MAN Truck & Bus
The 10 most bus-friendly cities in Europe
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01
Helsinki
By 2050, Helsinki is planning to do away with sections of the seven motorways that lead deep into the city. The inner-city space that is regained is intended for new residential concepts, broad boulevards and green areas. Buses and trams are then increasingly to be relied on to reach these new districts. Buses are also embedded into a mobility network for the Finnish capital: the "Whim" app can be used to book a multimodal journey by bus, tram, hire car or even taxi and pay directly online, or obtain unlimited use of the public transport system throughout Helsinki for only 49 euros a month and bike hire for up to 30 minutes per journey at no extra cost.
02
Vienna
While other municipalities are still discussing, Vienna had already introduced the 365-euro-ticket in 2012. This ticket enables improved connection between the Lower Austria and Burgenland region and the centre of Vienna, since the surrounding area belongs to the same tariff zone. Buses prove to be true summiteers during journeys into the environs and overcome heights greater than 300 metres to carry passengers to their beloved viewpoints.
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03
Paris
Buses in Paris travel frequently and with particular punctuality. Why? The city has set the public transport operators certain targets for their efficiency. They can look forward to a bonus payment if 95 per cent of the scheduled journeys per hour are punctual. Penalty payments are due if the ratio is below this and missed targets have to be recovered. How exactly public transport in Paris is organised using MAN buses can be discovered here.
04
Munich
Munich continuously works in the expansion of its bus lines as well as in the integration of new neighbourhoods under development into the public transportation system. Parallel to this, Munich is doing even more: new bus lanes are being constructed, which will ensure punctuality and traffic smoothness even in peak hours. Additionally, in 2018 a "City Ring" was created – an exclusive bus line that covers the city centre and offers a quick connection to the city's railway network. This bus line also complements since 2013 the express bus line that only stops at the most important stations apart from offering a cross connection to the underground railway and the rapid-transit railway. In addition, the Stadtwerke München (Munich City Utilities) and the Münchner Verkehrsgesellschaft (Munich Transport Company) are one of several MAN innovation partners who will be testing the practicality of eBuses in 2020.
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05
Groningen
How do you keep cars completely away from the city centre? The city of Groningen in the Netherlands has found a solution. Multiple mini shuttle buses drive around the inner city. The aim of these journeys, which only cost 1 euro and are free for families and those who have trouble walking, is to increase mobility and make it more attractive in future not to rely on cars when visiting the city centre.
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6. Hamburg: From 2020, the Hanseatic city will be the first German city to order only buses that use alternative fuels. The goal? To employ only emission-free buses in the city until 2030. These can be seamlessly integrated into the existing timetables of the Hanseatic city, where most buses are already on their own tracks and reach their destinations faster and more punctually thanks to traffic light control. In addition, many bus stops have been rebuilt and relocated so that the sometimes time-consuming threading into the traffic is no longer necessary and "green waves" can be used in the best possible way. By the way: in December 2019 MAN will deliver its first two electric buses to the city. ©GettyImages/Ralf Gröger/EyeEm
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7. Bordeaux: it is possible to board a bus in Bordeaux city centre and alight without changing around an hour later amidst a wine-growing district. So anyone wanting to try more than one glass of the famous Bordeaux doesn't need to worry about the return journey: simply board the next bus and be transported in comfort back to the centre of this French metropolis. © GettyImages/Nouvelle-Aquitaine
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8. Newcastle: the roots of Newcastle's public transport network extend back to 1839, when the world's first urban train service commenced operation. This laid the cornerstone for the present bus, metro and even passenger vessel service for the city and its environs. Users consider it to remain one of the best to date in Great Britain. © GettyImages/Chris Hepburn
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9. Rostock: Rostock is one of the first cities in Germany to introduce a completely free student ticket. Children and young people can travel for free by bus and rail in the Hanseatic city from 2020. This decision, which was passed by a broad political consensus, is sure to please the parents of 20,000 school-age children. Children and their parents can use this ticket to travel directly from the city centre to the beach in Warnemünde, which is integrated into the public transport network. Here there is also a ferry that connects both parts of the city. © iStock/RicoK69
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10. Straßburg: there are two large park-and-ride locations outside Strasbourg where a car can be left for 4.10 euros per day. The parking card is simultaneously a bus and tram ticket for up to seven people. The city of Strasbourg, whose greater area contains a total of 500,000 inhabitants, is enjoying success from this solution: on busy visitor days, there is substantially less congestion and traffic chaos than before. © iStock/libre de droit
