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Some cities make you feel like a superhero parent: lifts appear exactly where you need them, kerbs dip at every crossing and there’s always a clean changing room nearby. Others leave you hauling a stroller up metro stairs with a baby under one arm.
We’ve ranked the seven cities where getting around with a stroller is genuinely easy, based on our stroller-friendly score and our full LittleMiles kid-friendly grades. For each one, you’ll find what makes it easy, the best areas to walk and how to get around.
What makes a city stroller-friendly?
- Step-free public transport: lifts at every station, low-floor buses and trams, and space for strollers on board.
- Smooth, wide pavements with dropped kerbs at crossings.
- Flat terrain, or at least lifts and ramps where it’s hilly.
- Baby rooms in malls, stations and attractions.
- Step-free attractions: museums, aquariums and zoos with lifts and ramps.
- A culture that makes space for parents with prams.
1. Singapore 🇸🇬 (Stroller score 10/10)
Singapore is the gold standard. The MRT has lifts at every station, pedestrian bridges have ramps or lifts, and almost every mall has a spotless parents room with nursing booths and hot water. Gardens by the Bay, the zoo and Sentosa are all easy with wheels.
Best stroller walks: the Marina Bay waterfront loop and Gardens by the Bay.
Good to know: heat and sudden downpours are the real challenge. Pack a rain cover and plan indoor afternoons.
Read our Singapore with kids guide.
2. Tokyo, Japan 🇯🇵 (Stroller score 8/10)
Tokyo is huge but remarkably easy with a stroller. Almost every station has at least one elevator exit, pavements are smooth and drivers are careful. Department stores have some of the best baby rooms in the world, and children under 6 ride free on trains with a paying adult.
Best stroller walks: Ueno Park, Yoyogi Park, the Sumida River promenade and the Odaiba waterfront.
Good to know: avoid rush hour (roughly 7:30–9:30am and 5:30–7:30pm) and check station maps for the elevator exit. Read our Tokyo with kids guide.
3. Dubai, UAE 🇦🇪 (Stroller score 9/10)
Dubai was designed for cars and air-conditioning, which means its malls, metro and hotels are step-free and spacious. The metro has a women and children section, and family rooms are standard everywhere.
Best stroller walks: the JBR beachfront promenade, Dubai Marina walk and the Dubai Mall (with the aquarium window and fountain shows).
Good to know: outdoor walking is only pleasant from November to March. Read our Dubai with kids guide.
4. Vancouver, Canada 🇨🇦 (Stroller score 8/10)
Vancouver’s seawall is one of the world’s great stroller walks, looping around Stanley Park past beaches and playgrounds. SkyTrain stations have lifts, buses have stroller space, and children aged 12 and under ride free.
Best stroller walks: the Stanley Park seawall, False Creek and Kitsilano beach.
Good to know: pack a rain cover outside summer. Read our Vancouver with kids guide.
5. Barcelona, Spain 🇪🇸 (Stroller score 8/10)
Barcelona’s Eixample district is a flat grid with wide pavements and dropped kerbs, and the seafront promenade runs for kilometres. City buses are all accessible, and plazas everywhere have playgrounds.
Best stroller walks: the seafront from Barceloneta to Nova Icària, Passeig de Gràcia and Parc de la Ciutadella.
Good to know: the Gothic Quarter is narrow and crowded, Park Güell is hilly, and not every metro station has a lift. Read our Barcelona with kids guide.
6. San Diego, USA 🇺🇸 (Stroller score 8/10)
San Diego’s attractions are built for families: the zoo, Balboa Park, the USS Midway and the waterfront are all stroller-friendly, and the weather is mild almost all year.
Best stroller walks: the Embarcadero waterfront, Mission Bay paths and Balboa Park.
Good to know: you’ll usually need a car with a car seat to get between areas. Read our San Diego with kids guide.
7. Seoul, South Korea 🇰🇷 (Stroller score 7/10)
Seoul’s subway is modern and most stations have lifts, malls and department stores have nursing rooms, and the Cheonggyecheon Stream and Han River parks are great for strolling.
Best stroller walks: Cheonggyecheon Stream, Seokchon Lake and the Han River parks.
Good to know: traditional neighbourhoods like Bukchon are steep and stepped, so bring a carrier. Read our Seoul with kids guide.
The ranking at a glance
| City | Stroller score | Public transport with a stroller | Best season |
|---|---|---|---|
| Singapore | 10/10 | Lifts at every MRT station | February–April |
| Tokyo | 8/10 | Elevator exits at almost every station | March–May, October–November |
| Dubai | 9/10 | Step-free metro, women & children section | November–March |
| Vancouver | 8/10 | SkyTrain lifts; under-13s ride free | June–September |
| Barcelona | 8/10 | Accessible buses; most metro stations | April–June, September–October |
| San Diego | 8/10 | Trolley and buses; car is easiest | Year-round |
| Seoul | 7/10 | Lifts at most subway stations | April–June, September–November |
Scores come from our kid-friendly grades, which also rate transport, safety, healthcare, food, baby facilities and things to do.
A stroller-friendly day plan for any city
The best city days with a baby follow the same simple shape:
- One big sight in the morning, when everyone is fresh and queues are shorter. Book timed tickets ahead.
- A park or playground before lunch so little ones can stretch out of the stroller.
- Nap on the move. Walk a flat riverside or waterfront path while they sleep in the stroller.
- An indoor afternoon: an aquarium, a children’s museum or a mall with a good baby room.
- An early dinner close to your hotel, so the walk home is short.
Keep travel between sights short, and stay central even if it costs a little more. Every saved transfer is a saved meltdown.
Cities that are harder with a stroller (but still worth it)
- Lisbon: steep hills and slippery cobbles. Stay in flat Parque das Nações and use a carrier in the old town. Lisbon guide.
- Rome: cobbles everywhere and few metro lifts. Rome guide.
- Paris: the Métro is mostly stairs, but buses are fully accessible. Paris guide.
- London: many Tube stations have stairs only, but every bus takes buggies and under-11s ride free. London guide.
How to choose a travel stroller
- Fold size matters more than looks. You’ll fold it on buses, in taxis and at airport gates.
- Bigger wheels cope better with cobbles and gravel.
- A good recline and canopy turn it into a nap pod on the go.
- Check airline rules. Many airlines let you take a compact stroller to the aircraft door.
Stroller tips for any city
- Download offline maps and use transit apps that show step-free routes, such as Citymapper. See our travel apps directory.
- Travel outside rush hour.
- Carry a lightweight baby carrier for stairs, crowds and sights with no lifts.
- Book accommodation with a lift, and ask for a ground-floor room if there isn’t one.
Explore every destination’s stroller score in our kid-friendly league table, and see our top 10 countries to visit with a 1-year-old.
Frequently asked questions
What is the most stroller-friendly city in the world?
Singapore is our top pick. Almost everything is step-free, the MRT has lifts at every station, and malls and attractions have excellent parents rooms.
Should I bring a stroller or a baby carrier on a city break?
Bring both if you can. A lightweight travel stroller is best for long days and naps on the go; a carrier is essential for stairs, crowds, cobbles and old towns.
Which European cities are hardest with a stroller?
Hilly, cobbled cities like Lisbon and Rome, and cities with old metro systems without lifts, such as Paris, are the most challenging. They're still wonderful with kids, but a carrier helps a lot.