Urban transportation in Chinese cities: An efficiency assessment

•Efficiencies of Chinese urban transportation are compared applying super-efficiency data envelopment analysis.•The Chinese cities are divided into four groups according to different modes and levels of transport development.•Economically strong eastern and central cities focus more on high capacity and less on sustainable modes of transportation.

We use 2008 data for 34 Chinese cities to compare urban transportation systems. The results show stronger eastern and central cities focusing more on high capacity and less on sustainable modes of transportation, while western cities do the opposite. Chinese cities with more sustainable transportation are also more likely to have lower gross domestic product per capita, be smaller, are less urbanized and have higher bus usage. This model needs to change to align with China’s new policy priorities.