many aspects to it. For example, Fortune’s article explains that the global transportation industry was valued at USD 1,149 billion in 2021. This valuation was also projected to increase, according to Forbes, to a staggering USD 1,804 by 2029.
As countries throughout the world have realized the benefits of fast commuting, they have developed and strengthened their public transport systems. If time is money, public transport can help free up time for people to do other things. At the same time, it can improve urban living conditions in different ways. A report by C40 Cities claims that increased investment in public transport can create up to 4.6 million jobs in 100 different cities by the year 2030. The report also suggests that better public transport options can reduce urban emissions by up to 45%. Mobility Lab’s report further states that putting transit in communities with high unemployment creates 2.5 times more jobs than if that same transit was put in communities with low unemployment.
Governments can subsidize private companies to provide better, more advanced passenger cars and engines. The private sector can improve public buses by investing in green technologies and carbon-neutral options. A report by Virtuosity Consulting shows how the lack of public expertise in the Sydney Harbour Tunnel, Australia, and the Wijkertunnel in the Netherlands was bridged by the private sector. The private sector is also making independent inroads into public transportation systems. Various innovative approaches have been adopted here, such as the ride-sharing service from Uber Technologies Inc (NYSE: UBER) which can be found worldwide in 785 different metropolitan areas as per reports by Stfalcon. Then there is Grab (NASDAQ: GRAB), which started in 2012 and is now the largest Southeast Asian mobile tech company that provides software for logistics.
As time goes on, the need for effective public transport systems continues to grow. Developing countries increasingly look to public transport models in developed countries. Quite recently, the World Bank stated that 15,000 buses are needed to fix public transport in Karachi, Pakistan’s largest city. Given the growing climate crisis, public transport systems can play a pivotal role in reducing global emissions. According to a report by the US Department of Transportation, car transportation accounts for 47% of the carbon footprint of a typical American family. Public transport is essential to the reduction of private transport emissions. Attempts to integrate eco-friendly options in the public transport industry continue. An article by Green City Times states that bus and rail are the most sustainable forms of public transport. After all, public transport is a great indicator of how developed a country is.
Let's now head over to the list of countries with the most efficient public transportation systems.
16 Countries With Most Efficient Public Transportation
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Our Methodology
Public transport systems are not unique to any single country. They are found in different shapes and sizes in different parts of the world. Some countries focus more on rail transport, while bus networks are more preferentially developed in other examples.
For our article on 16 countries with the most efficient public transportation, we have taken statistics from the UNECE database, which provides a comprehensive list of public transport statistics in each country. For countries not listed in the UNECE database, we have used country and region-specific databases, including but not limited to RailTech and Bureau of Transportation Statistics.
We want our list to be comprehensive, which means that we use one main metric So let’s lay out our methodology:
For determining the per capita usage of public transport, we can find out how many people use the public transport systems. Since different countries have different population sizes, we cannot only work with the number of total public transport passenger trips. Instead, we will divide the country’s total population by the number of public transport trips. The higher the value, the higher the ranking.
We’ve made the ranking pretty easy to understand. Using this scale, let's dive into the 16 Countries With the Most Efficient Public Transportation.
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16 Countries With Most Efficient Public Transportation
16. United States of America
The United States has a significantly high number of private car ownership. This report by UNECE indicates that this number stood at 257,675,179 in 2021. The statistic of private ownership being so high indicates that almost everyone in America has a private vehicle to travel on. In addition, America is also home to many ride-hailing services such as Uber Technologies Inc (NYSE: UBER). However, despite these facts indicating the country to be a massive market for private vehicles, America still has a well-functioning and popularly used public transportation system.
15. United Kingdom
Who hasn’t heard of the Tube? Well, in case you haven’t, the Tube is London’s underground transportation system. Serving 270 stations and over 408 km of track, it provides an effective system of public transport. Through subsidy programs for plug-in cars and vans as well as other incentives, the British government has recently been actively encouraging the adoption of plug-in electric vehicles.
14. France
The best way to get around in France is through its public transportation systems. While Paris has the best urban public transport system in the entire world, you can also rely on countrywide transport to get you between cities. France has one of the densest transportation networks in the world. With Paris as its core, it is constructed like a web. In France, there are several advanced modes of transportation, including air, sea, rail, and road.
13. Switzerland
Switzerland currently has over 3200 km of rail lines, and its rail transport system is known for its efficiency and promptness. Apart from the efficient rail system, bus, boat, and tram networks are also highly effective and well-synchronized. The Swiss Travel System and Swiss Travel Pass offer great options for traveling on these networks. Road tolls and car taxes provide funding for Switzerland's road system. For both passenger automobiles and lorries, using the Swiss motorway system requires the purchase of a road tax disc, which is 40 Swiss francs for a single calendar year. With an area of 41,290 km and a total length of 1,638 km as of 2000, the Swiss highway network has one of the greatest motorway densities in the world.
12. Sweden
One of the largest countries in Europe, Sweden has developed an extensive transportation system that stretches as long as 977 miles and has an excellent mix of buses, trains and ferries.Although a number of private firms firms handle the actual operation, most countries have companies that handle local passenger train funding, marketing, and ticketing.
11. Germany
Famous for its Autobahn and motorways, Germany has also developed a highly impressive public transport system. Buses and trains are quite convenient for inter-city travel. In May 2023, the German government introduced the “Deutschland-Ticket” which you can use to travel throughout Germany. Greater distances within Germany are covered by air travel, while the state-owned Deutsche Bahn rail network competes with it. At up to 300 km/h, high-speed trains known as ICE link cities for passenger travel.
10. China
As China’s upward economic trajectory grows, so does the country’s public transport system. Currently, there are over 30 rapid transit systems in mainland China. A further 12 systems are under construction and 20 more metros are planned.
9. Belgium
Despite not being featured as regularly in the news, Belgium has a highly impressive public transport system. Its cycling network is growing rapidly and its effective trains offer convenient access to some of Belgium and Europe’s best cities.
8. Canada
Canada has a comprehensive public transport system, linking its different urban and semi-urban areas. There is a comprehensive network of buses, trains, and ferries that seamlessly facilitates travel between different destinations.
7. South Korea
With a population of 51,74 million, South Korea has extensively developed its public transportation systems. Both rail and bus are common as a form of public transport.
6. Netherlands
The small and densely populated country of the Netherlands has a well-developed public transport system. You can choose from a wide array of options: train, bus, ferry, or metro to reach your destination.
