Survey: Hong Kong's public transport system ranks first in the world, guess Singapore's ranking

At the beginning of this year, the report card released by the Land Transport Authority reflects that the reliability of our country's subway is not bad, and it has also improved compared to last year.

On the other hand, the 11 subway stations in the third phase of the Thomson-East Coast Line (referred to as the Tangdong Line) were also officially opened to traffic on the 13th of this month, providing more convenience for residents along the line.

According to reports, when all the subway stations on the Tangdong Line are activated, the average number of passengers per day will be as high as about 500,000, and will further increase to 1 million in the future.

It can be seen that many people in the country take public transportation every day (in addition to subways and buses), how to maintain the reliability of the public transportation system and continue to benefit the people is very important.

The good news is that commuting, which Singaporeans take for granted, has recently gained international recognition.

According to a survey jointly conducted by Oliver Wyman Forum and the Institute of Transportation Studies at the University of California, Berkeley, among 60 cities around the world,

Singapore's public transport system ranks fourth.

The top ten cities selected as having a quality public transport system are ranked as follows:

1. Hong Kong

2. Zurich

3. Stockholm

4. Singapore

5. Helsinki

6. Oslo

7. Tokyo

8. Paris

9. Berlin

10. London

The survey uses the "public transit index" to evaluate the public transit system of each city, which considers factors such as: bus line density, efficiency, utilization rate, and the extent to which the city's public transit system can adapt to emerging commuter services (emerging mobility services) competition.

Singapore has a "superior traffic management system"

As the two Asian cities that have successfully squeezed into the top five, what are the advantages of Xingang's public transport system?

In Singapore, "micromobility" is a weak link, with a relatively low population walking or cycling despite good cycling infrastructure, the report said.

In addition, although riding electric scooters is not prohibited in Singapore, users must abide by strict regulations, and users also have concerns about their safety hazards.

However, the report pointed out that Singapore has maintained its consistent strengths, namely a rich innovation ecosystem (rich innovation ecosystem), as well as a strong political will to improve commuting, leading to forward-looking policies such as "congestion charges".

The report also said,

"Singapore has an unparalleled (unparalleled) traffic management system, and its road user pricing system has also made Singapore a pioneer in reducing congestion. In addition, traffic rules are also strongly enforced in the country, and cameras in private vehicles also help encourage good traffic. driving behavior."

 Transport Minister Iswaran pointed out that the fare of public transport must keep up with the rising pace of operating costs. (The Straits Times)

In terms of subway facilities, the report specifically points out that Singapore has invested in the world's first automated train system since 2003, and is now one of the cities with the best maintained subway system.

“Transit options are affordable and all within a short walking distance. Strong risk preparedness and disaster management capabilities make for a resilient transport network.”

Speaking of affordability, our Transport Minister Iswaran spoke about this issue in Parliament earlier this month.

From December 26, the fares of subways and buses in our country will increase by 4 to 5 cents, which is equivalent to 2.9% of the starting price.

At that time, Iswaran said in response to the inquiries of several members that the fare of public transport must keep up with the rising pace of operating costs.

"Looking ahead, we must ensure fares keep pace with network expansion and rising costs. Otherwise, our public transport system will become financially unsustainable, which will be bad for riders and taxpayers."

How the bus fare will "evolve" is still unknown, but the only thing that is certain is that it is a big challenge to ensure the fare is affordable while maintaining the reliability of the bus system so that more people are willing to take the bus .

Hong Kong seeks to make personal commuting 'less attractive'

As for Hong Kong, the report also mentions affordability and distance to public transport, including other factors such as operating hours, congestion, and commute speeds, making Hong Kong's public transport system number one.

Andreas Nienhaus, a partner at Orville Consulting, one of the authors of the report, told Bloomberg that cities such as Hong Kong encourage people to use personal commuting services by "making it less attractive to use personal commuting services." Use the public transport system.

"Hong Kong has a lot of green areas and car-free areas, so people may understand that driving in the city costs a lot. This will help (promote the public transport system)."

Singapore has also actively promoted the reduction of the use of vehicles in recent years. Although it has caused some doubts, it is believed that the utilization rate of the public transport system will also increase on the whole.

By the way, Red Ant recently traveled to Switzerland and also visited Zurich, which ranks second on the list.

Overall, the local bus system is similar to the Xingang system.

Although the "interlocking" of the various subway lines seems a bit complicated, the advantage is that the commuting information is quite clear, and the trains generally enter the station on time. Visitors who visit for the first time will also find it very convenient, and there is no need to worry too much about getting lost.