Research - 15.04.2025 - 09:00
Shared micromobility with e-scooters and (e)-bikes is playing an increasingly important role in Switzerland. There are currently 7 providers with around 11,400 active vehicles and they are used by around 1 million people – with a total of 5 million journeys per year.
The “Multimodal Networked” project report offers practical findings from an extensive pilot study in Eastern Switzerland. The project tested two concrete measures to promote combined mobility offers:
Measure 1: Combined offers (so-called ‘bundles’) for public transport and micromobility
Customers in the OSTWIND fare network were able to purchase discounted packages for the use of e-scooters and e-bikes – including a flat rate (unlimited use), a 50-minute package and a 50% discount offer (so-called “half-fare style”). Individual public transport tickets could also be extended with a micromobility voucher.
Measure 2: Sharing zones at railway stations
Micromobility hubs were set up at selected railway stations to make it easier to find vehicles and keep public spaces more organised.
During the ten-week pilot phase in late summer 2024, public transport customers in the OSTWIND network were able to book discounted combined packages for micromobility use. The detailed analysis of the survey provides the following insights:
Users rated the newly established sharing zones at train stations positively but emphasised the desire for a hybrid model that combines fixed stations (‘hubs’) with free parking (“free-floating”).
While classic bike sharing systems usually rely on fixed stations, electric micromobility was originally introduced primarily in the free-floating model. Today, hybrid solutions that combine the advantages of both approaches are becoming increasingly established.
Based on the results of the study, OSTWIND and Dott (formerly TIER) are examining a permanent combined offer. Christian Stieger, Head of Marketing and Communication at the OSTWIND fare network, says: “Our pilot study has shown that customers appreciate attractive offers for the combined use of micromobility and public transport. We see this as an opportunity to make public transport in the region even more attractive.”
Manuel Herzog, Country Manager Switzerland at Dott, emphasises the importance of partnership-based cooperation between providers, transport companies and administrations: “The successful implementation of combined services requires close cooperation between all parties involved. This is the only way we can create sustainable solutions that meet the needs of users.”
SBB is planning to roll out the concept of sharing zones throughout Switzerland. Eveline Libiszewski, First Last Mile Project Manager at SBB, explains, “Sharing zones are an important part of the First Last Mile to make journeys to and from stations easy and convenient.”
The full results and recommendations of the report are now available online (in German): imo.unisg.ch
Images: IMO-HSG
