United States (US)

Traditional taxis are declining outside New York, Washington D.C., Boston, Chicago, and Las Vegas. NYC's yellow cabs can be hailed street-side; elsewhere, taxis must be called by phone or booked from a stand (airports, hotels, train stations). Fares typically $3–4 flag-fall plus $2–4/mile plus waiting time. Airport taxis often use flat rates (JFK–Manhattan is a flat $70 + tolls + tip). Tipping 15–20% is expected — the meter amount is not the full fare. Pay by credit card universally accepted.

Uber and Lyft are ubiquitous nationwide — available in every major city and most small towns. Fares are typically 20–40% less than taxis during off-peak, but "surge pricing" can triple fares during rain, rush hour, concerts, or sporting events. Both apps show fare upfront before booking. Tipping in the app (15–20%) is expected. UberX is the standard, UberXL for 6 passengers, Uber Black for premium, Uber Share (formerly Pool) for cheaper shared rides in select cities. Uber Eats and DoorDash dominate food delivery.

Cycling infrastructure varies wildly. Portland (Oregon), Minneapolis, New York, Washington D.C., and San Francisco have genuine protected bike lanes and bike-share systems (Citi Bike, Capital Bikeshare, Divvy, Bluebikes). Most other US cities have minimal cycling infrastructure — painted "bike gutters" on busy roads shared with 2-ton SUVs. Cycling as commute transport is a minority habit; car-centric street design makes it stressful and dangerous in sprawling Sun Belt cities. E-bikes have grown rapidly since 2020.

Amtrak is the US national passenger rail operator — federally owned and chronically underfunded. The Northeast Corridor (Boston–New York–Philadelphia–Washington D.C.) is the only genuinely competitive rail service: Acela high-speed trains run NYC–DC in 2h50m at $150–$350. Every other route is slow and expensive compared to flying. Chicago–Los Angeles (Southwest Chief) takes 40+ hours and costs $150–$500; plane takes 4 hours at $150. Long-distance rail is a scenic experience rather than practical transport. Greyhound and FlixBus provide cheaper intercity bus service.

The US drives on the right side of the road. Distances and speeds are in miles. Speed limits 25–35 mph urban, 55–70 mph most highways, up to 85 mph on parts of Texas toll roads. Right-turn-on-red is legal everywhere except NYC and some intersections. Four-way stops are negotiated by arrival order. Road quality varies dramatically — Interstate highways are generally excellent; local roads in poorer states or older cities can be terrible. Gas stations are ubiquitous; you pre-pay inside or tap your card at the pump. A car is essential in virtually every metro outside NYC/SF/Boston/DC/Chicago. Buying a used car ($10,000–$25,000 reasonable), full insurance ($100–$300/month), registration fees and state taxes apply.

The US has the world's largest air-travel market. Major hubs: Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta (ATL, the world's busiest by passengers), Los Angeles (LAX), Chicago O'Hare (ORD), Dallas–Fort Worth (DFW), Denver (DEN), JFK and Newark (EWR) for New York, San Francisco (SFO), Seattle–Tacoma (SEA), Miami (MIA). Domestic flights are cheap and frequent — NYC–LA from $150, NYC–Miami from $80. TSA PreCheck ($85 for 5 years) and Global Entry ($120 for 5 years) dramatically speed security for frequent travellers. Most airports have adequate public transit (JFK AirTrain + LIRR; SFO BART; ORD Blue Line); some are rideshare-only.