In its annual ranking released last week based on a survey of more than 24,000 locals worldwide, Time Out said 91.1 percent of respondents gave Seoul's public transportation system a positive rating, moving the city up three places from eighth last year.
"Seoul's sprawling subway is famously slick, with spotless carriages, phone signal underground and fares that start at just 1,550 won (less than £1) with a transport card," it said.
Taipei topped the list with 95 percent, followed by Singapore, Hong Kong and Edinburgh. Seoul placed ahead of Zurich and Vienna.
Days later, CNN followed with its own list of the world's 18 best metro systems, which also included Seoul, praising Seoul Metro's safety and convenience, as well as its passenger-friendly facilities equipped with advanced technology.
"If losing your phone and Wi-Fi connection on the subway fills you with dread, you might want to head for the capital of South Korea to see what is possible," CNN wrote, referring to the subway's underground connectivity.
"Befitting the high-tech outlook of this ultra-modern city, Seoul Metro users were among the world’s first to be able to continue phone calls and internet browsing uninterrupted while underground or watch TV on screens fitted throughout the trains," the news outlet said. "Spotlessly clean, efficient, safe, reasonably priced and serving most areas of the city, many experts regard Seoul Metro as the world's best subway," it added.
The city government here attributed the latest praises to its efforts to enhance safety and improve services, including the installation of screen doors at some 262 subway stations. The measure helped reduce accident-related fatalities from an annual average of 37.1 between 2001 and 2009 to 0.4 between 2010 and 2024, with none in 2025.
The city has also expanded elevator access at all 338 subway stations, along with other improvements such as artificial intelligence (AI)-powered interpretation services for international visitors.
"We will continue to work hard to strengthen the competitiveness of Seoul's public transportation by adopting the latest technologies to make it even safer for vulnerable passengers," said Yeo Jang-kwon, a city official.
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