HAMBURG, GERMANY-The metropolitan
region of Hamburg, which counts for 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 68.5 miles with 58 stations and is used by 150 million passengers
a year. The Metro lines cover 61 miles, have 87 stations and are used by 180 million
passengers a year.
The two systems and their
impressive riderships are supported by 84 street-level and underground park-and-ride lots
located next to suburban commuter stations. Parking is free and the lots are guarded
during the day. The lots contain a total of about 15,000 parking spaces, and their use has
more than quadrupled over the past 20 years.
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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