Press Release, 8 January 2026
A new global benchmark from Boston Consulting Group (BCG) reveals how cities around the world are performing in their efforts to make urban travel more sustainable and less dependent on private cars. The study looked at more than 150 cities using over 20 key indicators including public transit quality, cycling infrastructure, walking accessibility and innovative mobility solutions to rank cities across different peer groups like mass-transit hubs, innovation centers and traditional cities. The findings show that while over 90 % of cities have set ambitious goals for improving mobility by 2035, most are lagging behind on average by 10 to 15 percentage points compared with what is needed to meet their own targets. This shortfall is significant given that historically cities have only improved mobility scores by about 3 to 5 points per decade, suggesting that many cities may not hit their goals in time without accelerated action.
The benchmark highlights different types of leaders in urban mobility. In global mass-transit cities, Singapore leads, with Tokyo, Hong Kong, Seoul and London also performing strongly. Cities known for innovation and livability like Utrecht, Helsinki, Vienna and Amsterdam top their respective groups by building integrated transport systems that make it easy to move without cars. Among traditional cities, Scandinavian and European names such as Stockholm, Mannheim, Wellington and Tallinn stand out for balancing heritage with forward-thinking transport planning. The report underscores that while progress has begun, cities must boost investment in multimodal transit, expand cycling and walking networks, and adopt new technologies faster to reduce congestion, cut emissions and improve quality of life.
Overall, the benchmark provides a valuable snapshot of where cities are now and what they must do to create more sustainable, efficient and people-focused mobility systems as urban populations continue to grow.
Compiled using AI
