2030: When public transport and new mobility solutions rethink the city

Mobility Lab

31.07.2025

| E. Fankhauser, D. Reck

Analysis and foresight

Urban Europe is experiencing a silent revolution. By 2030, metropolitan areas will be redesigning their territories around a new reality: multimodal mobility is no longer an option, but a necessity. This transformation goes beyond simple modernization. It redefines the urban experience itself.

European cities accelerate this shift through to three converging forces. Technological innovation steadily eliminates friction between previously siloed mobility systems (road transport, public transit, and active mobility). New models of territorial governance are gradually transcending historical administrative boundaries. The measurable impacts show that this evolution generates remarkable territorial value. For organizations, institutions, and communities in Greater Geneva, this new mobility dynamic opens up unique strategic opportunities.

Innovations transforming every journey into a fluid experience

Technology is revolutionizing daily mobility. The result? Every smartphone becomes a universal access key to transport systems. WienMobil has already surpassed one million users in Vienna¹, where public transport, bike sharing, car sharing, taxis, and parking are orchestrated within a single interface.

This performance extends to the continental level. Spain is rolling out its platform in 27 cities, from Barcelona to Valencia². This milestone is establishing the first European standard for multimodal integration: the lines between modes of transport are finally fading.

Yet solid technological foundations also underpin this revolution. Switzerland exemplifies this integration through platforms enabling seamless coordination between multiple transport operators, ensuring nationwide interoperability across all modes³. The result? Every multimodal journey becomes as straightforward as a traditional public commuting trip.

Physical infrastructure evolves parallel to this digital progression. Bremen (Germany) and Nice (France) showcase this integration with their innovative multimodal hubs. Artificial intelligence now complements the physical ecosystem by optimizing real-time traffic flows, as demonstrated by Lyon (France) with its Onlymoov platform⁴. This territorial orchestration demonstrates how technology enables sophisticated metropolitan coordination.

Governance transcending frontiers

This technological revolution is accompanied by a major regulatory transformation. Since July 2024, the European Commission has imposed upon the EU’s major metropolitan areas to adopt Sustainable Urban Mobility Plans (SUMPs) by 2027⁵. This is a decisive turning point. For the first time, a common framework allows cities to measure and compare their progress on a European scale.

Local authorities deploy new financing tools. Île-de-France is mobilizing €38 billion via green bonds dedicated to sustainable transport⁶. Strategic investment is transforming urban space. This strategy enables programming 40 new multimodal hubs by 2030.

Greater Geneva is a perfect example of this new generation of integrated governance. The 2030 Cantonal Plan sets ambitious goals: a 60% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions (compared to 1990) and a 40% reduction in individual motorized trips by 2030⁷.

Cross-border tram extensions to Ferney-Voltaire and Saint-Julien-en-Genevois illustrate this territorial ambition. This strategy also includes the rollout of 50 mobility hubs that are gradually structuring the transformation at the regional level. Coordination now transcends national borders, creating a new dimension of territorial integration. The remarkable success of the Léman Express between Switzerland and France demonstrates that ambitious projects effectively transcend traditional administrative boundaries⁸.

Results transforming projections into measurable realities

This European transformation is generating large-scale, quantifiable benefits. McKinsey estimates the potential impact of integrated systems in 50 global metropolitan areas at $600 billion⁹. Far from theoretical projections, this assessment finds confirmation in the concrete performance already observed across European territories.

Bremen (Germany) has been offering a remarkable reference model since 2003. Its 42 multimodal hubs, strategically located near public transport nodes¹⁰, have produced a measurable impact with 290 shared cars replacing 4,200 private vehicles, according to official city data. This performance demonstrates the economic and environmental efficiency of the integrated territorial approach.

Nice (France) takes this logic of integration even further. Its Saint-Augustin hub is Europe’s first to simultaneously integrate buses, coaches, trams, regional trains, high-speed TGVs, and airport shuttles¹¹. This unique infrastructure demonstrates how physical multimodal streamlines connections and radically transforms user’s daily travel experience. But it is Lyon that is now revealing the extent of European modal transfer ambitions. The metropolitan area is targeting for a spectacular transformation: reducing the car share from 44% to 35% by 2030, offset by a remarkable increase in cycling (8%) and walking (35%)¹². This shift is being orchestrated over 73 municipalities, illustrating how metropolitan coordination can radically reshape an entire territory.

