Hamburger Verkehrsverbund

Hamburger Verkehrsverbund

Company type	Limited liability company (GmbH)
Founded	November 29 1965
Headquarters	Hamburg , Germany
Area served	Hamburg Metropolitan Region
Services	Public transport
Revenue	504 mio Euro
Owner	Free and Hanseatic city of Hamburg (85.5%) State of Schleswig-Holstein (3%) State of Lower Saxony (2%) Districts Herzogtum Lauenburg, Pinneberg, Segeberg, Stormarn, Harburg, Lüneburg and Stade (9.5%)
Website	http://www.hvv.com HVV homepage

The Hamburger Verkehrsverbund (HVV) is a company coordinating the public transport in and around Hamburg, Germany. Its main objectives are to provide the user with a unified fare system, requiring only a single ticket for journeys with transfers between different operating companies, and to further facilitate and speed up travel by harmonising the individual companies' schedules. At its inception in 1965, HVV was the first organisation of this kind worldwide.

In 2006 HVV provides rail, bus and ferry transportation for an area of 8,616 square kilometres with approximately 3.3 million inhabitants in the states of Hamburg, Schleswig-Holstein and Lower Saxony. HVV has approximately 1.8 million customers on an average working day.

HVV acts as an overall coordinating body for transport in the Hamburg combination, with representation by the Hamburger Hochbahn (Hamburg elevated railway); Deutsche Bahn (German Federal Railroads); AKN railway company (Altona—Kaltenkirchen—Neumunster Railway); HADAG Seetouristik und Fahrdienst A. G. (HADAG sea-tourism and driving service shares society); VHH (Verkehrsbetriebe Hamburg-Holstein A.G./ Transporting enterprises Hamburg Holstein shares society); PVG (Pinneberger Verkehrsgesellschaft, mbH/ Pinneberger public transport company, Inc); and KVG (Kraftverkehrgesellschaft, GmbH/ Motor Traffic Company, LLC).

With an average of 50.000 commuters per day the HVV bus line Metrobus 5 the busiest line in Europe. In the city centre, stops are served without a specific schedule every two to three minutes and since December 2005, the world's longest, double-articulated buses are used.

History

HVV was founded on November 29 1965 with the four initial partners the Hamburger Hochbahn AG, the Deutsche Bundesbahn, the HADAG Seetouristik und Fährdienst AG and Verkehrsbetriebe Hamburg-Holstein (VHH).

Organisation

The public transport authorities (PTAs) are also the tendering organizations and owners of the limited liability company Hamburger Verkehrsverbund (GmbH). The Free and Hanseatic city of Hamburg (85.5%), the State of Schleswig-Holstein (3%), the State of Lower Saxony (2%) and the Districts Herzogtum Lauenburg, Pinneberg, Segeberg, Stormarn, Harburg, Lüneburg and Stade (9.5%) are these PTAs.

Services

Rail transport

Railway lines of the HVV network

In 2006 the HVV organzised 27 rapid transit rail lines with an length of 881 km, with the following operators:

• AKN Eisenbahn AG (AKN) website Template:De icon, operating three commuter train lines
• DB Regio AG (Region Niedersachsen/Bremen), part of Deutsche Bahn group, operating train lines
• DB Regionalbahn Schleswig-Holstein GmbH (RBSH) Template:De icon, operating rail services
• Eisenbahnen und Verkehrsbetriebe Elbe-Weser GmbH, operating rail and bus lines
• Hamburger Hochbahn AG website Template:De icon, operating the three U-Bahn and many bus lines
• metronom Eisenbahngesellschaft mbH Template:De icon, operating rail services
• NBE nordbahn Eisenbahngesellschaft mbH & Co. KG Template:De icon, operating rail services
• Nord-Ostsee-Bahn GmbH Template:De icon, operating rail services
• S-Bahn Hamburg GmbH Template:De icon, operating the Hamburg S-Bahn lines

Buses

The following companies are operating bus lines for the HVV:

XXL bus of line Metrobus 5

• Autokraft GmbH Template:De icon, operating bus lines
• Becker Reisen GmbH Template:De icon, operating two bus lines
• Dahmetal KG Template:De icon, operating bus lines
• Globetrotter Reisen GmbH Template:De icon, operating two bus lines
• KVG Stade GmbH & Co. KG Template:De icon, operating bus lines
• LBB Linienbus Berkenthin GmbH, operating two bus lines
• Ludwigsluster Verkehrsgesellschaft mbH Template:De icon, operating bus lines
• Mittelzentrumsholding Bad Segeberg-Wahlstedt GmbH & CO. KG, concessionary for some bus lines operated by Autokraft
• Omnibusbetrieb Storjohann GmbH & Co. KG Template:De icon,operating bus lines
• Otto Strunk Omnibusbetrieb GmbH, operating bus lines
• Pinneberger Verkehrsgesellschaft mbH (PVG), operating bus lines
• RMVB Ratzeburg-Möllner Verkehrsbetriebe mbH, operating bus lines
• Reese Reisen GmbH Template:De icon, operating bus lines
• Stadtverkehr Lübeck GmbH (SL), operating bus lines
• Stadtwerke Bad Oldesloe, Ratzeburg und Mölln Template:De icon, operating bus lines
• Süderelbe-Bus GmbH, operating one bus line
• Verkehrsbetriebe Osthannover GmbH, operating bus lines
• Verkehrsbetriebe Buchholz i.d.N. GmbH Template:De icon, operating bus lines
• Verkehrsbetriebe Hamburg-Holstein (VHH) website, operating bus lines
• VKP Verkehrsbetriebe Kreis Plön GmbH Template:De icon, operating bus lines
• VGS Verkehrsgesellschaft Südholstein mbH, operating one bus line
• Zerbin Busreisen GmbH, operating one bus line

Ferries

The HADAG Seetouristik und Fährdienst AG is operating ferries on the Elbe river.

Other organisations

• Stadtwerke Norderstedt Template:De icon, operating one night bus line and coordinating public transportation in Norderstedt
• Verkehrsgesellschaft Norderstedt mbH (VGN), owning two lines operated by Hamburger Hochbahn AG and AKN, respectively
• KViP Kreisverkehrsgesellschaft in Pinneberg mbH Template:De icon, an organization like the Hamburger Verkehrsverbund

Fare

Ticket machine in Hamburg

The unified fare system in Hamburg splits in 3 major groups, cash ticket sales (16%), season tickets (from 3 days to a year) (72%) and others like disabled passengers, combined tickets, fare evaders etc. (12%). In 2006 the revenue was 504 mio. Euro. Cash tickets for one ride, a day or a 3 day pass can be bought at all railway stations, ferry slots or in all buses. There are also so called family tickets for 2 adults an 3 children or group tickets for 5 adults. The HVV offers job tickets ('ProfiCard'), heavily discounted season tickets for major employers. The HVV also offers a ticket over mobile phones.

Most tickets are not transferable to other persons.

Special programs

The HVV offers a lot of different type of weekly or monthly special fares.

School pupils, students, trainees and apprentices

For all public school pupils tickets can be bought at the company service centers. Other schools need to be registered by the HVV. The semester tuition for most universities include the ticket pass. Trainees and apprentices need be registered by the chamber of commerce to get a season ticket.

Children

All children to the age of 6 are free of charge. For older children, seasonal tickets can be chosen.

Senior citizens

Weekly or monthly tickets for anybody 63 or older are sold at the service centers.

See also

• List of German transport associations

External links

Media related to Hamburg S-Bahn at Wikimedia Commons Media related to Hamburg U-Bahn at Wikimedia Commons

• HVV homepage (English version)