The International Mobility Week will take place from September 16 to 22, 2024 and we, the TVB Silberregion Karwendel, will of course be there. On this blog you will find our daily reports from our sustainable journey to work. Join us on our way to work - whether by bus, train or bike - and share our experiences and insights.
Conclusion
The International Mobility Week from 16 - 22.09.2024 is over almost as quickly as a train ride from Innsbruck to Schwaz. For the team from the Silberregion Karwendel tourism association, it had some exciting and instructive lessons in store. During this week, we all swapped the convenience of traveling by car for a seat on a bus or train, or on the saddle of a bike and the platform of a scooter, in order to get to work in a sustainable way. And lo and behold, it wasn't so bad!
For some of us, it made almost no difference in terms of time whether we went to work by car or by train. Especially if you had a scooter with you, it was quick to get to the station and from there to work.
For others, it made a big difference whether you were traveling by car or by public transport. However, this time was used sensibly and you could stream the Podcast "Pure Vielfalt" of the Silberregion Karwendel or continue to browse through the exciting thriller that you otherwise don't have time for, or simply listen to the - to the adult ear funny conversations of the students. Half as bad, then.
On the one hand, the overcrowded public transport, especially in the morning, was a bit of a hassle, as you often felt like you were in a sardine can. Added to this was the adventurous driving style of the bus drivers. On the other hand, it was of course also a little frustrating when a train was late again, but let's put that down to the exceptional situation with the flooding in eastern Austria last week. Under normal circumstances, traveling by train should work out without any major problems.
The weather wasn't entirely kind to cyclists and scooter riders, at least at the start of the week, but what's the old saying? "There is no such thing as bad weather, only bad clothing." Whether this was much consolation remains to be seen.
In total, however, we have saved just over 40 kilograms of CO2 this week. This may not sound like much at first, if we recall the example from our info text. Here, the commute from Innsbruck to Schwaz was calculated at around 2,000 kilograms of CO2 per year. However, if you convert these 40 kilograms to an annual amount, the result is 1,900 kilograms of CO2 savings. And that is already very considerable
.This amount will not stop man-made climate change. However, it is a contribution to this goal that should not be underestimated - and can be achieved with relatively little effort - and of which the Silberregion Karwendel Tourism Association is very proud.
This week has definitely made us realize that it makes more than sense to step out of our comfort zone and leave the car behind if we want to somehow turn the tide. Because one thing is certain: There's no planet B!
Our experience reports
Day 5
20.09.2024
"During Mobility Week, I also used public transport or our own fleet of e-bikes and e-scooters for all business trips to meetings.
Since this summer, the tourism association has been offering a 24/7 e-bike and e-scooter rental service, where guests and locals can easily rent a bike or scooter via an app. This is an additional offer for people in our region, as they often have the problem that all bikes are rented out at the usual rental stores or that they are not open on Sunday afternoons, for example. To solve this problem, we launched our bike rental service, which has been well received.
Of course, these bikes and scooters are also available to employees of the tourism association and we often use them during lunch breaks to get to restaurants that are not within walking distance, as this would not be possible during the break.Or to get to meetings in the Schwaz area. With the e-bike, you can be at either end of the city in no time at all, you don't have to look for a parking space and you're never stuck in a traffic jam. Very convenient and definitely faster than by car. I can only warmly recommend an e-bike to any company to make commuting easier for its employees."
"As in the last few days, I went to work with my E-scooter and the train. I also had a large bag with me today, which contained lunch for my grandpa and me. It was a little more awkward with the scooter, but it wasn't a major problem.
At the train station in Schwaz, a small stand was set up today as part of European Mobility Week. Here, all commuters could get a free breakfast (sandwiches, apples, coffee and tea). So I set off with a little refreshment and was in the office on time at 8:00."
"Today is the last day of International Mobility Week, and I have to say it has been an interesting week full of new impressions. One thing has become clear: Commuting to work sustainably is often not as easy as you might imagine.
My conclusion: The public transport system urgently needs to be expanded. Long journey times, delays, overcrowded buses and the costs make it difficult to get people excited about using public transport in the long term. I am convinced that more people would be willing to give up their cars and use public transport if the system were more efficient and more attractive.For me personally, one thing is certain: in winter, when it's too cold to ride a moped, I will continue to take the bus. Maybe something will happen soon and the public transport system will be improved - that would not only make everyday life easier for me, but also for many other people."
Day 4
19.09.2024
"Today is the last day for me during International Mobility Week. I arrived back on the E-Scooter from us. It was great fun in the beautiful weather this morning! It made me think about going somewhere else instead of to work...