Luxembourg’s experience adds a complementary perspective on the effectiveness of public policies. Universal free transport has reduced road emissions by 6.5% since 2020¹³, supported by a massive €3.9 billion infrastructure program that includes four tram extensions and no less than 14 rail projects by 2035. Infrastructure clearly exerts more lasting effects on mobility behavior than pricing alone.

Conclusion

By 2030, this transformation of Europe’s urban landscape is set to become the new territorial benchmark. Its effectiveness is both technologically proven and economically validated. In Greater Geneva, tpg, the reference public transport operator and territorial mobility orchestrator, develops expertise with tpg evomoov, combining: scientific behavioral approach, in-depth territorial knowledge and technological innovation, helping employers and communities navigate this strategic mobility shift every day.

The combination of a forward-looking European vision coordinated cross-border infrastructure, and measurement tools aligned with continental standards is turning the challenge of territorial mobility into an opportunity for sustainable, measurable performance.

Can your organization afford to ignore this change? The assessment tools below help you identify your strategic opportunities in the face of these major territorial transformations. These resources give you the means to concretely assess your positioning in this ongoing European revolution. Do not hesitate to contact one of our mobility specialists to explore this further.

Assessment tools for you, decision-makers of Greater Geneva

1.Where do you stand regarding tomorrow’s territorial standards?

Assess your position in 2 minutes with the territorial self-diagnosis grid :

Dimension	🔴 Traditional Level (1pt)	🟡 Transition Level (2pts)	🟢 Excellence Level (3pts)	Your Score
Technological innovation	Isolated mode-specific solutions	Partial MaaS integration	Operational MaaS platforms	___/3
Territorial governance	Communal coordination	Metropolitan cooperation	Cross-border strategies	___/3
Sustainable financing	Traditional budgets	Mixed mechanisms	Systematic green bonds	___/3
Measurable Performance	Basic indicators	European standards	Recognized territorial leadership	___/3

📈 YOUR TOTAL SCORE: ___/12

Immediate interpretation:

🔴 4-6 points: Your structure is critically lagging behind European 2030 standards.

🟡 7-9 points: You are making progress but may miss out on major opportunities.

🟢 10-12 points: You excel and can become a territorial leader.

2.Your organization or community facing Greater Geneva's transformation.

Anticipate 2025-2030 territorial transformations.

PHASE 1 (2025-2026): New infrastructures

Annemasse-Glières tram extension in service
First operational mobility hubs

Impact for you: New service options for your teams/your population.

PHASE 2 (2027-2028): Densification and decarbonization

Strengthening the urban network with new electric buses and the new tram 13
Extensive network of mobility hubs

Impact for you: Expanded employment/residential pool, new location opportunities.

PHASE 3 (2029-2030): Integrated ecosystem

Ferney-Voltaire tram extension completed
50 mobility hubs in operation

Impact for you: Mature multimodal ecosystem, territorial competitive advantage.

3.The 5 challenges that shape your future.

Strategic diagnosis - Your readiness for the 2030 Cantonal Plan objectives.

Issue 1: Cantonal climate compliance
Does your structure contribute to the goal of 60% greenhouse gas reduction by 2030?
Impact: Anticipate future cantonal regulations and strengthen your brand image.

Issue 2: Adapting to new infrastructures
Do you know how to integrate the new tpg lines and mobility hubs into your strategy?
Impact: Optimize site accessibility and attractiveness for your talent/citizens.

Issue 3: Reduction in motorized trips
Does your mobility strategy contribute to the cantonal objective of 40% fewer individual motorized trips?
Impact: Contribute to territorial transformation while reducing your mobility costs.

Issue 4: Multimodal integration
Does your mobility approach take advantage of the integrated ecosystem under development in Greater Geneva?
Impact: Offer flexible solutions adapted to new travel habits.

Issue 5: Territorial positioning
Does your organization or community stand out through its contribution to Greater Geneva’s sustainable mobility?
Impact: Attract talent sensitive to environmental issues and strengthen your local presence.

Result: If you have identified more than 2 unmanaged issues, you risk missing out on the benefits of ongoing territorial transformations.

Assess your adaptation potential to territorial transformations with our tpg evomoov specialists.

Contact us

Notes:

Methodology: the assessment criteria are based on the objectives of the 2030 Cantonal Plan, the investments planned in Greater Geneva and the territorial expertise developed by tpg.

Sources and references