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Why Zurich is ranked the best city in Europe for public transport

The Local
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Why Zurich is ranked the best city in Europe for public transport
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From excellent rail and bus links to being an early adopter of ‘sharing mobility’, Zurich is ranked first out of all European cities for mobility.

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The study took into account tram and train lines, along with bus routes and newer forms of mobility like car sharing and e-scooters. 

Zurich ranked world’s best city for prosperity and social inclusion

The total population of the city and its surrounds was then divided by the available mobility options, while other factors like daily riders, travel times and costs of travel were also considered. 

Of the 1.5 million people living in the canton of Zurich, the Zürcher Verkehrsverbund (Zurich Transport Authority) estimate that one in two uses public transport to travel to work or school. 

Easy access to public transport also plays a major role, with a previous study finding that every single Zurich resident lives within 500 metres of a tram, train or bus stop. 

How do Zürchers get around? 

In total, the report found that Zurich residents (Zürcher) are served by more than 60 different tram, train and bus routes. 

The city’s S-Bahn (metro) network, with 171 stations and 26 lines, ranked well for its urban connections as well as those to the neighbouring cantons of Aargau, Schaffhausen, Schwyz, Thurgau and St. Gallen.

Approximately half a million people ride the Zurich S-Bahn network each day. 

The Zurich tram network includes 15 lines, while the city is also served by extensive bus connections. 

Although it was slower on the uptake than some other European cities, Zurich now boasts a large range of e-scooter and car sharing options. 

Read more: E-scooters to return to the streets of Zurich

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Zurich was the only city in the report to receive a perfect score for rail and bus links, although the price of a one-way ticket - at CHF4.40 (€4) - was the most expensive of any city in the top ten. 

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