Bike bus Bregenzerwald

The Need for Bicycle Transport in Bregenzerwald

The Bregenzerwald is a region in the Austrian state of Vorarlberg that is popular with tourists. Due to the mountainous topography and the lack of railway lines, accessibility by bike was difficult, especially from the densely populated and well-connected Rhine Valley. Municipalities and tourism associations therefore wanted to create an offer for bicycle transport.  

The Bicycle Bus Pilot Project

The bicycle bus, which was introduced for the first time as part of a pilot project in 2018 and has continued to operate annually since then, ensures that the Bregenzerwald can be reached by bicycle. The bus runs from Thursday to Sunday in the summer months (beginning of June to end of September). In the morning and evening there are connections to the Rhine Valley and during the day there are further trips in the Bregenzerwald. The bikes are transported on a bus trailer that has space for 20 bikes (including e-bikes) and is loaded by the passengers themselves. The trailer was designed so that passengers can charge their bikes as easily as possible from the bus stop area. Groups can reserve up to 10 parking spaces in advance. In addition to the normal ticket, a bicycle day ticket (€7.60 in 2024) is required to use the bus.

Benefits and Operational Design

The bike bus makes it possible to open up a region that is topographically difficult to access for new guests. Cyclists are given new options for tours, as they can travel sections that are difficult to travel by bus. The bike trailer creates a comparatively large capacity for carrying bikes, which does not come at the expense of seats for passengers on the bus. Over 1,000 passengers already took advantage of the option to take bikes in 2019 (more recent figures not available).

The bicycle trailer provides a large capacity for carrying bicycles. The solution can therefore also be used on routes with high demand and can also be used by groups. The passenger capacity of the bus is not restricted by the possibility of carrying bicycles. The design of the trailer allows passengers to lift their bicycles into the transport position from the stop area without much effort. The timetable is designed so that the bus can be used as a feeder to the region and for trips within the region. This creates multiple benefits for cyclists and ensures better capacity utilization. A precise timetable enables guests to plan their tours reliably.