海角视频

Dahmestadt Mobility Feasibility Study

Berlin, Germany

海角视频 set out a clear vision for the mobility demands of a major urban development that will seek to create a series of new communities and commercial development opportunities along a corridor of under-utilised land to the south-east of Berlin.

The Dahmestadt mobility feasibility study set out a clear, deliverable pathway to a low鈥慶arbon public transport spine for the fast鈥慻rowing corridor close to Berlin Brandenburg Airport. Led by 海角视频, working in collaboration with architect studio Realace, which created the initial urban development vision for the region, the feasibility study examines how a new mobility axis can connect existing places and planned 鈥淣eokieze鈥� (new communities) across municipalities Sch枚nefeld, Wildau and K枚nigs Wusterhausen, and the neighbouring municipalities of Zeuthen and Schulzendorf. It positions this axis as an intermodal, climate鈥憂eutral backbone that strengthens last鈥憁ile access to S鈥態ahn and regional rail, reduces car dependency, and supports high鈥憅uality growth.

The study responds to the NEOCITY narrative for the Regional Growth Core at Sch枚nefelder Kreuz, reframing the area as 鈥淒ahmestadt鈥� rather than simply an airport hinterland. It aligns a value creation strategy, an urbanisation strategy, and a combined mobility and green space strategy. At its heart is a new corridor that opens up emerging neighbourhoods, connects them to each other and to existing centres, and makes landscape and leisure assets accessible without reliance on private cars.

Framed by a programme running from April to early October 2025, the team prepared the findings for launch at EXPO REAL in Munich. This timetable helped maintain focus on decision鈥憆eady recommendations that local authorities, transport operators and investors can take forward together.

Challenge

The southern Berlin metropolitan area is experiencing rapid growth in manufacturing, research, education and tourism, driven by anchors such as BER Airport, the Rolls鈥慠oyce cluster and Tesla, alongside the innovation ecosystem around TH Wildau. This success is drawing in new residents and businesses, increasing travel demand across a finely balanced network.

Even today, key road and rail corridors are approaching their limits at peak times. Forecasts to 2030 and 2040 show substantial further loading if no action is taken. For example, modelled increases indicate significant growth on the A113, A10 and B96a, and marked uplifts on key Landesstra脽en, while public transport flows on the G枚rlitzer and Anhalter rail axes are projected to rise steeply. These trends underscore the need to add capacity and improve the quality and reach of the public transport offer.

Although the corridor benefits from strong regional and S鈥態ahn connections, local coverage between rail spines is inconsistent. Some bus routes operate only hourly, with limited evening and night services that do not match the needs of shift workers and airport staff. The low frequency on the last mile constrains access to both residential and employment areas.

Major highways and rail lines fragment the urban fabric, particularly around the airport. In places, achieving a legible, efficient route will require new infrastructure such as bridge connections, which impacts phasing and funding.

Another key challenge is that delivery spans multiple municipalities, the county, the state and national transport bodies, the VBB (the Verkehrsverbund Berlin-Brandenburg transport operators association), the airport company, and private developers and employers. Aligning objectives, funding and governance was central to the feasibility work. There will also be challenges around influencing behavioural changes. New services, especially on鈥慸emand offers, take time to bed-in. Without clear branding, communications and wayfinding, awareness can lag and patronage can underperform in the early years.

Solution

The team combined GIS鈥慴ased analysis, policy and plan review to 2040, and a structured options comparison across road, rail, water and air modes. A three鈥憇tep method narrowed the long list by excluding modes that could not meet the task, comparing performance against delivery effort, and selecting the most suitable options using expanded criteria such as scalability, integration, operational hours and brand impact.

The study defines a pragmatic ramp鈥憉p that can start quickly, improve coverage and reliability, and preserve a route to higher capacity as demand grows.

