# Cities with public transit other than buses. **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 12, 2003, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cities-with-public-transit-other-than-buses/218671 "2003-12-12T22:11:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![thumbupmybum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/df788c/32.png) [@thumbupmybum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thumbupmybum)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2003, 7:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cities-with-public-transit-other-than-buses/218671/41 "2003-12-13T07:22:09Z")
Seoul, Korea has a massive subway system. South Korea’s second city, Busan, also has a couple lines. ---
**Author:** ![rjk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ed655f/32.png) [@rjk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rjk)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2003, 7:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cities-with-public-transit-other-than-buses/218671/42 "2003-12-13T07:31:41Z")
**wolfstu** missed Vancouver’s commuter rail line, running in rush hours. Most of the buses are diesel, with some trolleys in the central area, and IIRC Translink bought a few diesel/electric hybrids a few years ago; I don’t know if they kept them. Translink’s pedestrian ferries to the North Shore are fairly large, but there are also some private bathtub-size ones in False Creek south of downtown. One interesting thing about Skytrain is that it goes underground for parts of its run. Another is that it’s been running under computer control since 1986 and never had an accident with the trains. (Yes, people have gone on the tracks, but that isn’t the train’s fault. And the system panics and shuts down if it gets overloaded, but at least it does so _gracefully_!) ---
**Author:** ![scr4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@scr4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scr4)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2003, 7:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cities-with-public-transit-other-than-buses/218671/43 "2003-12-13T07:37:12Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by commasense \* > **Without a doubt, the coolest form of public transport I have ever ridden in (I’m a sort of non-obsessive, non-geeky afficianado of public transport systems) is the [Schwebebahn](http://www.metropla.net/eu/vrr/wuppertal.htm) in Wuppertal, Germany.** We have an even longer suspended monorail system: [http://www.slawek.com/mono/](http://www.slawek.com/mono/) ---
**Author:** ![commasense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/commasense/32/3017_2.png) [@commasense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/commasense)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2003, 7:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cities-with-public-transit-other-than-buses/218671/44 "2003-12-13T07:43:35Z")
Oh, I forgot. Glasgow, Scotland, has the cutest little subway system (the third oldest in the world, they say). It’s only a single loop, 20 minutes to do the circuit. The trains are like scaled down versions of the London tube, narrower and shorter. ---
**Author:** ![flodnak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/838e76/32.png) [@flodnak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flodnak)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2003, 11:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cities-with-public-transit-other-than-buses/218671/45 "2003-12-13T11:11:31Z")
In Norway: **Oslo** has streetcars, light rail cars (_T-bane_), and boats as part of its public transportation system. **Bergen** has a funicular - it’s become quite a tourist attraction but still functions as public transportation for the people who live on that hillside. There are obviously plenty of passenger ferries around but I’m not sure if any of them are operated by the official public transport company. **Trondheim** still has its one streetcar line, kept alive mostly by people who can’t stand to see the city without streetcars. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2003, 12:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cities-with-public-transit-other-than-buses/218671/46 "2003-12-13T12:02:21Z")
**Chicago** , in addition to its well-known “El” and the other commuter rail lines, also has **watertaxis** that move commuters along the river. At least in the summertime, when the river isn’t frozen. Granted, it’s seasonal, but it is used primarially by the morning and evening commuters. ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2003, 12:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cities-with-public-transit-other-than-buses/218671/47 "2003-12-13T12:09:28Z")
**Sydney** also has a light rail network that links some suburbs close to the CBD. It is privately owned but so are many of the bus companies. It matters little in effect. The commuter rail network is underground around the CBD. ---
**Author:** ![dqa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dqa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dqa)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2003, 2:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cities-with-public-transit-other-than-buses/218671/48 "2003-12-13T14:12:05Z")
From the great link that **Rayne Man** posted above, here are the cities in the U.S. Minneapolis is still under construction, and there may be other situations like this; I didn’t check them all out. Atlanta Baltimore Boston Buffalo Chicago Cleveland Dallas Denver Detroit Jacksonville Las Vegas Miami Minneapolis-St Paul New York Newark Philadelphia Pittsburgh Portland Sacramento St Louis Salt Lake City San Diego San Francisco San Jose San Juan Seattle Washington ---
**Author:** ![Ringo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/779978/32.png) [@Ringo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ringo)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2003, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cities-with-public-transit-other-than-buses/218671/49 "2003-12-13T14:27:12Z")
What is that a list of? ---
