Most expensive cities to use public transport globally

Tourists in the Amsterdam square. [File, Standard]

Amsterdam in the Netherlands, Berlin in Germany, London in the United Kingdom, Hong Kong in China and Milan in Italy are the top five most expensive cities to get around with public transport.

This is according to a recent study by the vacation rentals platform Deluxe Holiday Homes, which set out to identify the most expensive cities for getting around.

The research looked at four types of transportation costs that affect both visitors and residents: taxi fares per kilometre, local transport ticket prices, daily car rental rates, and fuel prices.

Each city received a score from 0 to 100 based on how these costs compared across other locations, with higher numbers indicating more transportation expenses.

Tourists in Amsterdam spend between $1,200 (Sh154,800) and $2,400 (Sh309,600) on a one-week trip on average, and local transportation often accounts for 10 per cent of that budget.

Amsterdam takes first place as the world's priciest city for transportation. A single public transport ticket costs nearly $4 (Sh516) per kilometre- double what many cities charge, while taxis ask for $3.5 (Sh452) per kilometre.

Renting a car is also a costly alternative, as daily rates average $139 (Sh17,931), among the highest in the study.

Berlin has the priciest public transport: a single bus or metro ticket costs $4.45 (Sh574) here, making daily commuting expensive not only for tourists but also for locals.

Taxis aren’t cheap either, with fares starting around $3.28 (Sh423) per kilometre. The same goes for fuel, which comes at $1.99 (Sh257) per litre, about 50 cents more than the global average.

For London, public transport tickets go for $4.04 (Sh521), which is cheaper than Berlin but still among the highest in the world.

London cabs charge $3.37 (Sh435) per kilometre, and those who decide to save on taxi expenses by renting a car will still have to pay more than $100 (Sh12,900) for it each day.

Hong Kong is also pricey to get around as a tourist. While public transport and taxi fees are relatively affordable here, those preferring to travel by car will face big expenses

Car rentals in Hong Kong can go up $172 (Sh22,188) daily, 50 per cent higher than Amsterdam's already high rates. Adding to the expense, fuel prices stand at $3.12 (Sh402) per litre, the highest rate in the top 10.

Milan ranks fifth among the world’s most expensive cities for transportation. A single public transport ticket costs $2.57 (Sh332) here, and taxis charge the same rate per kilometre, making even short rides expensive.

Renting a car isn’t much better at $105 (Sh13,545) per day, and with fuel priced at $2.09 (Sh270) per litre, driving yourself is less of an affordable option.

Coming in sixth place, Paris was followed by Barcelona, Vienna, Tokyo and Dublin in the top 10 categories. Dublin completes the top ten most expensive cities for getting around.

Taxi fares in Dublin run at $1.67 (Sh215) per kilometre, while a single ride with public transport will cost $2.34 (Sh302).

Those who prefer exploring the Irish capital by car will have to consider local fuel prices, which usually go up to $2.06 (Sh266) per litre.

"Transportation prices often get overlooked when friends or families budget for their vacation,” said a spokesperson from Deluxe Holiday Homes.

“People focus on flights and hotels but forget that moving around the city takes a significant chunk of the budget. I always recommend checking local transportation prices beforehand for better planning. If you budget right, these savings can get you one or two nice dinners with your companions."