HAMBURG, GERMANY--The metro region of Hamburg, Germany, with some 2.6 million
residents, is served by a fully integrated public transit network, which has been in place
for about 30 years.
The core of the network is represented by both commuter rail (S Bahn) and urban heavy
rail (Metro) systems. The S Bahn network extends for 110 kilometers (68.5 miles)
with 58 stations and is used by 150 million passengers a year. The Metro lines cover
98 kilometers (61 miles), have 87 stations, and are used by 180 million passengers a year.
Both systems and their impressive ridership levels are supported by 84 street-level or
underground park-and-ride lots next to suburban commuter stations. Parking is free
and the lots are guarded during the day. The lots have a total of about 15,000
parking spaces, and their use has more than quadrupled over the past 20 years.
The funding for the operation and maintenance of the park-and-ride lots comes from
rental and profit sharing receipts provided by retail outlets in the systems' stations and
terminals, along with a surcharge on the use of downtown parking spaces. In effect,
each parking space in the central business district pays for the operation of a parking
space in one of the suburban park-and-ride lots in the immediate proximity of commuter
stations.
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