**Author:** ![Billdo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/billdo/32/315_2.png) [@Billdo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Billdo)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2003, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cities-with-public-transit-other-than-buses/218671/50 "2003-12-13T16:01:03Z")
**dqu** , that site and that list seem to be all of the cities that have “metros” As a New Yorker, I’ve been referring to “metros” as subways, which the Chicagoans have rightly chided me as excluding “els”. Still, I’m interested in other transit methods, including ferries, monorails, streetcars, and the oddities, like the Pittsburgh Inclines or New York’s Roosevelt Island cable-supported gondola skyway, which I called a “cable car.” ---
**Author:** ![Jervoise](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d2c977/32.png) [@Jervoise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jervoise)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2003, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cities-with-public-transit-other-than-buses/218671/51 "2003-12-13T16:06:08Z")
**Perth, Western Australia** : commuter rail (electric trains) and ferries. Equally for **Brisbane, Queesland**. Colour me surprised that there exist large cities without public rail systems. ---
**Author:** ![pasunejen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/58956e/32.png) [@pasunejen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pasunejen)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2003, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cities-with-public-transit-other-than-buses/218671/52 "2003-12-14T02:50:14Z")
**Boston** also has ferries available between the airport and downtown. **Athens** (Greece) has a subway system–or at least it will in time for next summer’s Olympics; I’m not sure if it’s finished. ---
**Author:** ![urban1a](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/e47c2d/32.png) [@urban1a](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/urban1a)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2003, 4:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cities-with-public-transit-other-than-buses/218671/53 "2003-12-14T04:48:06Z")
\*\*Denver]/b] - Light rail. ---
**Author:** ![Crusoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/49beb7/32.png) [@Crusoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crusoe)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2003, 12:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cities-with-public-transit-other-than-buses/218671/54 "2003-12-14T12:25:35Z")
**London** has an extensive underground (subway) system, as well as an increasingly-improving bus network, a limited tram service (in the croydon area), a fairly extensive network of suburban overground railways (such as the Silverlink Metro service in north London), and a commuter ferry service on the Thames. **Prague** has a beautifully-designed subway system, if nobody has mentioned it already. ---
**Author:** ![ruadh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/d2c977/32.png) [@ruadh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ruadh)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2003, 12:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cities-with-public-transit-other-than-buses/218671/55 "2003-12-14T12:43:46Z")
Dublin has commuter rail and is in the process of building a light-rail system, which most Dubliners expect to do absolutely nothing to reduce the traffic congestion which was recently named the second worst in the world (after Calcutta’s). There has been talk about building a metro, which is desperately needed, but doesn’t look likely to happen any time soon. Madrid has a _fantastic_ subway system. ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2003, 1:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cities-with-public-transit-other-than-buses/218671/56 "2003-12-14T13:09:32Z")
**Hong Kong** has an awesome system, with the MTR (Mass Transit Railway) subway system leading the way - fast, efficient, clean, air conditioned, a train every two minutes, and you can use your cellphone while underground! There is also an extensive bus network with both large double-deckers and small and psychotic minibuses, a plethora of taxis, and on Hong Kong island, there are these really cute electric trams that cost less than US20c to ride as far as you like. The only place to top HK in my experience is Singapore. Dublin’s public transport system is the worst I’ve ever seen, anywhere. ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2003, 1:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cities-with-public-transit-other-than-buses/218671/57 "2003-12-14T13:13:14Z")
Forgot to mention Hong Kong’s amazing water transport system, from the Star Ferry that just crosses the harbour for US20c, to the outlying island ferry services, commuter hovercraft that go from Kowloon to Hong Kong island, jetfoils that roar off to Macau at 50mph, and catamarans that go up the Pearl River to Guangzhou in China. Also there’s an overland commuter rail system, and a train link to China. ---
**Author:** ![ruadh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/d2c977/32.png) [@ruadh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ruadh)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2003, 1:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cities-with-public-transit-other-than-buses/218671/58 "2003-12-14T13:20:11Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by jjimm \* > \*\*Dublin’s public transport system is the worst I’ve ever seen, anywhere. \*\* I actually think the bus system is fairly good, although I could be prejudiced by living very close to half a dozen bus lines with frequent service. I think the fares system needs an overhaul and I wish there was a bus pass for short-distance travellers (the cheapest pass available is still dearer than my commute), but I don’t think there is anything they could or should do that would significantly improve the bus service, apart from providing an underground alternative. ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2003, 1:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cities-with-public-transit-other-than-buses/218671/59 "2003-12-14T13:35:07Z")
The reliance on buses in Dublin is the issue I have. When I worked on the southside, there was a bus about 15 minutes’ walk away that took me right to the door of my office. Great? Well no, because if I took it, it would take an hour and 15 minutes to get there (a distance of 6 miles). If I drove, I could get door-to-door in 45 minutes by sneaking down alleyways and so on. So obviously I was not willing to get up at 6.30 to be in by 9, but get up at 7.45 and become part of the problem. There’s so much congestion that the QBCs (“quality bus corridors” i.e. bus lanes) aren’t effective - and that’s the only public transport choice there is, apart from the DART, which only serves one side of the city and is a steaming pile of monkey shit in comparison to pretty much every other capital city in the world. ---
**Author:** ![Crusoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/49beb7/32.png) [@Crusoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crusoe)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2003, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cities-with-public-transit-other-than-buses/218671/60 "2003-12-14T16:03:53Z")
The one thing most Londoners agree on is that while the London Underground’s decay is increasingly visible, the bus service has improved beyond all recognition. Dedicated bus lanes have appeared everywhere (not always to universal plaudits, _cf_ taxi driver reactions to the new one-way system round Russell Square), fares have been simplified to a flat £1 for all central London tickets, 70p for outer London tickets, the buses themselves are now clean, comfortable modern vehicles and the frequencies are much improved. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cities-with-public-transit-other-than-buses/218671.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cities-with-public-transit-other-than-buses/218671.md?page=4)