Public transport that stays the course: Frequent, punctual, clean and safe. These are some of the qualities most prized by the users of the world’s most highly rated public transport systems, which are primarily located in Europe and Asia. Each system is, of course, well adapted to the needs of its own particular city, but there are plenty of models Egypt can look at to adapt our own infrastructure. Zurich has a diverse system made up of boats, trams, cable cars and trains, while Tokyo is renowned for the breathtaking scope and punctuality of its service: Some 80% of jobs and the city’s population are within one kilometer of a metro or suburban rail station, and it made headlines in 2018 when an official had to apologize for a train actually leaving 25 seconds early. Accessibility, safety, the ability to provide real-time information to commuters, and high-tech planning and ticketing options are also real assets that encourage the use of public transport services.

We’re still a long way off, but these US cities show a vision of the future that’s pretty appealing. California’s capital, Sacramento, has recently invested USD 44 mn in its infrastructure, including chargers and electric transit options to support two electric vehicle car-sharing services, zero-emission electric bus lines, an on-demand electric shuttle, and ten charging depots. Florida is currently pushing fixed-route autonomous shuttle services, which have already proven popular in Detroit and Las Vegas. And Denver has a plan that by 2040, all of its 78 neighborhoods will have an environmentally friendly park within ten minutes’ walking distance, and that 75% of its residents will live within a quarter of a mile of a reliable transit service.