Thanks to the climbing price of gas, driving is quickly turning into a pastime for the rich and famous. So unless you’re ready to re-mortgage your house, you may have to leave your car at home and hop on a subway, bus or light rail to get to work.
Not sure what to expect? We’ve put together a top 10 list of public transportation systems in the world to give you an idea of what cities have the best mass transit available to the working public.
To make the list each city’s transit system has to have a combination of reliability, safety, good coverage of routes and cleanliness. If your city is on the list, you’re in good shape.If not, you may want to demand more from it, because if gas prices keep rising this could be your “ride” for a while.
Click here to see the top transit systems >
This post originally appeared at AskMen.com.
10. Copenhagen Metro
Copenhagen, Denmark
If something was ever rotten in the state of Denmark, Copenhagen’s public transportation system wasn’t it. The Copenhagen Metro was completed in 2002, and Copenhagen’s public transit is linked by another train system -- the S-trains -- that connect people to the suburbs and outside regions of Denmark.
They also have an urban bike program that allows people to use a quarter to unlock a parked bike, then go for a ride and park it in another zone across town whereupon their quarter will be returned.
In 2006, its metro had a 98-99% reliability rate, with train cars that have a reputation for cleanliness thanks to the Danish culture that frowns upon littering of any kind. Copenhagen’s trains use an Automated Train System (ATS) that runs the train network through a computer, which increases both its efficiency and safety. All told, Copenhagen’s public transportation system offers customers a comfortable, dependable ride.
9. U-Bahn
Berlin, Germany
Sure the words “German efficiency” are a cliché, but their public transportation definitely fits the bill. It has a huge underground network called the U-Bahn that covers 132 kilometers of the city. This links to the S-Bahn, the above-ground train network that links to other transportation routes throughout the city.
The U-Bahn claims few accidents and also includes mobile phone network coverage throughout its tunnels and stations. What about that for efficiency? The underground system runs trains every two to five minutes at rush hour and at regular intervals during non-business hours. Unless you wake up late, the trains are designed to get you there on time.
8. Hong Kong MTR
Hong Kong, China
Approximately 90% of all travel in Hong Kong is done via mass transit. And the Mass Transit Railway (MTR), aka the Hong Kong Subway, is responsible for most of it.
The system takes seven million riders a day through its 175-kilometer long network, with trains that are known to run on time, no matter what. They also have a good safety record, using platform screen doors to keep riders off the tracks when the trains aren’t at the station.
One of its most unique features is the Octopus Card. Users can fill this card with a dollar limit that they can charge against their transit fares, fast food, parking meters, and anything in a convenience store. Another bonus? MTR offers 3G network coverage for phones and computers. That means riders can make video calls and watch video streams on their commute, even underground.
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