My last tip for you: If you don't know where to go on your scooter or bike - come and see us! We'll be happy to advise you, for example with our new MTB and hiking map!"
"I also got the Mobility Week off to a good start and took my E-Scooter to Jenbach station. The station is currently being renovated, so I was able to see the progress live. It was easy to get through the construction site and when I arrived at the platform, I was delighted to meet my retired neighbors, whom I hadn't seen for a while. The train arrived very punctually and as I only had to travel one stop, I didn't even look for a seat. After 4 minutes I was already in Schwaz and then I took the e-scooter another 5 minutes to the office."
"New day, new luck!"
In order to save myself the extra bus ride from home to Innsbruck station today (and to avoid missing the train like yesterday), I decided to ride my bike. This worked out wonderfully: after less than 10 minutes I was already standing on the platform. Precision landing!
"It works like clockwork," I thought to myself. Then a glance at the display board: 19 minutes late! Great...that's not going to make me any happier in the morning...
But what can you do? So I waited and passed the time by reading messages on my cell phone. Fortunately, the delay didn't get any longer and I ended up sitting on the train almost 20 minutes later than planned. The journey was very relaxed, there was plenty of space as most people got off in Innsbruck and hardly any people got on at the individual stations.
A short walk from the station in Schwaz to the office and shortly after 8:00 I was sitting at my desk.
By using the bike in the morning, my journey time was now only just over an hour. That's still almost three times longer than if I'd gone by car, which is a bit frustrating and demotivating. However, if there hadn't been this stupid delay, it would only have been double the time, which I find quite acceptable. Especially with the knowledge of having saved CO2 and money. If everything always goes smoothly, traveling to work by public transport would definitely be an alternative for me. Let's see if I have more luck tomorrow."
"This morning I took the bus again - on the one hand, it's nice because it gives me the opportunity to chat with friends that I rarely meet otherwise. On the other hand, taking the bus also means I have to get up a lot earlier, which is quite exhausting. And then the bus is so crowded: the bus is so full every day that you can hardly move. Some people even sit on the floor, the others stand close together. I often wonder why there isn't just a second bus that runs at the same time. That would save so much stress for everyone.
I also noticed again today how fast the bus drivers drive down the Weerberg. Especially in the tight bends, it can be quite dangerous."
Day 3
18.09.2024
"Weekly divider - so yesterday I decided to use the e-mountain bike for the last time and switch to the e-scooters from our rental shop due to the nice weather. As I already own an e-scooter privately, it wasn't difficult for me to get used to the scooter. However, it starts faster than mine and has cruise control, which I was previously unaware of.
My third tip for you: As the e-scooter cannot be locked using the app, we offer lockable locks at the test center. You can use these to connect 2 scooters together, for example, if you want to cruise around together during your lunch break."
"Riding an e-scooter without rain is really fun!"
"Today is day 3 of Mobility Week and I took the bus to work today. In Weer, I'm lucky that the public transport network works well during the week and during school hours. However, the buses are always packed in the morning, mainly with students. The first bus I always take arrives about 5 minutes later, which doesn't bother me, but the children squeeze into the bus in front of you so that they can ride the bus. In addition, the bus drivers sometimes drive too fast and often don't stop at the bus stops or stop too late with emergency braking. These are the main reasons why I don't like taking the bus. I would also have the option of taking the train, but the station is just too far away from my home (about a 30-minute walk).
I think it's a shame that my motivation to travel by public transport is so low, but there are still no changes. The public transport network should be much better developed and made more attractive for people (connections, fares, etc.)."
"The first bus ride to work during Mobility Week was actually completely OK.
The journey to the bus and then to work takes less than 5 minutes, the bus ride itself - pleasant because I was able to get a seat - and entertaining because the students around me didn't run out of things to talk about."
"So today was the first time I took the public transport to work! The evening before, I picked out the best connection. As I live on the outskirts of Innsbruck, I first had to take a bus to the station. Not really a problem, but I immediately thought that the time between arrival at the station and departure of the train was 6 minutes maybe a little short.
And that's what happened: a truck that had to maneuver into a very narrow driveway held up my bus for several minutes. Rush hour and a roadworks site did the rest to prevent me from catching the train I had targeted. This was a little frustrating at first
.But not so bad: the next train would be leaving in 15 minutes. This gave me enough time to get a quick breakfast and when I arrived at the platform, the train was already waiting for me and I was able to find a seat.
