Urban public transport in Italy: past, present and future

Local public transport is an important determinant of the growth and the competitiveness of territories. This paper describes the functioning of this public service in the main Italian cities, comparing it internationally and analysing the regional gaps within the country. It highlights the possible effects that well-functioning local public transport systems have on the mobility of people, the labour and the real estate markets, as well as examines the links between its performance and a number of institutional and operational factors. This paper also analyses how this sector fared during the health crisis and outlines some possible scenarios for its evolution in the future.