Global Cities Index: Sustainable Mobility Rewards New York, London, and Paris

How much can efficient public transportation infrastructure influence the quality of life of a city, its economic success, and its cultural and social development?

The answer comes from the Oxford Economics Global Cities Index 2025, which ranks the 1,000 best cities in the world based on a series of parameters ranging from generated wealth to the attractiveness of academic institutions, environmental focus, and infrastructure quality.

“These cities are not only the engines that drive the global economy,” the report states, “but also centers of learning, innovation, culture, and decision-making that shape the future of our world. […] The 1,000 most important cities on the planet […] are home to a third of the global population and produce nearly 60% of the world’s GDP (2024).”

At the top of the ranking are New York, London, and Paris, according to several parameters in which infrastructure quality plays a significant role, right from public transportation.

It’s no surprise that the first place in the ranking is occupied by New York, defined by Oxford Economics as “the economic capital of the United States and, in many ways, of the world.”

In addition to its economic power, the metropolis, now exceeding 20 million inhabitants, hosts internationally renowned cultural and academic institutions. While the quality of life may be lower compared to other cities due to its metropolitan size, New York stands out for its relatively low environmental impact.

“Its vast public transport system,” the report highlights, “allows it to have lower emission intensity compared to many other cities of similar size, resulting in superior air quality.”

The same applies to London, which ranks second. In addition to hosting the headquarters of major companies and prestigious universities, the British capital has strengthened its “green” reputation through several traffic restriction policies.

“The congestion charge program and the low-emission zone in the city center contribute to placing the city among those with the best air quality.”

These policies encourage Londoners to favor alternative transport: bicycles, buses, taxis, and especially the metro network, one of the oldest and most extensive in the world.

The third position in the Global Cities Index 2025 is occupied by Paris, which possesses all the characteristics of major global metropolises, while the strong centralization of government, financial, educational, and cultural functions makes it the beating heart of France.

Here too, significant investments have been directed toward the public transport infrastructure development. Paris is currently building the Grand Paris Express, Europe’s largest sustainable transportation project, a new regional rail and metro network of approximately 200 kilometers that will circle the city center and connect nearly all municipalities in Île-de-France.

The extension of Paris Metro Line 14 to Orly Airport is already operational. Webuild took part in its construction and is also working on several sections of Lines 15 and 16.

Among the top ten cities in the world according to Oxford Economics are Australia’s two largest cities: Melbourne and Sydney, both engaged in major infrastructure investments.

In Melbourne, construction is underway on the Suburban Rail Loop, a mostly underground railway line that will improve connections between suburban neighborhoods and the city center. Webuild is also working on the project, specifically on the second section of the rail line, which includes 10 kilometers of parallel tunnels and two new rail stations.

In Sydney, the Group is working on building six new railway stations for the new rail line that will connect the city center to the future Western Sydney Airport, another strategic infrastructure project that will significantly bring the airport closer to the most populated areas of the city.

Alongside the metropolises of the most developed countries, there are cities that, despite showing enormous potential, still rank low in the Oxford Economics index. These are the so-called “developing megacities,” located in emerging countries and home to over 10 million inhabitants—huge urban conglomerates like Cairo, Dhaka, or Lagos.

“The cities that experienced the fastest growth in 2024 are located in Africa and Southeast Asia, and although today they account for a small share of the global economy, in the coming decades they could acquire much greater influence.”

What slows down the growth of these cities is the lack of infrastructure and services. “The absence of adequate public transport systems hampers their economic potential and quality of life, while congested traffic causes serious pollution and health problems, increasing mortality rates.”