Verkehrsverbund: The evolution and spread of fully integrated regional public transport in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland

Abstract

Throughout the world, urban areas have been rapidly expanding, exacerbating the problem of many public transport (PT) operators providing service over different governmental jurisdictions. Over the past five decades, Germany, Austria, and Switzerland have successfully implemented regional PT associations (called Verkehrsverbund or VV), which integrate services, fares, and ticketing while coordinating public transport planning, marketing, and customer information throughout metropolitan areas, and in some cases, entire states. A key difference between VVs and other forms of regional PT coordination is the collaboration and mutual consultation of government jurisdictions and PT providers in all decision-making. This article examines the origins of VVs, their spread to 13 German, Austrian, and Swiss metropolitan areas from 1967 to 1990, and their subsequent spread to 58 additional metropolitan areas from 1991 to 2017, now serving 85% of Germany's and 100% of Austria's population. The VV model has spread quickly because it is adaptable to the different degrees and types of integration needed in different situations.

Liveable Cities and Urban Transit: Liveability in a Global Context and its Connections to the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area (GTHA)

“…Within its city centre, Zurich's population density was 4,432 people per km² in 2015 and its suburban density was 651 people per km² in 2015. These figures are higher than several other large European cities such as Hamburg, Vienna, and Berlin (Buehler et al, 2019).…”

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“…One review of the impacts of several fare integration schemes by Sharaby and Shiftan (2012) showed that in each case, ridership increased, as presented in Figure 27. A 2018 study by Buehler et al 132 examined how metropolitan regions in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland have successfully implemented regional public transport (PT) coordination through organizations called Verkehrsverbunde (VVB). The VVB typically include dozens of public and private transit entities but provide "one time-table, one fare, and one ticket."…”

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“…The coordination of public transport systems, not only through integrated fares but also through integrated ticketing and coordinated transport planning, marketing, and customer information, is a foundation for providing an attractive alternative to the car. Buehler, Pucher, & Dümmler [53] suggest that such coordination, in the form of so-called Verkehrsverbund, is a part of the explanation of why the modal share of private cars has fallen since 1990 in many German, Austrian, and Swiss metropolitan areas. In all six of their case studies, they argue that the integrated public transport associations have increased the quality and quantity of services, attracted more passengers, and reduced the proportion of costs covered by subsidies.…”