Why is it so expensive to build public transit in the US?

However, building infrastructure in the U.S., especially subways, is very expensive. This CNBC report shows that building subways in the U.S. is more expensive than in most countries because of high labor costs, overbuilt tracks and stations, and onerous regulations.



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While the US was a passenger train pioneer in the 19th century, after WWII, railways began to decline. The auto industry was booming, and Americans bought cars and houses in suburbs without rail connections. Highways (as well as aviation) became the focus of infrastructure spending, at the expense of rail.

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1. Switzerland. Switzerland is known for being a really expensive place to live, so it's not too surprising to see that they were the number one most expensive country for public transport fares.

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Kansas City, Missouri became the first city in the United States to offer free public transportation to its residents. Currently, travelers can enjoy zero fare on the trams. In addition to Kansas, other cities that have implemented zero-fare public transportation include: Akron, Ohio.

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Europe's public-transit systems are so good that many urban Europeans go through life never learning to drive. Their wheels are trains, subways, trams, buses, and the occasional taxi. If you embrace these forms of transportation when visiting cities, you'll travel smarter.

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Public transport in Hong Kong routinely ranks high among the best in the world, and for good reason. The network is extensive, to say the least, and the city is proud of the fact that 75 percent of the population lives within one kilometre of a metro station – that's less than 15 minutes' walk.

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Not only does public transportation create new jobs through its functioning, such as bus drivers, office workers, maintenance support, and more! It also connects people to job opportunities within their communities. Residents can easily commute to their workplaces everyday through public transportation.

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The cheapest way to travel across America depends on the mode of transportation. Generally speaking, taking the bus or the train is the most cost effective way to cover a long distance. If you plan ahead, long-distance bus companies such as Greyhound and Megabus often offer discounted fares.

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Let's get started!
  1. New York City, New York. It's no surprise that New York City has the best mass transit system in the country. ...
  2. Boston, Massachusetts. ...
  3. San Francisco, California. ...
  4. Los Angeles, California. ...
  5. Washington, D.C. ...
  6. Chicago, Illinois. ...
  7. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. ...
  8. Miami, Florida.


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Public transport in Tallinn has been free since 2013; a political decision taken to help ease the cost-of-living for citizens. Environmental motivations were secondary, but as more and more places seek to decarbonise in this way, the European pioneer has become an unexpected trailblazer.

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And after being crowned European Green Capital 2023, Tallinn is far from resting on its laurels so far as clean transport and other aspects of urban life go. Here's what it's making possible. Europe's richest country made public transport free: Could other countries do the same?

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The ranking
  • Luxembourg (100 points),
  • Malta (88 points),
  • Austria (81 points),
  • Germany (69 points),
  • Cyprus (63 points),
  • Spain (62 points),
  • Switzerland (58 points),
  • Hungary (54 points),


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In France and Belgium, for the same domestic or European journey, train travel is on average 2.6 times more expensive than air travel. In the 16 countries studied, rail was on average 2 times more expensive.

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In addition, the tracks, signals, rail cars and software made in the U.S. are costlier than imports, largely because the government has not funded rail the way European and Asian countries have, experts say.

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While the US was a passenger train pioneer in the 19th century, after WWII, railways began to decline. The auto industry was booming, and Americans bought cars and houses in suburbs without rail connections. Highways (as well as aviation) became the focus of infrastructure spending, at the expense of rail.

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The Great Depression of the 1930s forced some railroad companies into bankruptcy, creating hundreds of miles of disowned and subsequently abandoned railway properties; other railroad companies found incentive to merge or reorganize, during which excess or redundant rights-of-way were abandoned.

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