Navigating urban mobility: Mobility attitudes and travel mode choices in Dubai and Lahore

Understanding the complexities of urban travel behaviors is essential for fostering sustainable mobility systems. This study examines the impact of socio-economic factors, attitudinal variables, and urban characteristics on travel mode choices for multipurpose trips in Dubai and Lahore. The comparative analysis broadens the body of travel mode choice research by analyzing shared mobility modes' influence in less studied diverse urban contexts. Using multinomial logistic regression on surveys data from 1,653 residents of Dubai and 1,603 residents of Lahore. The findings reveal that stronger pro-public transport attitudes, frequent commuting, and lower travel costs substantially increase transit use—particularly when travel times remain below 30 minutes. In contrast, each additional street connectivity, higher driving license ownership, strong pro-car attitudes, and a premium on comfort lower transit adoption. Individuals with longer commutes who value safety prefer shared mobility modes, but higher costs and pro-car attitudes deter them. Active travel accounts for only 14% (Dubai) and 5% (Lahore) of all trips, indicating that substantial improvements in local connectivity are required to shift behavior. These findings suggest creating specific policies for each city. In Dubai, improve public transit accessibility and city design. In Lahore, improve safety and reliability of local transit connections and regulate ridesharing modes. This will help create equitable mobility ecosystems in cities.