Public Transport Rules in Every Country

Buy a Suica or Pasmo IC card at any major station. It works on all trains, subways, and most buses nationwide.

Dubai has an excellent metro and buses. Buy a Nol Card for all public transport in Dubai. Abu Dhabi has buses but no metro yet.

Bangkok has BTS Skytrain and MRT subway. Buy a Rabbit Card for BTS. Tuk-tuks and motorbike taxis are everywhere. Agree on price before boarding.

Germany has excellent trains, trams, and buses. Buy a day pass (Tageskarte) for city travel. Deutsche Bahn runs intercity trains — book in advance for discounts.

Use contactless card or Apple/Google Pay on London's Tube and buses — no need for an Oyster card. Outside London, trains are expensive; book far in advance.

Paris has an excellent Metro. Buy a carnet (book of 10 tickets) or a Navigo Easy card. SNCF runs intercity trains — book TGV early for big discounts.

Each city has its own transport card. Sydney uses Opal, Melbourne uses Myki, Brisbane uses Go Card. Get the local card as soon as you arrive.

Singapore has an excellent, clean MRT and bus network. Use an EZ-Link card or tap with your contactless bank card. Public transport is cheap and air-conditioned.

Italian cities have buses and trams. Rome and Milan have metros. Validate your ticket immediately — inspectors are frequent and fines are €100+.

Istanbul has metro, tram, funicular, and ferries. Use an Istanbulkart. Other cities have buses and minibuses (dolmuş). Agree on taxi fares in advance.

Mexico City Metro costs around 5 pesos; use Uber instead of street taxis for safety, and colectivos for inter-town travel.

Madrid and Barcelona have excellent, affordable metro systems; use the Renfe app to book intercity trains and buy tickets in advance for the best fares.

Uber and local app 99 are the safest and most practical options for tourists; São Paulo and Rio have metro systems, while city buses are cheap but difficult to navigate.

Use Ola or Uber in cities for safe, metered rides, and book train tickets well in advance via IRCTC — Tatkal quota helps for last-minute travel.

China has a world-class high-speed rail network and extensive city metros — use the 12306.cn app or Trip.com to book trains.

South Korea has world-class public transport — the T-money card works on all Seoul Metro lines, city buses, and taxis nationwide.

Grab (motorbike or car) dominates city transport, while cheap buses, the scenic Reunification Express train, and budget airlines connect cities.

Athens has an excellent metro, and ferries are the main way to travel between the islands.

Lisbon and Porto have good metro networks, and intercity trains and buses connect the country efficiently.

The Netherlands has an excellent public transport network using the OV-chipkaart, covering all trains, trams, buses, and metros nationwide.

Each major city has its own transit system and card — Toronto uses PRESTO, Vancouver uses Compass, and Montreal uses STM cards.

Gojek and Grab (motorbike or car) are essential apps; Jakarta has TransJakarta BRT and a commuter rail network; Java has excellent intercity trains; Bali has no reliable public transport.

Kuala Lumpur has an extensive LRT, MRT, Monorail, and KTM rail network — all covered by the Touch 'n Go card — and Grab is the dominant, safest rideshare app.

Use the Cairo Metro for cheap city travel, and Uber or Careem for safe, fairly-priced taxis.

ONCF trains connect major cities reliably, while petit taxis serve city travel and CTM buses cover intercity routes not on the rail network.

Riyadh has a modern 6-line metro (opened 2024), Uber and Careem operate widely, and the Haramain High Speed Railway connects Jeddah and Mecca.

Doha has a modern, clean metro with three lines (Gold, Red, Green) that connects major attractions and Hamad International Airport.

Use Uber or Bolt for safe city travel; the Gautrain is excellent for Johannesburg and Pretoria; avoid minibus taxis entirely as a tourist.

A rental car is almost essential for most New Zealand itineraries — intercity public transport is limited to buses and domestic flights.

Grab is the safest and easiest option in cities; jeepneys and tricycles cover local routes while domestic flights and ferries connect the islands.

Buenos Aires has an extensive Subte subway and Metrobus BRT network, both accessed with the rechargeable SUBE card.

Colombia has excellent urban transit including Bogotá's TransMilenio BRT and Medellín's Metro with cable cars, plus intercity buses and affordable domestic flights.

Costa Rica has no national rail system; intercity buses are the cheapest option, while shared tourist shuttles and domestic flights connect remote destinations.

Lima has the Metropolitano BRT and Uber/InDriver for safer city travel, while intercity travel relies on reputable bus companies and pre-booked trains to Machu Picchu.

Switzerland has one of the world's best integrated transport networks — trains, buses, boats, and cable cars all connect seamlessly, and the Swiss Travel Pass gives tourists unlimited travel.

Vienna has an excellent integrated network of U-Bahn, trams, and buses; ÖBB covers national rail with fast Railjet trains between cities.

Prague has an excellent integrated metro, tram, and bus network operated by DPP; validate your ticket before boarding.

Warsaw has a metro plus extensive trams and buses; Kraków has an excellent tram network; intercity PKP trains connect major cities, with Warsaw–Kraków taking about 2.5 hours.

Stockholm's T-bana metro, Pendeltåg commuter trains, trams, and buses all operate under SL with a unified ticketing system via the SL app or Access card.

Norway's public transport combines Vy trains, Ruter metro and buses in Oslo, Bybanen light rail in Bergen, Hurtigruten coastal ferries, and essential domestic flights for reaching remote fjord regions.

Intercity buses are the main way to travel on the mainland, and Jadrolinija ferries are essential for reaching the islands.

Budapest has an extensive BKK network of metro, trams, and buses; validate your ticket before boarding or face on-the-spot fines from plain-clothes inspectors.

There is no reliable public transport network for tourists — taxis, Uber in Amman, and JETT buses are the practical options.

PickMe and Uber work in Colombo; tuk-tuks are everywhere; trains are iconic and scenic; buses are cheap but very crowded.

Nepal has no trains; travel is by local bus, shared jeep, domestic flight, or app-based taxi depending on the route and region.

Hong Kong has world-class public transport — get an Octopus Card for the MTR, buses, ferries, trams, and even convenience store payments.

There are no roads between islands — transport is by seaplane, speedboat, or domestic flight, with no rideshare apps available.

There is no reliable tourist-friendly public transport; use Uber or Little Cab in Nairobi, hotel taxis elsewhere, and internal flights for national parks.

There is no practical public transport network for tourists; domestic flights are the most efficient way to reach national parks, with taxis and bajaj for city travel.

The US has no national public transport network — outside of a handful of major cities, a rental car is essential for getting around.