Jury’s report FLUX – golden transport hub prize 2013

1. Objectives and thematic focus FLUX – golden transport hub is a Swiss prize awarded annually. The award highlights the value of public transport in contributing to sustainable mobility, and emphasises the importance of ensuring the transport chain between various modes of transport. The different thematic focus chosen each year is designed to take the many facets of a transport hub into account and to highlight the design and operation of contemporary solutions. The prize honours the local authority that is jointly responsible for the design of the transport hub. The prize is awarded at the "Movimento Forum for Mobility".

This year, the sponsorship of the award has been extended: it is now jointly sponsored by PostBus Ltd, the Swiss Association of Public Transport (VöV) and the Swiss Transport Association (VCS). The motto for the seventh award is "port towns", with transport hubs being sought that are a terminus for a shipping line or have departures to at least three different destinations, that have a rail link, and that also offer other public transport services. The transfer connections between the different transport systems are the main focus of the assessment. Further considerations are the attractiveness of the transport hub in terms of its architecture and its appeal to tourists, the range of services available, route guidance and passenger information, and the quality of solutions for people with limited mobility.

2. Previous winners 2007 Visp Station Quality and innovation for convenient public transport 2008 Baden Station Economic development potential 2009 Frauenfeld Station Intermodality and multimodality, combined mobility 2010 Horgen Station At night 2011 Renens Station Human-powered mobility and Will Station 2012 Zurich Airport Customer information

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3. Specialist jury Ueli Stückelberger, Chairman of the Jury, Association of Public Transport (VöV) René Böhlen, PostBus Switzerland Ltd Caroline Beglinger, Swiss Transport Association (VCS) Esther Gingold, Procap Switzerland Dr Peter Vollmer, Switzerland Tourism Philippe Gasser, Citec SA Robert Riesen, LineUp, communication agency Andreas Wirth, Vorausgedacht GmbH

4. Nomination procedure and evaluation criteria An evaluation group comprising Gregor Ochsenbein (PostBus), Hans-Kaspar Schiesser (VöV) and Françoise Lanci (VCS) conducted an evaluation in several steps of all port towns listed in the official guide book, visited them, and suggested eight transfer hubs to the jury. On the basis of the reports submitted and the evaluation criteria, the jury nominated the following: • Romanshorn - Port • Rorschach • Wädenswil • Flüelen • East

The following criteria were applied with a detailed list of questions: • Provision of transport services • Infrastructure and facilities • Information and route guidance • Ambience, townscape and tourist appeal • Marketing and communication

Accompanied by the evaluation group, the jury of specialists visited the nominated hubs before making the assessment based on a detailed list of criteria. Datum 10. Oktober 2013 Seite 3

5. Award winner 2013: Interlaken East Interlaken East train station is the terminus for trains and boats operated by the BLS and the and companies. It is an important transfer and departure point and, together with the railway station Interlaken West, provides good connections to the regional, national and international route network. In addition to the importance of tourism, it serves as a transfer station for commuters, contributing to Interlaken’s attractiveness as a place to live. It is also a popular transfer point for boat connections, opening up additional tourist attractions across Lake , including the Giessbach Falls, the Brienz-Rothorn railway and the Ballenberg open-air museum. The train station and port are right next to each other, with the north exit leading to the boat landings and the south exit providing access to an excellent range of regional and local bus services. Interlaken East station was previously nominated for the FLUX award in 2007, when it impressed the jury with its quality and innovation for attractive public transport. In the meantime, further efforts have been made with regard to both the station and the area surrounding it, as well as the port facilities.

The transport hub makes a good impression by consistently focussing all of its efforts on the goal of making public transport attractive and of optimising the structure of the transport chain between the different modes of transport. These efforts are apparent in terms of urban planning and architecture, and perceptible in terms of operational implementation. All transfer connections are clearly indicated, making it easy to find one’s way around. Everything is arranged logically and the route guidance solutions in place are cogent. The facilities required for people with limited mobility are complete. This is a pleasant place to transfer or to spend some time in the urban space around the station. The harbour is very easy to reach, with simple ground markers showing the way. A small building has been built with a modest outlay, offering passengers shelter from the weather, and also a small cafeteria. The information on boat schedules is clearly arranged and is in the right place. Points criticised by the jury include the design of the second underpass, which has no ramp, and the lack of a pedestrian crossings at the boat landings. Unfortunately, there is no bike rental station at the train station. The departure displays in the underpass do not yet meet the standards of other transfer hubs. Overall, there is clearly a strong resolve to turn the cantonal focus for business development for tourists, commuters and local residents into an identity-rich location which, in addition to efficiency, achieves a high level of quality and sense of safety among those who use or spend time in it. Datum 10. Oktober 2013 Seite 4

6. Appraisal of the other transport hubs Romanshorn Romanshorn today calls itself the "port city" of Romanshorn. The new name is a reference to the vibrancy that stems from being the largest port on Lake Constance. Since its construction 160 years ago for the exchange of goods, it has increasingly become a gateway for leisure and recreational activities. Romanshorn is a transport hub with short transfer connections, because the boat landings are located directly beside the train station. This situation can be fully exploited for tourist traffic. The hub is also attractive to the local population: good footpaths lead directly to the station, and there are adequate parking spaces for cyclists. There is a Park & Ride facility to the east of the station which is accessed for the most part through areas in which noise is not an issue, so that neither residential areas nor the town centre are affected by heavy traffic. There are plans for major developments in the area around the station in the near future. One of these plans is to create a bus station in front of the train station adjacent to the meeting area. Another is to create a new pedestrian and bicycle underpass with access to the platforms. This new connection is also designed to provide access to the development area located to the south-east of the station.

