The Graz urban region is located in the southern part of the province of Styria, not far from the border between Austria and Slovenia. The city of Graz has 280,000 inhabitants. It is the second largest city in Austria and the capital of Styria. With 57 surrounding municipalities included, the urban region has a population of around 460,000.
Graz is surrounded by hills and mountain ranges, except to the south. Here a green belt with forests and pastures offers to the citizens many possibilities for recreation.
The demographic development is highly dynamic, especially in the closer agglomeration of Graz. The growth of population is approximately 3 % per year – through migration from rural areas into cities, but also through immigration from South-East European countries.
Description of the pilot scheme
The growing population leads to urgent issues regarding urban mobility, e.g. the intensification of commuter flows. A suburban railway system has, therefore, been introduced by the province of Styria. At local traffic hubs, the suburban railways are integrated with bus and tram lines, and timetables are coordinated to assure efficient, fast and comfortable connections between the core city and its hinterland. Additionally, a system of integrated tickets has been introduced by the Styrian Traffic Association already 20 years ago.
Of course, not all municipalities are located in the catchment area of this highly efficient transport system. Today, these areas are linked to the city of Graz mostly through direct bus lines, providing comfortable connections for commuters and pupils at peak hours. However, during off-peak hours and due to a lack of transversal connections, public transport in rural areas is rather inadequate. Consequently, the use of private cars still prevails.
It is the aim of the regional pilot scheme to change this situation and to prepare a strategy for better urban-rural mobility. The accessibility of rural areas by public transport shall be improved without increasing the resources needed. Since many of these areas have a high recreational value, the inhabitants of the city of Graz and visitors to the area would also benefit from better and more flexible offers.
