LUMO Expands to Bad Schwartau
In the heart of northern Germany, the LUMO ride-sharing system has made a significant stride, extending its services to the towns of Stockelsdorf and Bad Schwartau. This expansion aims to enhance mobility, particularly in less accessible areas, offering residents a flexible and demand-responsive transport option.
Since its inception in Lübeck back in February 2018, LUMO has been a popular choice for many, recording around 80,000 passengers last year. Now, residents of these two towns, excluding villages, can also enjoy the benefits of LUMO.
The LUMO minibuses, which include three wheelchair-accessible models, operate in the new areas from 8 p.m. to 4 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays, and until 1 a.m. on other days. After booking via the app or a phone call, the minibus usually arrives at the specified virtual stop within 20 minutes.
To accommodate the increased demand, the LUMO fleet has been expanded by three vehicles, bringing the total number of minibuses to ten. This expansion is part of a research project funded by the federal government, with approximately one million euros allocated.
The research project, set to continue until mid-2026, focuses on evaluating the performance and user acceptance of the LUMO system during and after its expansion. Researchers aim to analyze travel behavior changes, environmental benefits, and cost-effectiveness. Additionally, they aim to develop optimization strategies for integrating ride-sharing services with other modes of public transportation, creating a seamless multimodal mobility network.
The findings from this research will inform scalable models and policy recommendations to promote sustainable, accessible, and user-friendly mobility solutions in similar urban and suburban settings across Germany.
In addition to the regular fare, an additional charge of one euro per person applies for using LUMO. Users can keep track of the current location of the LUMO vehicle at any time via the app.
The expansion of the LUMO ride-sharing system in Stockelsdorf and Bad Schwartau holds great potential for increased mobility, offering residents a convenient and efficient transport option that complements existing public transit.
The LUMO ride-sharing system, expanding with funding from the federal government, now serves the towns of Stockelsdorf and Bad Schwartau, aiming to improve mobility in less accessible areas. By integrating seamlessly with other modes of public transportation, LUMO's ride-sharing service adds a layer of convenience to the existing finance-driven public-transit system in transportation across northern Germany.
