I know of the former railways, they were all industrial lines that didnt really have decent passenger services up in the hills, sticking railways around the region for small far apart villages dotted all over the place? Lol lmao & I currently dont own a car and cycle everywhere but ok.
No, I am telling you as someone who lived in a very rural area it is not the case. I cycle and taking an hour each way to cycle to a small local town up multiple steep hills isnt entirely viable for day to day and during the dark months. Between towns such as where I worked in the town over from my local one? Forget it not doable. Villages with 20 people cant really be served by effecient bus services very well either
Ive lived in a rural area & cities before lol, cars are needed in rural regions unfortunately. Cities however have very little need for them.
*unless you live in a rural area, believe me its necessary then.
I live in neither of those regions and the terrain and size of settlements is different, the USSR had largely highly centralised concentrated settlements that were pre planned, Mexico is reasonably well populated throughout and often has towns on plateaus & again largely has recentish planned settlements throughout.
Kindly do not say I “dont know” about a region I lived and breathed and was born in for 20 years.