Romanshorn wins one over with its well-thought-out development strategy for the station area, its short distances and its excellent transport services. The route guidance solutions are good, and the facilities are accessible to people with limited mobility. However, the signs at the boat landings are partially concealed in some cases, so that the way to the attractively designed ticket office is not immediately apparent. In front of the station, the bus stops are not easy to find. Information about the boat landings and schedules is not immediately apparent on the municipality’s official website. The quality of the signage in the station and harbour areas only partially meets today’s standards. Overall, the facilities make a positive impression, with excellent use of space and persuasive development strategies which will undoubtedly increase their attractiveness to tourists.

Rorschach - Port In terms of architectural history, the port of Rorschach is the most important place on the canton’s Lake Constance shore, as it is here, and at a very favourable location, that the Kornhaus – the granary from which the Abbey of St. Gall was supplied – can be found. With the demolition of the goods shed in 2006, the area around the Kornhaus was cleared, creating an attractive new space that enhances the whole area, and Datum 10. Oktober 2013 Seite 5

turning the harbour area into the largest square in the town. The train station and port facilities are located directly beside each other, allowing excellent transfer connections. The area will be home to a particularly striking enhancement in the form of the planned port building to be constructed as part of the lakeside development strategy. It is designed to create improvements in terms of leisure activities, especially in the restaurant sector, and in infrastructures such as customs, shelter from the weather for travellers, toilet facilities and parking for bicycles.

The hub has a dynamic ambience and a very attractive location, on the one hand through its proximity to the town centre, museums and beach, and on the other through its historic buildings, which lend the town its distinctive character. In terms of signage, the cogently designed pedestrian control system is worthy of special mention. Information about the boat landings and schedules is not immediately apparent in some cases on the municipality’s official website. Some specific aspects relevant to a hub with multimodal transfer connections will only be covered with the completion of the new port building. These include for example the current lack of toilet facilities for people with impaired mobility. The forthcoming project will further enhance the town’s attractiveness as a transport hub.

Wädenswil Starting with shipping, Wädenswil has always been a major public transport hub. It continues to be so to this day and its importance is on the increase, given the extensive train schedules, the commuter-friendly boat rates and the growing number of bus routes providing access to the surrounding neighbourhoods and communities. Against this background, Wädenswil station has become one of the most important junctions on the Zurich – Chur route. Thanks to the short walking distances, passengers can transfer from the boats to the train or bus quickly, comfortably and without having to get their feet wet. This is the result of a structural upgrade of the station, with adjustments to the platform area in particular, as well as the entrance to the station and the amply covered bus station. In summer, the harbour is an urban meeting place, and the lakeshore hosts an annual "Chilbi" fair.

The hub makes an initial impression with the building work undertaken at the train station itself and at the bus station. This work has created an attractive, user-friendly and transparent environment which is an excellent business card for Wädenswil. It is a Datum 10. Oktober 2013 Seite 6

pleasant place to arrive at or make a transfer. However, given the strength of this showing, there is little in the way of encouragement to make use of the boat services. Although there are clearly visible signs indicating their availability, the infrastructure at the boat landings appears modest. There is only one small shelter for waiting passengers at the restaurant and the information at the landings is sufficient only for commuters. Guidance for people with limited mobility is not available in some places. With its restrained design, the lakeshore is indeed impressive, but as a boat transfer hub, it cannot boast the same quality as the other facilities for train and bus services, which are exemplary in every respect.

Flüelen Until the opening of the Gotthard railway in 1882, shipping provided the only access to the canton of Uri and for further transportation to the south via the Gotthard axis. Flüelen was the nearest landing to the Gotthard axis and was therefore a very important transport hub. This is still true today, because its central location combines all modes of transport: rail, shipping, postbus and bus. The hub has grown historically and is very attractive, both for tourism and the economy in general. It is the real tourist gateway to the canton of Uri and the Gotthard, and provides added value for both the local and regional population and for industrial and commercial enterprises. Among the attractions of this transport hub are the prized station building of 1945, which houses one of the most famous murals of Uri painter Heinrich Danioth, and Werner Witschi’s iron sculpture Schwurfinger in the port area, which was created for the 1964 national exhibition.

The hub is extremely attractive to tourists, due on the one hand to its geographic location and on the other to its spatial design as a confined space. This makes for very convenient transfer connections, with short distances and self-explanatory route guidance. The hub is also the starting point for many hiking and biking trails. The multimodal transfer connections are good, but a mobility location is lacking. Information about the boat landings and schedules is not immediately apparent on the municipality’s official website. Overall, the hub makes a decent impression with its use of space and its charm for tourists, though it is ageing somewhat at this point.

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7. Findings of the jury The jury is impressed by the quality of the transport hubs visited. The process was very demanding right from the evaluation phase and successful only thanks to the clear assessment criteria. It is apparent that those responsible in the local communities and transport companies are working with great commitment on the planning and creation of well-functioning transport hubs, and are implementing carefully drawn up development strategies over extended periods. This year’s prize winner shows in an impressive manner that a marked improvement can be achieved with a relatively modest effort – in this case the redesign of the port facility. The goal of the FLUX award is not only to honour achievements of this type, but also to document best practices and good results, allowing others working on comparable projects to benefit from them. This year’s focus on port towns shows the potential that lies in waterside transport hubs and how it can be translated into something of value for all travellers. Those responsible for all of the nominated hubs deserve a big thank you for their achievements on the road to sustainable mobility.