Public Transport; Use Cases - Realistic Mode

[Fumster101]

What are the best uses for the different forms of passenger transport types in Workers & Resources?

Personally, I find busses to be the most versatile for short to medium distances for all passenger types, providing passenger numbers don't get too high. Trains, I use for longer distances or higher volumes. Generally sticking to workers as I find maintaining a consistent throughput for other passenger types with trains can be a bit more difficult.

So far, in realistic mode, I find it difficult to find a cost effective and practical use case for trolley busses, trams, boats, cable cars and helicopters/aeroplanes. However, I'm interested in finding out how other people use these more interesting forms of passenger transport.

[High King Lemur]

Trolley buses and trams are more fuel efficient than buses, so for more frequented established lines the upgrade would pay off.
Use cable cars to move people and cargo up/down steep hills or to secure a stable road-independent supply of workers for critical infrastructure like power stations.
Helicopters (for passengers and/or cargo) and planes are sort of a flex. Not much else to say here. You're certainly gonna want to use helicopters for firefighters, hospitals and construction offices, eventually.

[mrTaler]

I almost never use buses and trolleybuses, the main type of transport in my republic is trams, they provide a stable supply of production with workers, do not depend on snow, and the road can be made of panels, which automatically prohibits cars from using the tram road, excluding traffic jams and delays associated with traffic jams, but it is more expensive than other types of transport

[Silent_Shadow]

Buses are super flexible (can visit any station, use any road, etc.) and are pretty cheap and simple to set up. Their main drawback is being somewhat unreliable due to the weather, nighttime, traffic and other factors, which can lead to moments of missing workers or needs.

Trolley buses and trams are basically upgrades to buses, with the main advantages being greater capacities and using electricity instead of fuel, which allows you to spend your republic's oil on other stuff like chemicals or plastic instead. The main disadvantage is the cost of the infrastructure. I would consider trolley buses and trams to be equivalent options, with trolley buses better for longer routes or if sharing the road with trucks (110 kph speed limit vs. tram roads' 80 kph). Trams are great for ignoring snow and for having higher capacities than trolley buses, but they can be more difficult to scrap.

Metros are basically high end trams with very high capacities and the costs to match. Speeds are pretty slow, but the capacity is huge and their footprints (if underground) are pretty small compared to other options.

Motor wagons, trams (on rails), and trainsets are a budget option for industries that already have a railway going to them or another inner city option (you can have a lot shorter blocks with motor wagons or trainsets).

Passenger Trains have the most throughput, but they are about only good for moving lots of workers into a big industrial zone or to a cluster of mines. They are better than metros for long distance connections due to having cheaper rails and faster speeds. They are not cheap though, especially if you go electric.

Ferries are probably the worst form of transportation in this game; because they are so slow, I wouldn't bother using them for any passenger concerns, and since there is no spacing option for them, guaranteeing a steady stream of workers is also difficult. They are a cheaper option than building a bridge and whatever transportation you want to run on them, and they can be a way to keep waterways open for the larger ships without building a ridiculously high bridge or messing with underwater tunnels, so they are not completely useless.

Helicopters are good for quickly moving small amounts of workers over long distances with minimal infrastructure requirements, while airplanes are faster, carry more, and are much more fuel efficient (about on par with the bigger trucks). Once the new dirt runways are released, we will also get a cheap option to quickly move small amounts of workers to remote workplaces, like repair garages, police, fire stations, etc.

Aircraft are also pretty useful for expanding into distant areas, with helicopter COs and rushed airports moving large amounts of material into the area, and if you go into a tourism heavy game, airplanes are pretty much required to maximize profits.

Cableways are great in areas with rough terrain or for assuring a steady stream of workers to critical infrastructure, and they are pretty cheap to build and maintain compared to other transportation options. Their main downside is the relatively low throughput, but if you abuse the mechanic where workers spend more time working as they spend more time commuting, you can still use them to staff 200 to 480 jobs per cableway.

Personal cars aren't really public transportation, but they should still be considered. They are useful for maximizing loyalty gains, which is great for teachers, radio/TV station workers, orphan caretakers, and prison wardens, but they are a pretty expensive option and can be quite difficult to implement.

[Fumster101]

Thanks all for the great replies. I'm glad to hear that the other (more exciting) transport options are practical too. I'll definitely be incorporating some of these in my new cities going forward!

[Runthgar]

I like to use cable cars to take shoppers and students back to a main city from smaller outlying villages. I can build 1 large city with all of the stores, culture, colleges, hospital services, and regular schools, then put small work villages farther out (but closer to the mines and industry) and just use a cable station back to the main city. Make it so workers don't us the cable and I can usually keep the needs of around 1000 people filled just using service buildings in the main town. You want to have food and kindergarten at the villages, probably fire and police coverage as well, but that is about it. Saves a lot of duplicate buildings (and time) especially in realistic mode.

Since the cable cars can go cross country and ignore the snow, travel time can be greatly reduced especially in winter, making it easier to fill all the needs.