We ride Zurich’s entire transit ecosystem in one day, testing how trams, S-Bahn, buses, funiculars, a cog railway, an aerial cable car, and a lake ferry connect... without a subway. Along the way, we unpack why Zurich never built a U-Bahn and how integration, signage, and frequency keep the city moving.

• highlights from Polybahn to funiculars
• Dolderbahn’s rack system
• Zurich tram network scale, history, and headways
• Stadelhofen’s capacity squeeze and planned fourth track
• aerial cable car to Felsenegg and integrated ticketing
• winter ferry service on Lake Zurich and trip trade‑offs
• network design trade for no U‑Bahn and city size context
• zone passes, app tickets, and excellent wayfinding
• lessons for US cities from Zurich’s layered network

If you’re not already subscribed, consider doing so so you don’t miss an episode! 
You can support the show directly via our Patreon. 

Send us a text

Support the show

We mark 100 straight weeks by revisiting our 2025 transit list and tracking which projects delivered results. Chicago’s frequent buses, NYC’s congestion pricing, LA’s push for speed and access, and new lines in Dallas and Honolulu show how funding, design, and frequency reshape cities.

• Chicago launches 10-minute bus corridors and upgrades Red and Purple stations
• Illinois passes SB 211 for governance reform and $1.5bn annual transit funding
• NYC congestion pricing raises hundreds of millions and cuts traffic
• Debate on free buses, with MTA prioritizing signals, fleet, and safety upgrades
• Boston clears slow zones and restores subway speed
• LA overhauls the G Line, expands bus-lane cameras, opens the LAX hub
• Dallas opens the Silver Line orbital to DFW
• Honolulu Skyway reaches the airport with phase two
• Phoenix adds five-plus miles of light rail
• Austin’s Rapid 800 and 837 grow ridership, frequency remains the lever
• Community highlights, advocacy links, and plans for 2026 content

Please share this with your friends. Be sure to leave us a rating and a comment. Like and subscribe, and support us on Patreon or grab merch!

Send us a text

Support the show

We ride around Munich from the city center to the suburban palaces. We hit it all, trams, buses, U-Bahn and S-Bahn. Home of BMW, our trip reveals a car capital where transit is still king. 

• Major renovations and expansion of the Munich Hauptbahnhof and what it changes
• tram frequency, speed differences versus Vienna, and signage wins
• walkability around Marienplatz and Viktualienmarkt
• cross-town bus to BMW and Olympic Park to test outer links
• U-Bahn service levels, proof-of-payment, and crowd management
• S-Bahn scale today and why a new tunnel under construction matters
• Munich’s centralized rail versus Vienna’s stronger orbitals

If you are not already subscribed to the channel, we’ll have the final part of this European trip from Zurich coming up in just a few weeks. So, subscribe to hear the latest!

If you want to support the show directly, you can also do so via our Patreon

Send us a text

Support the show

We revisit Kansas City to mark the opening of the Main Street streetcar extension and map the next moves that could turn a single corridor into a connected, free-to-ride system. From mixed-traffic tradeoffs to dedicated lanes, riverfront housing, hospitals, and historic districts, we trace how rails can reshape daily life.

• original two-mile streetcar purpose and performance
• how free fares drive ridership and small business gains
• Main Street extension to UMKC, Plaza, and midtown
• operational upgrades with dedicated lanes and frequency
• riverfront link to new housing, park, and KC Current stadium
• East–West line goals, anchors, and MAX bus ties
• equity impacts for lower income neighborhoods

Send us a text

Support the show

We explore Vienna using only public transit, testing the city’s frequency, coverage, and ease of use while visiting multiple transit hubs, Schönbrunn Palace, the museum district, and many destinations along the way. Using buses, trams, U-bahn, S-Bahn, and 
bike share, we reflect on how Vienna supports true Freedom of Mobility. 

Some highlights: 

• a full day using U-Bahn, S-Bahn, trams, buses, bike share
• honor-system fares, all-door boarding, and ticket options
• U-Bahn frequency, station design, and transfers
• tram network scale, rolling stock mix, accessibility
• S-Bahn variety and major interchange hubs like Wien Meidling
• bus coverage, night service, and network redundancy
• street design that prioritises people over cars
• bike share usability, costs, and lane continuity
• contrasts with US systems and practical takeaways
• upcoming travel to Munich and Zurich

If you want to support the show, the best way to do so is via our Patreon. You can also check out our merch store or become a member on YouTube. Sharing the show, subscribing, and leaving a comment also help us out quite a bit!

Send us a text

Support the show

We mark the launch of DART’s Silver Line with a first-hand ride, a look at the trains and stations, and frank talk about service levels, airport access, and what success would look like. Local leaders and advocates weigh in on ridership, TOD, and how policy shaped the project’s path.

• Why the Silver Line matters for regional mobility  
• Route overview and service span  
• Airport access and frequency trade-offs  
• Opening day impressions and rider experience  
• Planning history, funding, and political hurdles  
• Ridership recovery and demand forecasts  
• Enrique McGregor on economic growth and connectivity  
• Tyler Wright on TOD, housing near stations, and perception  
• Next steps: messaging, partnerships, and bus signal priority

Send us a text

Support the show

What if the fastest way to speed up buses isn’t a new gadget, but removing a ritual that steals minutes at every stop? We dig into the push for fare-free buses—why the idea is surging in New York City, what Kansas City learned after rolling it back, and how speed, safety, and budgets collide when the farebox goes quiet.

