The Comprehensive Strategy for Sustainable and Efficient Public Transport Networks in Central Europe is now online, released as the latest deliverable of the Interreg Central Europe project OPTI-UP.
This Strategy provides a practical methodology designed to support small and medium-sized cities in strengthening their public transport systems through evidence-based planning, better policy integration, and structured stakeholder engagement.
Many smaller cities face challenges such as limited financial resources, fragmented data, and insufficient planning capacity. The OPTI-UP Strategy addresses these needs with a clear, step-by-step workflow: from analysing the current context to defining actions, testing scenarios with transport models, and establishing a monitoring framework built on KPIs.
Developed in close collaboration with six pilot cities, the methodology is grounded in real-life experience and has been refined through consultations, study visits, internal surveys, and iterative feedback loops. It includes tools and templates for SWOT analysis, best-practice assessment, goal setting, action design, modelling, and evaluation—making it a highly practical resource for cities at different stages of readiness.
By offering a structured and transparent planning approach, the Strategy supports cities in improving service quality, reducing emissions, increasing public acceptance, and attracting investment for future sustainable mobility projects.
The document is especially relevant for:
- Municipal decision-makers
- Public transport authorities and operators
- Urban planners and technical experts
- Regional development agencies
- Researchers, consultants, and mobility practitioners
