Brazil
Rio de Janeiro
UMR Index Rank
#52
(+4)
Score: 37%
Sustainable Mobility
#50
(+5)
Score: 39.2%
Public Transit
#47
(-4)
Score: 43.4%
Technology Adoption
#55
Score: 21.4%
| Population | 13.0 million |
| Surface area (km2) | 2,020 |
| Population-density (people/km2) | 6,468 |
| GDP per capita ($) | 13,461 |
UMR Index Rank
#52
(+4)
Score: 37%
Sustainable Mobility
#50
(+5)
Score: 39.2%
Public Transit
#47
(-4)
Score: 43.4%
Technology Adoption
#55
Score: 21.4%
What Rio de Janeiro Does Well In Urban Mobility
Rio de Janeiro’s public transit system offers diverse modes, including metro, commuter rail, buses, minibuses, and ferries. Service is frequent, and stations and stops are generally within a short walk for residents. The metro and light rail operate an average of more than 18 hours a day, which results in strong utilization.
Rio benefits from an existing heliport infrastructure and has high use of helicopters. That infrastructure could be adopted for electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft when that market matures.
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 Rio de Janeiro’s Transportation System
Rio performs poorly on road safety, ranking below the global average and worse than its neighbor Sao Paulo. The city’s hilly topography, unsafe roads, and lack of dedicated car-free zones make cycling difficult. In 2022 authorities reportedly published a plan to address this issue by doubling the size of the city’s bike lane network to 1,000 kilometers (621 miles) by 2032.
The city does less well than some of its index peers on the density of its electric vehicle (EV) charging network. Rio also lags behind peers in the adoption of zero-emission buses. While over a quarter of Santiago’s buses are electrified, Rio planned to launch a pilot project in 2024 to electrify 80 to 100 e-buses in collaboration with the C40 Cities Finance Facility.
Dimensions of the Urban Mobility Readiness Index score
Source: Oliver Wyman Forum and University of California, Berkeley
How Rio de Janeiro Can Improve Its Urban Mobility Performance
Rio can improve its road safety by enforcing traffic laws and improving infrastructure for pedestrians and cyclists. This could include investing in dedicated cycle lanes and walkways, especially those that provide barriers to motorized vehicles. Creating even more car- free zones and enforcing lower speed limits also can improve road safety.
With high fares relative to household income, Rio de Janeiro can do more to provide affordable public transit. To help close the gap, it can lower fares for everyone or on an income basis, or sell long-term passes (such as monthly or quarterly) that discount fares for regular transit users. At the same time, Rio struggles with perceptions about safety on its transport system. To improve, Rio can invest in more surveillance, including security cameras and police enforcement, better lighting in transport areas and at stations, and a public awareness campaign.
Urban Mobility Readiness Index relative ranking evolution (2020-2024)
Source: Oliver Wyman Forum and University of California, Berkeley