The Cities With The Best Public Transport In UK (2025)

When it comes to ranking the top ten cities in the UK for public transport in 2025, this guide pulls together the latest data, resident opinions, and recent improvements in train links, bus services, tram networks and sustainable transit. These cities stand out because of fast, frequent, clean reliable connections that make it easy to travel for work, education or leisure. Whether you care most about low-cost fares, coverage, frequency or the quality of walking and cycling integration, these examples show what modern urban mobility can look like.

You’ll find London topping global surveys with an 86 percent approval rating for its underground, overground, Tube and bus networks. Edinburgh and Brighton earn praise too from locals who’ve said their public transport systems are “good or amazing” in recent worldwide city rankings. Cardiff is named among the best cities in the UK for public transport in studies that measure train-station usage per capita, number of bus and train stops per square mile and percentage of commuting journeys by bus or train. Other cities that feature strongly are Manchester, Glasgow and Bristol, each showing success in introducing tram or light rail systems, improving punctuality, expanding route coverage and ramping up cleaner, greener transit options.

Top Ten Cities With The Best Public Transport In UK (2025)

10. Cardiff

Cardiff has steadily strengthened its public transport offer through denser bus networks and improved rail connections that link suburbs with the city centre. Bus stop coverage and frequency make short journeys straightforward for commuters and shoppers, while a growing focus on integrated timetables has reduced transfer wait times between bus and train. Recent assessments place Cardiff among the top locations in Britain for public transport links measured by stops per area and commuter journeys by bus and train.

Local bus services have been the primary workhorse, supported by rail lines that bring commuters into central Cardiff from surrounding towns. Investment priorities include increasing evening and weekend frequency and improving the perceived value of fares so that more short trips shift from car to public transport. Efforts to pair bus improvements with safer walking routes and clearer real time information at stops have helped raise passenger satisfaction. This combination of stronger coverage and ongoing upgrades keeps Cardiff competitive for people seeking reliable and affordable transport within a compact urban area.

9. Brighton and Hove

Brighton and Hove performs strongly where bus reliability and local accessibility matter most. The city scores well on measures of low car dependency and accessible first and last mile options, so many residents and visitors choose bus and rail for everyday travel. Local authorities and operators have concentrated on making bus stops more user friendly with raised boarding points clearer signage and better timetables so boarding is faster and journeys feel simpler. Cycling and walking routes are better connected to bus stops and rail stations which encourages mixed mode trips and short distance transfers.

The coastal geography concentrates demand into a compact network that can deliver frequent services without excessive running costs. Quality of service is also a highlight with many routes showing solid on time performance and buses kept clean and safe. Challenges remain in managing peak season crowds and delivering further fare integration across modes. Continued improvements in accessible ticketing and off peak frequency will be central to Brighton and Hove maintaining its place among the most usable medium sized city transport systems in the UK.

8. Birmingham

Birmingham has one of the most extensive urban networks in the UK outside London, with multiple rail corridors and an expanding bus network serving a wide metropolitan area. Recent analyses show improving train station usage per head and a growing spread of bus stops across inner and outer neighbourhoods. Investment in station upgrades and better bus information has reduced journey friction while local plans for more bus priority measures are designed to cut delays caused by road congestion.

The city is also working to link new housing and employment zones to frequent services so that public transport becomes the easiest option for more journeys. Accessibility has risen on many routes thanks to newer low floor vehicles and improved kerbside infrastructure that shortens boarding time for everyone. While congestion and fare affordability remain challenges, a focus on reliability and on creating strong interchange points is delivering clearer, faster journeys for regular commuters and occasional travellers alike. As regional rail and local bus fleets continue to modernize, Birmingham is becoming a more coherent public transport city.

7. Liverpool

Liverpool’s public transport profile is built on a popular and punctual rail network and an active programme of city region investment. Merseyrail has among the highest customer satisfaction ratings in the country for reliability and punctuality which makes daily commuting far less stressful than in many other places. Local decision makers have also paired rail strengths with targeted bus improvements and better interchanges so that longer journeys by train connect neatly to last mile bus or cycling options.

The city region has attracted substantial capital funding for new trains stations and battery powered trains which increases route reach and frequency while reducing environmental impact. Fares and ticketing remain a work in progress for people who need cheap and friction free multi modal travel but recent awards and investment commitments underline a clear commitment to accessible and dependable service. With steady gains in passenger satisfaction and a strategic plan to link rail upgrades to bus and active travel, Liverpool is a strong public transport example in the north west.