I would have preferred to travel on the faster Rex, but I had to take the S-Bahn. The train was well filled with other commuters, the students were already at school after 8:00 and so it was a quite quiet, relaxed and not cramped journey. A good 10 minutes' walk from the station to the office and I had arrived.
However, a glance at the clock revealed that it had taken me almost 2 hours to get from home to work. I don't normally even need that long to get there and back by car! If it now takes me another 1 hour to get home, then I lose a good 2 hours of my free time, which I only spend sitting on trains or buses, compared to commuting by car. Of course you can listen to the latest album by your favorite band or the latest exciting podcast episode, or continue reading the novel you've started. But I, at least, find it difficult with all the distractions on public transport.
It would be nice to be able to use this time for work. Phone calls could also be made on the go (perhaps not on buses and trains where you disturb other people), the first e-mails could also be conveniently processed via cell phone or tablet. However, our Austrian Working Hours Act prohibits this. Particularly in the case of longer commutes, I believe the legislator has a responsibility to enable (and encourage) employers to allow employees to complete tasks during their journey to work and for this to be recorded as working time. For me, this would be a sensible use of this longer journey. The law should move with the times a bit more here (as with home office) and pay more tribute to the developments and possibilities in the digital sector."
Day 2
17.09.2024
"Today we decided to drive to work together. We regularly form a carpool, as Heidi drives an e-car that is charged in an environmentally friendly way with electricity from her own photovoltaic system at home. On this rainy morning, we left the e-bikes behind and set off in the electric car at 6:35 am instead. After a short stop in Weer, we continued our journey to Schwaz. Our journeys are always entertaining and bring us in a good mood to the office. Arriving punctually at 7:00 a.m., we start the working day motivated.
We can highly recommend carpooling - especially with an electric car: practical, sociable and an environmentally friendly start to the day."
Is e-mobility really sustainable?
- More information can be found in our article.
"Unfortunately, the weather today was also not that great. I put on warm and waterproof clothing and then I was fine.
Today I also used ski goggles, which worked perfectly in these temperatures and the rain."
"On the second day of Mobility Week, I set off again on the e-bike to the TVB - this time I was a bit more practiced and rode even faster than yesterday, despite the rainy weather. Riding with a handbag is a bit annoying as it always slides down. In the meantime, the solution of carrying my handbag like a rucksack is enough for me, but I would certainly recommend switching to a rucksack.
My 2nd tip therefore: If you don't have a suitable backpack for your bike trip at home, simply borrow one from us for free at our brand new test center."
"We finally got our public transport tickets and so there were no more excuses for me not to use public transport.
So far, I've been commuting every day by car from Innsbruck to Schwaz and back again. Admittedly very convenient, as it takes me just a little longer than 20 minutes from door to door by car. However, this is not particularly sustainable
.As I have zero experience of using public transport to get to and from work, the first thing I had to do was research train departure times. I found the ÖBB homepage very clear and intuitive. And lo and behold: there is a train every half hour from Schwaz to Innsbruck! You can either get on the Rex, which is quite fast, or take the S4, which stops more often but only takes a good 8 minutes longer.
Now I came to my first realization: the train timetable dictates when you stop working! Until now, I was used to being able to end my working day when I wanted. Now I had to organize it a bit more. I had an approximate time when I wanted to start, but the question is: can I still finish this task or do I still start this task? On the one hand, this provides a bit of structure for the working day, but on the other hand it also represents a certain stress factor. Especially if you want to catch the train and an urgent request comes in just before the end of the working day. Of course, it was no problem to take the extra 10 minutes by car. When using public transport, this can sometimes mean that the planned train doesn't materialize and you have to take the train half an hour later. Here you have to weigh up the advantages of flexibility and structure.
But I caught the train (it was on time) and in no time I was at the station in Innsbruck. Now just catch the bus and I'd be home in no time. It's just a shame that the timing of the train didn't match the timing of my bus and it more or less drove off right under my nose. The next one doesn't arrive for half an hour. Fortunately, there is an alternative, but the bus stop is a good 10 minutes' walk away. If you add up the walking and waiting time, I could probably have waited for the other bus, but I didn't want to stand around in the middle of nowhere.In the end, my journey home from door to door took a little over an hour. More than double the normal time it takes me to get home. However, if I travel by car, have bad luck and get caught in the rush hour, it takes about the same amount of time. However, it was much more relaxed on the train or bus, as I only had to sit in them, didn't have to concentrate on the traffic and could listen to podcasts/music and read. In terms of feeling, however, it felt longer as you're only passively traveling."