We start with the tangible wins: all-door boarding, shorter dwell times, and less anxiety for occasional riders who don’t know the local payment dance. Then we press into the hard limits. Many U.S. agencies still rely on fare revenue to keep buses running, and political whiplash can turn “free” into a yo-yo policy that undermines trust. We talk frankly about safety perceptions and why staffing, cleanliness, and consistency build confidence for the average rider. And we compare that to European cities, where higher fares often buy rock-solid reliability that people value every day.

If you care about public transit policy, urban mobility, and how to make buses faster right now, this conversation brings examples, and practical tradeoffs. Listen, share your city’s experience, and tell us where you land: free fares, better frequency, or both with a stable funding plan? 

Send us a text

Support the show

Houston’s Red Line lost its signal preemption, and reliability unraveled across the city’s busiest transit corridor. We trace what changed, why it matters for speed and safety, and how riders and advocates are pushing to restore a lifeline.

• Red Line’s high frequency and ridership
• How signal preemption sustains reliability
• Sudden delays after downtown retiming
• Confusion over city versus Metro roles
• The real cost of lost minutes and bunching
• A foot race that tied the train
• LINK Houston’s advocacy and petition
• Equity in Transit findings on frequency
• Concrete steps to restore preemption
• How listeners can get involved locally

Sign the petition to restore Red Line signal preemption at linkhouston.org and join our Community Action Network. Follow us at link underscore Houston on Instagram and on Twitter/X. We’ll make sure the links are below for Houston riders who want to help.

Send us a text

Support the show

Freedom of mobility isn't just a catchy phrase—it's the foundation of a vision for Texas where citizens aren't bound to a single transportation option. State Representative John Bucy shares his ambitious plans for expanding transportation choices across the Lone Star State, from high-speed rail connecting major cities to defending Austin's Project Connect light rail system.

As one of the legislature's most vocal transit advocates, Bucy has sponsored critical legislation like HB 483 (authorizing public-private partnerships for high-speed rail along I-35), HJR-58 (a constitutional amendment allowing highway funds for other transportation modes), and HB 542 (permitting state highway funds for transit-oriented projects). His advocacy comes from personal experience—splitting time between Austin and Dallas as a child, he imagined faster, more efficient ways to make that journey.

The conversation reveals how transit debates in Texas often transcend the merits of the transportation systems themselves. "It's been less about the train and more about anti-Austin," Bucy explains, highlighting how urban-rural tensions and partisan politics frequently overshadow practical discussions about mobility. Despite these challenges, he's found surprising allies, with four Republicans joining Democrats to advance high-speed rail legislation out of committee—the first pro-transportation bill to gain traction in the Texas legislature in two decades.

Particularly fascinating is Bucy's reframing of transit as a freedom issue, cleverly positioning public transportation in terms that might resonate with conservative Texans who typically value individual choice. "I drive a Jeep," he notes. "This isn't to get rid of trucks and Jeeps...it's to increase freedom of mobility for all Texans."

The most compelling argument might be historical: "In the 80s, Texas was known as the leader in infrastructure," Bucy reflects. "Our roads were the best system across the country, and we have fallen off." For a state that prides itself on exceptionalism, the idea of reclaiming leadership in transportation innovation could be the key to building broader support for transit.

Want to help make this vision a reality? Contact your representatives, especially if they're Republicans, and explain how transit benefits everyone—even those who never plan to use it—by providing more choices and reducing highway congestion.

Send us a text

Support the show

Communities across the United States successfully fought and prevented destructive highway projects from being built through their neighborhoods from the 1960s to 1970s. These grassroots movements saved historic areas like New York's SoHo, Portland's southeast neighborhoods, New Orleans' French Quarter, and Toronto's Annex district from being demolished for massive expressways.

• Jane Jacobs led opposition to the Lower Manhattan Expressway (LOMEX) that would have destroyed SoHo, Little Italy, and parts of Chinatown
• Robert Moses' 10-lane elevated highway plan would have displaced 1,900 families and closed 804 businesses
• Portland residents organized against the Mount Hood Freeway, using neighborhood maps to visualize the highway's devastating impact
• New Orleans prevented the Vieux Carré Expressway that would have cut off the French Quarter from the Mississippi River
• Historic preservation, environmental laws (NEPA), and civil rights activism were key legal tools in defeating these projects
• Toronto residents, with Jane Jacobs' help, stopped the Spadina Expressway even after construction had begun
• Successful opposition in Portland led to highway funds being redirected to build light rail instead
• These movements coincided with broader social change including civil rights, environmentalism, and counterculture activism
• Visual protest tactics included mock funerals, postcards showing highway impacts, and themed Mardi Gras floats

Support the show by liking, commenting, and subscribing to our channel. Share with friends and catch us on any podcast platform—be sure to leave a rating and comment!

Send us a text

Support the show