Ecuador
Quito
UMR Index Rank
#59
(+7)
Score: 33%
Sustainable Mobility
#36
(+4)
Score: 47.6%
Public Transit
#44
(+9)
Score: 45.6%
Technology Adoption
#64
Score: 12.5%
| Population | 2.4 million |
| Surface area (km2) | 536 |
| Population-density (people/km2) | 4,445 |
| GDP per capita ($) | 9,982 |
UMR Index Rank
#59
(+7)
Score: 33%
Sustainable Mobility
#36
(+4)
Score: 47.6%
Public Transit
#44
(+9)
Score: 45.6%
Technology Adoption
#64
Score: 12.5%
What Quito Does Well In Urban Mobility
Ecuador’s capital has a strong and relatively affordable multimodal public transit system. More residents are closer to public transit stops than their peers in places like Mexico City or Sao Paulo. This results in high rates of utilization, with over half of journeys in Quito made on public transit. Quito’s first metro line opened in December 2023 with 15 stations along 22 kilometers (14 miles) and a capacity of around 400,000 passengers a day.
Quito does well on transport-related sustainability measures. It has good air quality and uses low-carbon electricity, which means the city’s electrification efforts — including the new metro and electric trolleybuses — contribute to sustainability goals. The city’s 2022-2042 Master Plan for Sustainable Mobility includes additional plans to improve sustainable transportation, with 137 projects proposed over the short, medium, and long term.
Urban Mobility Readiness Index, Sustainable Mobility, Public Transit, and Technology Adoption scores
Source: Oliver Wyman Forum and University of California, Berkeley
Challenges And Opportunities For Quito’s Transportation System
Like many of its peers, Quito lags behind on cycling adoption. The city’s infrastructure can be improved for both cycling and walking, and the authorities are taking some steps to address the issue. Similar to Mexico City, the city makes 30 kilometers (19 miles) of roads car-free on Sundays between 8 AM and 2 PM to encourage walking and biking under the Ciclopaseo initiative. In 2023, Quito also restarted its bikesharing system, Bici Q. In 2024 the program had 2,000 bikes and 30 stations, up from 200 bikes and six stations before COVID-19.
Despite moderate car ownership and high public transport utilization, Quito suffers from bad congestion. Its traffic management system is also less developed than other cities, lacking features such as changeable message signs to help regulate traffic flows or special access lanes for high-occupancy vehicles.
Dimensions of the Urban Mobility Readiness Index score
Source: Oliver Wyman Forum and University of California, Berkeley
How Quito Can Improve Its Urban Mobility Performance
To improve its public transit system, Quito can expand the operating hours of its metro, which currently average 17 hours a day. Extending operating hours will require more personnel and/or an investment in automation, but can improve the utility of the service.
Quito’s road quality is subpar. It can invest more in maintaining existing roads, including fixing potholes and upgrading road surfaces. Improving road quality also can help with traffic fluidity. The authorities also can invest in more advanced traffic management solutions, such as smart traffic lights that use real-time data to regulate traffic flows.
Urban Mobility Readiness Index relative ranking evolution (2020-2024)
Source: Oliver Wyman Forum and University of California, Berkeley