Anyone who has spent a lifetime traveling knows the feeling. A long day of sightseeing, a coffee too many, and suddenly the search for a restroom becomes the only thing that matters. A new global study suggests that panic is not just in your head. In some of the world’s most visited cities, public toilets are genuinely, alarmingly scarce.
QS Supplies analyzed more than 500 cities worldwide using OpenStreetMap data, calculating the number of public toilets per 100,000 residents. The results reveal a startling divide between cities built with travelers in mind and cities where finding relief can turn into a genuine ordeal.
The cities getting it right
Chiang Mai in Thailand topped the global list with 92.7 public toilets per 100,000 people, the highest rate anywhere in the world. Switzerland dominated the upper rankings, with Bern, Basel and Zurich all landing in the top five. Zurich also ranked as the best tourist city overall for restroom access, followed by Lisbon and Sydney.
Salt Lake City led every American city with 66.6 restrooms per 100,000 residents, putting it fifth in the entire world. Honolulu came in a distant second among U.S. cities. Averaged nationally, the United States offers 15.5 restrooms per 100,000 people, only slightly ahead of the United Kingdom’s 13.6.
Where the trouble starts
The picture darkens considerably elsewhere. Providence, Rhode Island emerged as the worst large American city for public toilets, with just 2.6 restrooms per 100,000 people. Critics point to landlords and developers keeping facilities closed in parts of downtown, a shortage that hits low income residents and people of color hardest.
Newcastle fared even worse across the Atlantic, recording just 1.1 public toilets per 100,000 residents, the lowest of any major UK city. The British Toilet Association found that public toilet numbers nationwide have dropped by 40 percent since 2000, largely blamed on years of local government funding cuts. One remaining facility at Newcastle Central Station has been publicly described as worn, unsanitary, and wholly inappropriate for use.
What this means for your next trip
For travelers over 50, this is not a minor inconvenience. It can mean the difference between an enjoyable afternoon of exploring and a stressful scramble through unfamiliar streets. Before heading into any city with a known shortage, it pays to map out cafes, museums and hotel lobbies in advance, since many double as reliable rest stops when public facilities are scarce or closed for the season.
Airports deserve a second look too. Lisbon’s airport made headlines after an American tourist mistook a children’s bathroom, designed with open stalls facing a mirror, for the adult facilities nearby. A little research before departure avoids embarrassing surprises exactly when you least want one.
This article draws on original research and data from QS Supplies’ 2026 Global Restroom Index.
Amanda O’Brien is the creator and editor of The Boutique Adventurer. She has visited 80 countries and is a member of the British Guild of Travel Writers as well as the IFTWTA. She is passionate about wine had has just completed Level 3 of the WSET. Born in Australia, she lives in London.