Volker's Hamburg Journey
Passenger Experience
Volker's Hamburg Journey
Emilienstrasse, Eimsbuttel to Wandsbek Berne – U2 to U1, 41 mins
Volker stands at the window of his first-floor apartment in the Emilienstrasse. He watches the sunlight pour through the trees across the street in Wehbers Park. He remembers his daughter, Sabine, playing in the grass when she was a child.
Was it really so many years ago? It feels like yesterday.
Volker looks at his watch. 14:08. He has an hour before he needs to be at the Emilenstrasse station. He’ll take the U2 and the U1 to Sabine’s apartment in Wandsbek, northeast of Hamburg centre. He needs a few extra minutes now. He uses a cane to get around these days.
Things had been a bit chaotic in the past couple of years. But now, Sabine has settled into her new apartment and new job, and Volker enjoys his Tuesday and Thursday routine: taking the U-Bahn to Wandsbek, where he’ll pick his granddaughter Julia up from school. He’ll look after her while Sabine is working from the office in the city.
Volker makes his way to the street. Like usual, he’ll stop for a coffee from the café across from the station and read the newspaper headlines before he takes his train. Maybe he’ll chat with his friend Erich if he’s there.
As he sips his coffee, he sees the hairdresser across the street. He remembers his appointment to have his hair cut next week. And the pharmacy next door — he needs a medication refill as well.
Caught up with the news, Volker leaves the café and crosses the street to the station. On the platform, he takes a glance at the large, legible information display. The next train is in two minutes — perfect timing. He loves how the train allows him to travel with total autonomy.
He sees the trademark red doors of the U-Bahn as it approaches Emilienstrasse. Volker moves to the middle of the platform — he knows he doesn’t need to use any steps to board the middle cars. The train comes to a halt. The wide entry doors open. Volker walks easily on board. He doesn’t need to use them after so many trips, but signs on board the train lead passengers clearly to the dedicated area for people with reduced mobility. He quickly finds his usual, comfortable seat.
"It looks like a perfect day for ice cream. Julia will love that."
As the train snakes through the Innenstadt, he notes to himself how quickly the city is changing. There seems to be a new construction site every time he looks! He thinks of how things used to be, but he’s happy with this new chapter in his life.
He smiles as he thinks of seeing Julia in front of the school. It looks like a perfect day for ice cream. She’ll love that.
It’s trite to say that the world is changing.
However, we are seeing a fundamental shift in the way people live and interact. At Alstom, we’re studying these trends with an eye towards designing rail solutions that will meet the world’s varied and evolving needs.
Heterogeneity in riders — and in trips
Today’s rail — and that of tomorrow — features both younger and older passengers. Passengers are increasingly from different economic backgrounds. Sure, commuters have always taken trains. But it’s also becoming an emblem for the eco-conscious, who typically enjoy a more privileged economic background and better access to higher education. In addition, as urban populations continue to grow, rail becomes a better, faster choice for shorter intracity travels compared to the automobile.
And whatever the reason for choosing rail, be it practical or values-based, technology has ensured people expect more individualised service. People today have bespoke requirements, expecting that systems will offer services tailored to their needs. Take Volker, for example. He uses rail to actively participate in his non-traditional family unit, multigenerational and multilocational.
The rail of the future will need to be flexible, adaptable, thoughtful and inclusive, able to anticipate changes in demographic and societal megatrends.
Local businesses thrive
Increased transport demand will necessitate higher system capacity. More people at the station equals increased foot traffic for local shops. In fact, rail stations have long been a driver for small urban businesses, catalysing wider social and environmental change as well.
Take Volker’s short walk to the Emilienstrasse station — he visits a local café and remembers he must stop by the hairdresser and pharmacy in the coming days. In a recent study on the knock-on effect of high-speed rail in China, researchers found a preliminary increase of 3,390 RMB (about 420 Euro) per capita at the local level.
The interaction between the station and local business will also strengthen social cohesion. Stations become social hubs. Patrons become friends with proprietors. Witness the power of rail to allow Volker to make new friends in his community and continue to participate in family life, even though they live far away.
A silver society
It’s not just family units that are changing in novel ways — the profiles of the people that make up these structures are as well.
The world’s population is both growing and ageing. By 2050, 22% — more than 1 in 5 global inhabitants — will be over 60 years of age. In fact, the proportion of the world’s population over 80 years of age is set to increase from 9% in 2019 to 16% by 2050.
Older people like Volker will lead more active lives and will play more vital roles in our society. These customers will continue to use rail for commuting to work as the age of retirement increases. By and large though, the most pressing concern for older citizens will remain connection with their families.
Modes of transport like the automobile might not be accessible to those with decreased mobility and eyesight. Rail enables them to fully engage with their communities and families. In fact, future projections envision a concerted effort by world governments to fund inclusive rail infrastructure — safe, accessible, efficient.
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22%By 2050, more than 1 in 5 global inhabitants will be over 60 years of age
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>16%The proportion of the world’s population over 80 years of age is set to increase from 9% in 2019 to 16% by 2050
A delightful passenger experience
What makes Volker’s journey so comfortable?
As a pure rail player, it’s natural that Alstom is the only company in the industry with an in-house Passenger Experience department.
The talented members of this team envision our customers’ basic needs and expectations and devise solutions to make sure they’re met. But this is only the beginning.
Passenger Experience elevates “taking the train” to delight our customers, adding timely design touches and details. The goal? Not just designing industry-leading rolling stock, but creating truly memorable rail experiences.
In Volker’s story, we’ve only touched on a few of the elements we’ve built into the DT5, the current rolling stock for the Hamburg U-Bahn, that enhance the travel experience for older passengers. The open gangway design allows Volker to have a full view of the entire train, instilling a feeling of security. Highly legible, well contrasted signage helps him feel confident and in control. And handrails are placed intuitively throughout the cars.
The fully automated DT6, with expected delivery to Hamburg in 2028, promises to make the riding experience for older passengers even more optimal. Reliability, punctuality and regularity of the trains will be improved, including a 90-second headway – passengers won’t have to wait even two minutes for the next train.
Cars will be wider, increasing capacity and providing a feeling of spaciousness. And the interiors will be updated with the latest ergonomic design touches. All these factors will make riders like Volker feel more reassured and relaxed.
Looking further ahead, when future passengers notice new construction outside their windows, they’ll be able to read all the details on a transparent pop-up information screen, integrated into the window glass. This system, utilising geo-localisation data, is currently in development.
At Alstom, we look to the future with excitement and curiosity, eager to architect positive outcomes for our passengers and the communities they live in.
This is Part I of our Hamburg story. Next month, we’ll follow Volker’s daughter, Sabine, on her own Journey.