Day 1
16.09.2024
"After borrowing one of our rental mountain bikes on Friday, I was able to ride my bike to work this morning just in time for the start of Mobility Week and test our e-bikes. Brrrr... It was cold and wet. Although I hadn't ridden my bike for a few years, everything worked great - the power assistance worked perfectly and I got to the office quickly. Unfortunately, I forgot to save our instructions for operating the bike the following Friday - so I had to search for the button to switch the bike on first, for example.
Therefore my tip: When renting the e-bike, make sure that you scan the QR code for the instructions in the rental center and save the instructions right away so that you can quickly look them up if you have any questions."
"I came with the roller today. Fortunately, I have good Gore-Tex clothing, so it's fine in the rain.
With a scooter, you have to be really careful about everyone else on the road (nobody really enjoys you, either on the road or on the sidewalk)."
Our preliminary reports and expectations
"I commute every day by car from Innsbruck to Schwaz. Up to now, I have admittedly not considered using public transport to get to work out of convenience. From my front door to the office, it takes me around 20 minutes by car, depending on traffic. With the train, my journey would at least double. So my motivation was limited so far. I was aware that I wasn't doing anything good for the environment and my fuel costs each month were very high, but this wasn't enough to overcome my "inner bastard".
Now, however, during my research into sustainable mobility and the figures I calculated, I really realized how harmful my daily journey to work by car actually is. I was downright shocked!
Mobility Week has now given me the opportunity to try out public transport thanks to the ticket provided. I'm curious to see what insights I'll gain and whether I'll become a reformed public transport user after all. Our planet would probably thank me for it."
"I'm looking forward to Mobility Week because I can do something good for the environment by riding the bus.
Normally, I ride my moped to work every day or take the car with my mother in bad weather. That generates a lot of CO2, so I think it's great that we can leave the car at least for a week.
However, taking the bus from my home on the Weerberg is not easy, as the town is relatively small and the connections are not the best. The buses are often overcrowded in the morning because many schoolchildren travel to Schwaz. Sometimes it gets really crowded. Nevertheless, I think the idea is important for the environment."
"Our mobility week starts on Monday, I'm already excited. I live in Weerberg and will be commuting to work in Schwaz every day. The bus connection is quite good, so the journey in the morning should certainly not be a problem - apart from an overcrowded bus that takes all the students from Weerberg to Schwaz in the morning.
It will be more exciting in the afternoon when I start work at 1 pm. Instead of 15 minutes by car, I'll then be on the bus for 36 minutes. However, that's only 0.94 kg of CO2 instead of 2.19 kg. I use the way home at least once a week for grocery shopping, how this can be combined will become clear.
I'm definitely curious to see how it feels to only use public transport for a whole working week."
"The International Mobility Week is already taking place next week and I am already curious to see what insights will be gained from it.
I think the tourism association's decision to take part in this week is very good and I am very much in favor of it, because on the one hand it brings environmental awareness back to mind and on the other hand it may show that the connections to more rural areas (train and bus) are not sufficiently available and that a solution may be worked on in the future.
My transition from e-scooter to e-bike won't be very big, but I haven't ridden a bike for a few years now, so I'm very curious to see if I can still do it... But as they say: you never forget how to ride a bike."
"Thanks to Mobility Week from 16.9. to 20.9.2024, I can put my plan to cycle to work into practice.
I've been planning to do this all summer, but convenience got the better of me and I kept driving. Now I'm motivated to cycle the 15 kilometers from Terfens to Schwaz in the morning at around 6.30 am and I'm already looking forward to it. The early bird catches the worm."
"Mobility Week is a great opportunity to consciously rethink our mobility behavior and try out sustainable alternatives.
As I travel by public transport almost every day in my free time and to work, this is nothing new for me. I like using public transport, but what I find problematic is that the timetable network should be better developed, especially in the municipalities (mainly at weekends and later in the day) and that the buses are all completely overcrowded in the morning during school term time and you can hardly get a seat on the buses.
Nevertheless, I think it's an opportunity to actively contribute to climate protection and initiate sustainable change."
"As a Jenbach resident, I am of course very well served by public transport. Nevertheless, it is very practical to make the approx. 10-minute journey to Schwaz by car, which is ideally right outside the door. I am very happy to take the opportunity to make a small contribution to the environment during this upcoming Mobility Week. I will be traveling to work by bus as well as by train and I am curious to see whether this journey will be more relaxed and less stressful for me.
If each and every one of us made a little effort to make sustainability and environmental awareness our personal focus, then we could certainly achieve great things together with small steps."