Hamburger Verkehrsverbund

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Hamburger Verkehrsverbund
Type Limited liability company (GmbH)
Founded November 29, 1965
Headquarters Hamburg, Germany
Area served Hamburg Metropolitan Region
Services Public transport
Revenue 504 mio Euro [1]
Owner Free and Hanseatic city of Hamburg (85.5%)
State of Schleswig-Holstein (3%)
State of Lower Saxony (2%)
Districts Herzogtum Lauenburg, Pinneberg, Segeberg, Stormarn, Harburg, Lüneburg and Stade (9.5%)
Website http://www.hvv.com HVV homepage

The Hamburger Verkehrsverbund (HVV) is an company coordinating the public transport in and around Hamburg, Germany. Its main objectives are to provide the user with a unified fare system, requiring only a single ticket for journeys with transfers between different operating companies, and to further facilitate and speed up travel by harmonising the individual companies' schedules. At its inception in 1965, HVV was the first organisation of this kind worldwide.

In 2006 HVV provides rail, bus and ferry transportation for an area of 8,616 square kilometres with approximately 3.3 million inhabitants in the states of Hamburg, Schleswig-Holstein and Lower Saxony. HVV has approximately 1.8 million customers on an average working day. [1]

With an average of 50.000 commuters per day the HVV bus line Metrobus 5 the busiest line in Europe. (The line would be much better served with a tram; however, political considerations make this infeasible at the current time.) In the city centre, stops are served without a specific schedule every two to three minutes and since December 2005, the world's longest, double-articulated buses are used.

Contents

[edit] History

HVV was founded on November 29, 1965 with the four initial partners the Hamburger Hochbahn AG, the Deutsche Bundesbahn, the HADAG Seetouristik und Fährdienst AG and Verkehrsbetriebe Hamburg-Holstein (VHH).

[edit] Organisation

The public transport authorities (PTAs) are also the tendering organizations and owners of the limited liability company Hamburger Verkehrsverbund (GmbH). The Free and Hanseatic city of Hamburg (85.5%), the State of Schleswig-Holstein (3%), the State of Lower Saxony (2%) and the Districts Herzogtum Lauenburg, Pinneberg, Segeberg, Stormarn, Harburg, Lüneburg and Stade (9.5%) are these PTAs.

[edit] Services

[edit] Rail transport

In 2006 the HVV organzised 27 rapid transit rail lines with an length of 881 km, [1] with the following operators:

[edit] Buses

The following companies are operating bus lines for the HVV:

XXL bus of line Metrobus 5
XXL bus of line Metrobus 5

[edit] Ferries

The HADAG Seetouristik und Fährdienst AG is operating ferries on the Elbe river.

[edit] Other organisations

[edit] Fare

Ticket machine in Hamburg
Ticket machine in Hamburg

The unified fare system in Hamburg splits in 3 major groups, cash ticket sales (16%), season tickets (from 3 days to a year) (72%) and others like disabled passengers, combined tickets, fare evaders etc. (12%). In 2006 the revenue was 504 mio. Euro. [1]. Cash tickets for one ride, a day or a 3 day pass can be bought at all railway stations, ferry slots or in all buses. There are also so called family tickets for 2 adults an 3 children or group tickets for 5 adults. The HVV offers together with several employers so called professional tickets, in which case the employer pays a part of the season ticket. The HVV also offers a ticket over mobile phones. [2]

Most tickets are not transferable to other persons.

[edit] Special programs

The HVV offers a lot of different type of weekly or monthly special fares.[3]

[edit] School pupils, students, trainees and apprentices

For all public school pupils tickets can be bought at the company service centers. Other schools need to be registered by the HVV. The semester tuition for most universties include the ticket pass. Trainees and apprentices need be registered by the chamber of commerce to get a season ticket.

[edit] Children

All children to the age of 6 are free of charge. For all other seasonal tickets can be chosen.

[edit] Senior citizens

Weekly or monthly tickets for anybody of the age of 63 or older are sold at the service centers.

[edit] See also

[edit] Notes

  1. ^ a b c d HVV Figures 2006, pdf (Retrieved on May 18, 2008 from the HVV website) [1]PDF
  2. ^ HVV website information German version. Retrieved on May 27, 2008
  3. ^ HVV website information English version. Retrieved on May 27, 2008

[edit] External links

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