6. York

York excels in managing visitor and commuter flows through a robust Park and Ride system and frequent bus corridors into the centre. Park and Ride usage reached record levels in 2024 with millions of trips taking pressure off city centre roads and boosting reliability for the buses that serve those routes. That success reflects careful service design, clear customer information and an emphasis on electric and low emission vehicles for environmentally sensitive areas.

Local operators coordinate schedules so that buses arrive regularly and predictably, a quality that encourages drivers to leave cars at the fringe and use transit for the final leg. The city has also invested in bus stop comfort and wayfinding so that both residents and visitors can move around without long waits or confusing transfers. By pairing intensive Park and Ride capacity with clean vehicles and dependable frequencies, York keeps centre streets accessible and delivers a high quality public transport experience.

5. Edinburgh

Edinburgh scores highly on public transport satisfaction thanks to a diverse mix of tram, bus and rail options combined with clear network information. The tram provides a high capacity spine for central journeys while buses fill in a dense web of routes to neighbourhoods and suburban stations. Local surveys show a strong proportion of residents rating the network positively for safety information and route clarity. Timetable improvements and investment in cleaner buses have helped reduce pollution and make short trips more pleasant.

Ongoing priorities include improving off peak frequency and smoothing connections between regional rail services and local buses to reduce transfer gaps for longer commutes. The compact historic core benefits from integrated transit plus well designed pedestrian links which makes many journeys short and convenient. Sustained attention to service quality and coordination of ticketing across operators will keep Edinburgh in the top tier for public transport in the UK.

4. Glasgow

Glasgow emerges as a national leader for public transport strength when multiple measures are combined. A recent nationwide study ranked the city highest overall for a combination of bus stop density rail stop availability and train station usage per person, reflecting a network that is wide and well used. That coverage is supported by a full range of modes including subway local rail and buses which together offer many reliable route choices.

Attention to integrating walking and cycling with public transport has improved first mile and last mile journeys making trips feel shorter and easier. The city has also begun trials and local schemes to encourage more people to switch from car to bus or train and to test zero emission vehicles on high demand corridors. Challenges around fairness of fares and frequency in some outer neighbourhoods remain but policy focus on strategic connectivity and sustainable transit investments is helping Glasgow maintain high scores for accessibility and use.

3. London

London continues to offer unmatched multimodal coverage with an expansive rail network plus dense bus services and rapid transit tubes. Local public views rate the capital high for the breadth of options available on any given trip and for advanced integrated ticketing which allows easy switching between bus train and tube. High frequency services on core corridors and a culture of planning for interchange make it simple to travel across inner and outer zones without long waits.

Major projects and modern services have improved journey times on many radial routes while contactless payment and capped fares make short term travel easier. London still faces congestion and crowding pressures at peak times and work continues to make fares more affordable for low income commuters. Overall the range of modes the density of stations and the real time information ecosystem keep London among the prime choices for people who need seamless and reliable public transport on a daily basis.

2. Manchester and Greater Manchester

Greater Manchester now offers a model of integrated city region transport through the Bee Network which brings bus tram and cycling and walking infrastructure together under unified ticketing and fares. Recent steps to expand tap in contactless travel across buses and trams plus fare caps have made multi modal trips easier and more cost effective for regular travellers. Investment in upgraded stations and an expanding electric fleet improves reliability while new payment options reduce friction when switching modes.

The ambition to fold more rail services into the same system will raise the ease of cross city travel even further and make single ticket journeys more common. Active travel links are a deliberate part of the plan so that walking and cycling become natural complements to public transport for shorter trips. Taken together these developments position Manchester as a leading UK city for coordinated and user friendly public transport.

1. Reading

Reading secures the top slot because it combines exceptional rail connectivity a dense stop pattern and strong commuter usage in a compact urban area that benefits from both local and longer distance services. The town is a major rail hub on national routes linking to London and regional centres while local bus coverage and number of stops per area make it easy to reach workplaces and retail centres without a car.

Reading’s balance of high rail station usage per person and good local bus availability means that commuters can choose fast rail for long journeys and reliable bus or active travel for everyday trips. That mix produces short door to door times for many journeys and keeps public transport a realistic and attractive choice. Ongoing improvements to station access and local interchange points aim to reduce transfer times and raise accessibility for all users. With that combination of high performance rail and usable local bus networks Reading stands out as the most effective public transport city in the UK for 2025.