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Subway or tram? This study is crucial for mobility!
Research presents current studies on subways and trams in cities, emphasizing environmentally friendly mobility alternatives.
Subway or tram? This study is crucial for mobility!
In many congested cities in Germany, the call for climate-friendly alternatives to cars is becoming louder and louder. A new study conducted by the Complexity Science Hub and published in the renowned journalNature Citiespublished shows interesting differences in mobility between cities with trams and those with subway systems. According to MDR, the share of cars is significantly lower in cities that rely on a subway system. For example, research shows that in a city with a subway and a population of one million people, there are only about 370 million car trips per year, while in a city with a tram without a subway the figure rises to 700 million.
The independence and efficiency of the subway are particularly noteworthy. It offers reliable traffic routing, high capacities and short travel times. Cities such as Utrecht, Szeged and Bern that have tram systems also have a high proportion of cyclists and pedestrians, which further reduces car use. In this context, researchers from Vienna recommend building subway systems for larger urbanized areas, as trams have regained popularity in recent years but cannot reach the capacities of the subway.
Regional comparison: subway vs. tram
The study also shows fascinating regional differences. While cities like Toulouse and Rome, which have a metro, still have a high proportion of cars, this is much lower in cities with pure metro systems. There are currently only four cities in Germany with subways: Berlin, Hamburg, Munich and Nuremberg. These systems are managed by the respective local transport companies. Cities like Cologne, Frankfurt and Hanover have light rail systems, but they do not offer the advantages of real subways.
As the analysis makes clear, there are clear advantages of the subway over trams. Subway systems can play a crucial role, particularly in large cities where it is important to minimize car traffic. While the tram has experienced a renaissance in recent years, it should be noted that, especially in the former GDR, it was preserved as a result of the traffic planning at the time or was replaced by bus transport. However, the current challenges of urban mobility require new solutions that can often only be realized through the construction of subway systems.
Overall, research shows that the choice of transport system has a significant influence on mobility behavior in large cities. And even if trams have their right to exist, the future of urban mobility in Germany could belong more to the subway.