Users granted liberty to create personalized local transit applications
Loosening the Reins on Urban Mobility: Here's the scoop on the upcoming urban mobility app for Berlin and Hamburg, as per Robert Henrich, CEO of Hamburger Hochbahn. He shared this exciting tidbit at the UITP Mobility Congress in Hamburg.
The intriguing aspect? Users will have an app-within-an-app, packed with modules representing various transportation options. "Move the subway up," Henrich suggested, hinting at a modular interface. Taxi bookings could find a cozy spot in this section too. Henrich added that it'd be as open as a breeze.
Teamwork Makes the Dream Work (For the Bank Account)
Berlin's BVG and Hamburger Hochbahn have been joined at the hip since fall 2021, chasing the vision of a unified urban mobility app. Their ambition? To launch it smack-dab in the second half of 2026.
Passengers will get the lowdown on routes and usage, tap into ticket purchasing, and access goodies like rental cars and e-scooters. But that’s not all: they're inviting other transport companies and associations to hop on board, metaphorically speaking.
The partnership between Berlin and Hamburg aims to lighten the wallet, with Hochbahn sharing that development costs will be evenly split between the two. The dollars and cents haven't spilled just yet.
While there isn't a specific "self-configurable urban mobility app" like the one for Berlin and Hamburg in current circulation, there are apps offering flexible transportation options. For instance, Citymapper provides real-time information for various transport modes, such as buses, trains, and even cabs or ride-sharing services with customizable transport choices. However, it doesn't nail the self-configurable settings for subways and taxis in Berlin and Hamburg. Meanwhile, services like emmy offer electric moped rentals, providing a flexible mode of transport but not integrating with subway or taxi services.
So, if you're hoping for a one-stop-shop with self-configurable options for subways, taxis, and other fun stuff, coupling Citymapper and Taxi Deutschland might be your best bet. Stay tuned for more updates!
In pursuit of a unified urban mobility experience, the partnership between Berlin's BVG and Hamburg's Hamburger Hochbahn aims to develop an app that integrates various transportation options, including subways, taxis, and rental cars, set to launch in the second half of 2026. To expand this endeavor, they are inviting other transport companies and associations to collaborate and contribute to the development process. This collaborative effort is expected to share development costs evenly between the two cities, promising a wallet-friendly solution in the realm of industry and finance. Furthermore, this app's modular interface is anticipated to embrace the latest technology, offering a seamless and adaptable lifestyle experience in transportation.
