Locals in this capital are happiest with their public transport. How do Europe's cities compare?

Public transport has a big impact on residents’ overall satisfaction with the city they live in, according to the European Commission’s report on the quality of life in European cities.

The Survey on the Quality of Life in European Cities, which collected responses from over 71,000 people across 83 cities in Europe, found that in 2023, approximately seven out of 10 residents were generally satisfied with public transport in their city.

However, there is a huge gap in public transportation satisfaction levels across European capitals and cities.

Among the capitals, satisfaction ranges from 29 per cent in Rome and Tirana to 91 per cent in Vienna. This disparity is even greater among cities, with rates varying from 22 per cent in Italy’s Palermo to 95 per cent in Switzerland’s Zurich. 

Looking at the capitals, there is a geographical trend where Northern and Western European cities reported higher satisfaction with public transport, while Southern and Eastern European cities exhibited lower satisfaction rates.

For instance, public transport satisfaction exceeded 85 per cent in three Nordic capitals - Helsinki, Oslo, and Stockholm - closely followed by Copenhagen, with 81 per cent satisfaction.

Iceland’s capital, Reykjavik, stands as an exception with a lower satisfaction rate of 56 per cent in this region.

More than half of the residents in six capitals were dissatisfied with public transportation services. These cities include Rome, Tirana, Podgorica, Belgrade, Nicosia, and Skopje.

Despite the geographical trend, some neighbouring countries show significant contrasts. For example, the highest satisfaction level (Vienna, 91 per cent) and the lowest (Rome, 29 per cent) are recorded in the capitals of Austria and Italy,