Looking at the capitals, Northern and Western European cities reported higher satisfaction with public transport, while Southern and Eastern European cities exhibited lower satisfaction rates.
Going from point A to point B might not be the same experience all around Europe.
Public transport has a big impact on residents’ overall satisfaction with the city they live in.
Seven out of 10 residents in Europe are generally satisfied with public transport in their city, according to a report from the European Commission.
However, there is a huge gap in public transportation satisfaction levels across European cities.
When comparing factors like affordability, safety, frequency and reliability, there’s a geographical trend where Northern and Western European cities report higher satisfaction with public transport, while Southern and Eastern European cities exhibit lower satisfaction rates.
Satisfaction ranges from 29% in Rome and Tirana to 91% in Vienna.
This disparity is even greater among non-capital cities, with rates varying from 22% in Italy’s Palermo to 95% in Switzerland’s Zurich.
For the most part, residents of capital cities tend to have a higher perception of safety in public transport – except Rome and Ankara.
In fact, in Rome, less than half of the population considers public transport safe.
Rome also reports the lowest scores in ease of access, frequency, and reliability.
In light of the climate crisis, a coalition of 43 European transport organisations is calling for increased EU funding for public transport.
The European Commission also wants to encourage behavioural change in favour of active mobility and public transport.
Video editor • Mert Can Yilmaz