The first option illustrated in the report is for an attractive fixed鈥憆oute bus offer. Three lines are proposed to link growth areas directly to key stations and centres. The concept sets a base 20鈥憁inute frequency with extended evening operation, lifting service quality well above current provision and creating a visible, legible offer that is easy to use and to scale.

The second option is for on鈥慸emand electric shuttles. A flexible, 24鈥慼our service using small buses provides first鈥� and last鈥憁ile coverage across the wider area. The initial operating concept foresees around 15 vehicles to achieve full鈥慳rea coverage, with electrification as a design assumption and compact depots to suit dispersed operations.

The third option outlined by the team proposes stepping up to tram or BRT/ART. For later phases, where urban structure and demand warrant it, the corridor reserves scope for a higher鈥慶apacity, segregated system that can carry significantly more passengers. This option serves as the long鈥憈erm backbone once the development pipeline has matured.

The plan recognises where dedicated alignments are needed to bypass constraints and maintain reliability, for example sections near the airport and selective southern links where re鈥憄urposing or upgrading existing paths could support bus priority. Elsewhere, the on鈥慸emand service makes best use of the street network to provide coverage without new construction.

The fixed鈥憆oute offer focuses on direct connections and reliable headways, while the on鈥慸emand layer extends reach into lower鈥慸ensity neighbourhoods and covers off鈥憄eak periods and night hours. This combination improves access for shift workers and those travelling outside the traditional peak.

Both the fixed鈥憆oute buses and on鈥慸emand shuttles are conceived as electric from the outset, with depot and charging strategies planned proportionately. This approach reduces operational emissions and supports air quality and noise goals across residential areas.

Three structured workshops and targeted stakeholder sessions brought together municipalities, the Landkreis (the county authority), state ministries, the airport company, landowners and investors. This created shared understanding of constraints and options, and a firm basis for decisions on phasing, governance and funding.

The study outlined operating concepts and potential delivery models, from integration with existing public operators through to public鈥憄rivate partnership approaches where appropriate. It also set out short鈥�, medium鈥� and long鈥憈erm steps, so sponsors can move quickly on early actions while safeguarding the corridor for later upgrades. Orders of magnitude for annual operations indicate that both the high鈥慺requency bus offer and the on鈥慸emand network are viable as near鈥憈erm starters, with the on鈥慸emand layer offering strong value for coverage and inclusion. The analysis recognises the future potential for autonomous operation to eventually reduce operational cost.

Value

The pathway enables quick wins that people will notice and enabling credible alternatives to the private car from day one. This supports a shift in travel behaviour, especially for new residents choosing whether to own a car at all when moving into the area.

By adding public transport capacity precisely where growth is focused, the plan relieves pressure on corridors that are already close to their limits and provides resilience against disruption. The intermodal design strengthens the overall network by knitting new places into the S鈥態ahn and regional rail system.

Better evening and night services make it easier for shift workers and airport staff to get to work reliably. Improved first鈥� and last鈥憁ile connections expand access to education, services and green space, supporting wellbeing and social value as the corridor grows.

The study establishes a coherent, communicable offer that can be promoted to residents, businesses and visitors. Branding and wayfinding are treated as essential ingredients for adoption, based on lessons from comparable on鈥慸emand services in the region.

By convening public bodies and private stakeholders from the outset, the work clarifies roles, decision gates and co鈥慺unding opportunities, including contributions from developers and employers who benefit from improved accessibility. This shared approach reduces risk and accelerates delivery.

Electrified operations and a phased shift to higher鈥慶apacity, segregated solutions provide a credible path to lower operational emissions and improved air quality. The approach balances technology with empathy for users, ensuring the mobility axis supports thriving places as well as efficient movement.

The study drew on our mobility and transport specialists and our urban strategies team, combining spatial analytics, service planning, economics and stakeholder engagement into a single, coherent process. Working with Realace brought continuity from the original NEOCITY white papers into the feasibility phase, ensuring strategic intent translated into grounded, implementable proposals.