Verzasca Mobile
Door-to-door mobility in remote regions
Discover an innovative, sustainable mobility service for remote areas. Residents and visitors can get around the region flexibly and safely thanks to improved access, easier mobility and integration with scheduled public transport.
Anchor Navigation
Initial situation
-
Widespread connections and accessibility are a challenge for both Valle Verzasca and the mountain regions in Ticino and the whole of Switzerland.
-
In general, the public transport service is only partly able to meet users’ needs in terms of geographical flexibility (accessibility of areas, including remote hamlets) and timetables. From an economic perspective, extending the scope of the service on the basis of the current model is not sustainable due to the relatively low number of users.
-
From an economic perspective, extending the scope of the service on the basis of the current model is not sustainable due to the relatively low number of users.
-
Therefore, many users see owning a car as the only viable option for getting around.
-
For some groups of users (particularly young people, the elderly and those without a car), this situation affects their quality of life (restricted mobility or dependency on other people, for instance). In turn, this makes remote areas less attractive places to live.
Objectives
- To provide an extra mobility service (in addition to private cars and journeys on public transport) for the local population and tourists
- To make tourism in the region more attractive
- To improve the quality of life of the local population
- To develop a pilot project and a business model for increasing services in other regions in Ticino and Switzerland
- To improve connections and accessibility in remote regions
- To establish the range of transport services as an alternative to private cars
Results
Satisfaction levels among the local population are high.
The following details relate to the period from October 2021 to September 2024 (the duration of the pilot phase).
Journeys and passengers
The number of journeys (in green) and passengers carried (in grey) increased continuously through to October 2023, then stabilized in 2024.
In total, 8,849 journeys (11,525 passengers carried) were made, at an average of approx. 250 journeys/320 passengers per month (with a population of fewer than 900 inhabitants in the valley).
Rich Content Section
Duration of the project
The following service was provided in the pilot phase from October 2021 to October 2024:
- Monday to Friday: 7 a.m. to 11 p.m.
- Saturday: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- Public holidays: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- Sunday: summer service only
Response
I’ve only received positive feedback from the public – from both younger and older people. Operations are getting better and better. Verzasca Mobile is an important piece of mosaic in the new concept of the valley, driving forward the “Verzasca Master Plan”.
Ivo Bordoli, Mayor of Verzasca
