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one of the reasons Uber Ride-sharing apps thrive because they save travelers from the hassle of messing with public transportation in an unfamiliar city.
I can vouch for this because I just threw in the towel on public transportation sao pauloBrazil. I was heading to the international airport from the magnificent São Paulo Art Museum (Masp). Instead of finding the bus-metro-Airport Express-bus combo, I now take an Uber, driven by the aptly named Paul. Now we have a huge traffic jam in the John Paul II Tunnel. Paul had just warned me to close the window in case someone reached out and scratched the laptop I was writing on.
Public transportation is always my first choice. But in an unfamiliar land, trying to untangle the complexities of route networks, timetables and especially ticketing systems can be exhausting.
My journey from the airport to the city center is a prime example. South America’s major aviation hub has a shiny and expensive airport people mover system that will one day connect the terminals to the ambitiously named Airport Station (miles from the actual airport).
one day. Although the driverless shuttles were scheduled to open in 2021, so far they haven’t transported anyone other than engineers and staff. Latest opening date to be announced: January 2026. This deadline is already the same as other deadlines.
Until the people mover system lives up to its name, the pressure is on local buses. I jumped in the car, waving a British credit card. I accepted the driver’s nod and smile, which meant I could pay my fare by floating pieces of plastic across the terminal. But my progress was blocked by the large steel turnstile next to him. A range of UK bank cards failed to move the machine. A friendly local, seeing my growing frustration, stepped forward and used his card to put me through the call. I will try to pay it off one day.
One problem solved, I thought more problems were waiting once I arrived at the “Airport” station, still a 10 minute bus ride away. I went to the ticket office to buy a subway ticket. “Cash only.” At this point, I haven’t purchased any local currency. When you need an ATM, where is the ATM?
But then the lady pointed to my card, pointed to the door and said, “bohm“(Okay). No need to buy a ticket, just use a contactless card, I reasoned. The device controlling the gate gave me a big green tick, opening the way.
Downtown São Paulo, here I come. Well, after fashion. If you were to design a timetable for an Aeroexpress train from Brazil’s busiest airport to the center of Latin America’s largest city, you might schedule a train every 10, 15, or 20 minutes. In fact, express trains leave on time every hour. It became as crowded as a Brazilian football stadium.
I emerged from the beautiful Luz station to find a group of police officers pointing guns at someone—a thief, I assumed, rather than an ICE-style raid.
Considering its population of over 25 million, downtown St. Paul feels safe and walkable. I love the monuments, street art and the most beautiful Volkswagen Beetles and minibuses here at the German Automobile Museum. I was delighted to see that Masp, the iconic Brutalist modern art center built in 1968, had just been combined with a shiny 14-story annex.
As I headed to the airport to catch my super-cheap (and super-uncomfortable) Air Canada flight to Buenos Aires, I was faced with a choice. I can build a flexible bus-metro-Airport Express bus trip and deal with at least three different fare systems. Or I could default to an app that instantly summons a car and driver in hundreds of cities around the world and pay through the same Uber account I use to buy train tickets in the UK. I choose frictionless.
Tourists can’t complain about other people’s public transportation systems. Public transportation exists to meet the needs of local residents, not the whims of passing travelers. However, now that infrastructure, buses and those rare Airport Express lines are operational, transport companies will surely want to earn whatever they can from overseas visitors and use the extra revenue to improve the system for citizens.
London transport (TfL) understands this. Any tourist or business visitor with a contactless payment card or mobile phone can enter and exit underground Or take ground transportation without hesitation. Even better, the system works in the background, calculating the lowest applicable fare for daily or weekly use. People trust the technology.
Visitors to London are happy to take public transport rather than summon an Uber, adding to road congestion. Commuters may complain about backpackers flouting tube conventions, but the fares they pay are a vital part of the capital’s coffers. Creating a seamless journey helps enhance London’s appeal.
Only one city—and really the entire country—did it better. Luxembourg’s public transport system is very simple: there are no fees. Welcome aboard.
Simon Calder, also known as “The Freeman,” has been writing about travel for The Independent since 1994. In his weekly opinion column, he explores a key travel issue – and what it means for you.