Public Transport Archive

Germany’s capital Berlin plans to get ahead of growing demand for public transport with a massive investment in transportation projects. The Transit Masterplan indicates phased spending averaging €2 billion per year between 2019 and 2035. Officially, the Masterplan ends in 2023, but some of the projects it outlines will only be completed in 2035.

Berlin’s investments in public transportation are routinely high. 2018 saw the city commit to a €1 billion budget for the purchase of new trains, and the latest plans for improvement will reinforce the city’s reputation as one of Europe’s biggest spenders on public transport improvements.

Trams, Trains, and Buses

Unlike most other cities, Berlin has not only retained its tram network but extended it. Now, the tram network will be expanded still further with most new lines being laid in the western suburbs. In total, the tram network’s coverage will grow by 28 percent with the total line-distance rising to 267 kilometers. It’s not just distances covered but the number of trams that will rise. A 38 percent increase in the fleet will provide service to new routes while waiting times on existing routes will be reduced.

Waiting u-bahn to Airport Schoenefeld - Berlin’s Public Transport System — City train line 9 to airport Berlin Schönefeld waiting in Berlin Spandau (Paul Münzner – ECOURBANHUB)

Moving from trams to trains, the S-Bahn rail network will also be expanded in a Northerly direction but instead of laying all-new tracks for the extension, it will primarily use existing lines that have fallen into disuse.

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The city’s bus service hasn’t been neglected in the plans for a public transport revamp. Berlin says all its buses will be electric by 2030 and no passenger will wait longer than 10 minutes before a bus arrives. In remote areas where a regular timetable to allow for this isn’t feasible, it’s hoped that on-demand mini-buses will be able to provide service as needed.

Feasibility Studies for U-Bahn Extensions and Cargo Trams

Recommendation

Autonomous bus service in Germany ioki from Deutsche Bahn AG

First Self-Driving Bus Service ioki Operating in Germany

Four proposed subways extensions are on the cards, but will first require full investigation before Berlin can commit to them. These would include lines to the new BER airport, which is currently under construction, as well as to the old airport which will be transformed into a tech park when the airport moves to its new location. An additional idea under consideration is the idea of using the tram network to ship cargoes.

Green Idealism Could Become Pragmatic Necessity

Projects that will decrease cities’ carbon footprint by encouraging mobility using public transport may sound like left-wing green idealism. Indeed, city authorities, consisting of a left-wing coalition, are eager to finalize as many of their plans for Berlin’s transport system as possible before a potentially more conservative future administration would have the chance to go back on them. However, analysts expect that necessity rather than green politics will make the expansions a logical step forward.

28 EUR Billion to Improve Berlin’s Public Transport System - Arriving entering train — Arriving local train in Berlin driving to Berlin-Lichtenberg (Paul Münzner – ECOURBANHUB)

28 EUR Billion to Improve Berlin’s Public Transport System - local train to Lichtenberg — Main station of Berlin waiting for the local train to Berlin-Lichtenberg (Paul Münzner – ECOURBANHUB)

Waiting passenger - Berlin’s Public Transport System — Waiting passengers at Berlin’s station Berlin-Spandau on a Friday afternoon (Paul Münzner – ECOURBANHUB)

Berlin is currently home to about 3.63 million people, and that figure is expected to rise to above 4 million by 2030. Demand is already increasing, and the city is expecting some of the funds for its plans to come from rising ridership. A 1.4 percent fares increase will also contribute to the pool of funds to be used for the upgrades.

Berlin has looked to the future and is ensuring that it will have the capacity to cater for a growing population. It has planned proactively, and although improvements to the public transport network will have environmental benefits, they are being dictated by practical necessity too.

DB train and U-Bahn in Spandau station - Berlin’s Public Transport System — German railroad company (left) for regional and long-distance transport and S-Bahn (right) for inner-city transport (Paul Münzner – ECOURBANHUB)

28 EUR Billion to Improve Berlin’s Public Transport System - inside regional train in Berlin — Inside regional train in Berlin on the way to Berlin main station (Paul Münzner – ECOURBANHUB)

28 EUR Billion to Improve Berlin’s Public Transport System - main station in Berlin — Main station Berlin on a Sunday evening (Paul Münzner – ECOURBANHUB)

28 EUR Billion to Improve Berlin’s Public Transport System - Berlin main station — Berlin main station (Paul Münzner – ECOURBANHUB)

Time Table in Berlin Spandau - Berlin’s Public Transport System — Time table at Berlin station Spandau (Paul Münzner – ECOURBANHUB)

Waiting U-Bahn in Spandau - Berlin’s Public Transport System — Waiting for local train S-Bahn line number 9 (Paul Münzner – ECOURBANHUB)

Luxembourg will celebrate a world first when it makes all forms of public transport a free service. The city experiences some of the worst traffic problems in the world and hopes to relieve traffic congestion by making all bus, train, and tram trips free of charge.

Next Step: To Abolish Fares Completely

The plan for free public transport was put forward in the election platform of coalition government leader, Xavier Bettel who is serving his second term as Luxembourg’s leader. His Democratic Party has teamed up with the Socialist Worker’s Party, and the Greens with promises to prioritize an environmentally-friendly agenda.

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Luxembourg City has a population of 110,000, but an estimated 400,000 commute to work in the city. The resulting gridlock means that motorists have spent 33 hours on average stuck in traffic jams since 2016. Commuting plays a big role in Luxembourg’s economy. The Grand Duchy hosts approximately 200,000 commuters from neighboring France, Belgium, and Germany every day.

Progress towards free public transport has already been made, with the government introducing free rides for all children and young people under twenty years of age. Free shuttles ferry secondary school students between school and home, and although other commuters do pay a fare, just €2 covers a trip on most commuter routes.

The next step will be to abolish fares completely, and there will be some cost saving realized since tickets need no longer be sold and purchase compliance need no longer be policed.

Luxembourg plans to implement its plan in 2020, but some details must still be settled. For example, there are questions on what to do about first and second class train seats. However, it seems that free public transport in Luxembourg isn’t a political hot potato – instead, controversy is centered on government plans to legalize recreational cannabis use.

Public Transport

€28.1 Billion to Improve Berlin’s Public Transport System

Trams, Trains, and Buses

Trams, Trains, and Buses

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Feasibility Studies for U-Bahn Extensions and Cargo Trams

Recommendation

First Self-Driving Bus Service ioki Operating in Germany

Green Idealism Could Become Pragmatic Necessity

Luxembourg to Offer Free Public Transport in a Bid to End Congestion

The next step will be to abolish fares completely

Next Step: To Abolish Fares Completely

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