Top 3 Cities in the World to Commute In – And the Worst

Clean air, cycle paths, and not waiting too long for the train.

Posted on

1 October 2019

Top 3 Cities in the World to Commute In – And the Worst

All Credits: PA

City slicker or reclusive writer, rural bus or urban train, it’s odds-on that most of us have, at some time or other, had to brave the morning commute.

It’s also odds-on that we’ll have hated it, but not all commuting is created equal. For most it’s a daily dose of purgatory – particularly for those just the right height to spend the journey lodged in a nearby armpit – but a lucky few can enjoy a calmer commute with much more room for manoeuvre.

A new index compiled by Moneybarn has analysed 114 world cities on a host of different metrics to discover where is best and worst for commuters. Here are three that topped the charts, and one that very much didn’t…

The best…

Amsterdam

In a result that will surprise no one (at least, no one that’s been there), Amsterdam has been named the top city for commuters in 2019. The so-called ‘Venice of the North’ recorded low pollution, high work-life balance, and, of course, super nice canals.

In Amsterdam the bicycle reigns supreme (it ranks second for cycle paths per capita), and the vehicles that are there are served by the largest volume of electric car charging stations anywhere in the world. Residents enjoy the cream of the commuting crop, but they also pay for it – petrol prices are among the highest in the world.

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Munich

Second placed Munich seems like a city that has it all figured out. A perennial high-flyer on ‘most liveable’ lists, Munich boasts 18 universities, superbly low crime rates for a city of its size, and one of the world’s best airports (seriously, everyone raves about it).

Its efficiency borders on stereotype, and is demonstrated perfectly in its public transport system. The city runs like a Swiss-German watch – recording the joint lowest average time spent waiting on train platforms – and boasts a vast spider’s web of subways, trams, buses and commuter trains.

Oslo

You can’t have a nicest cities list without featuring Scandinavia, and Norwegian capital Oslo weighs in at third.

One of the greenest cities on the planet – 95% of residents live within 300 metres of green space – Oslo chalked up the third highest number of car charging ports per capita, and good scores for pollution and commuting time. Again, residents get what they pay for – petrol is pricey.

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…and the worst

Istanbul

Pity the Turkish commuter, because nine-to-fivers face miserable mornings across the land. Third city Izmir checks in fourth from bottom, while capital city Ankara snags second worst with a horrid traffic ranking and pollution for days.

But at the bottom of the basement, 114th out 114, languishes Turkish megacity Istanbul – famous for Ottoman minarets, Byzantine frescoes, and now for having more traffic than the M6 on a Friday night.

The average Istanbul motorist spends around 52 minutes a day in traffic on the road, and, with no designated cycle scheme of any kind, the city scores a bit fat zero for cycle paths.