Overview
A statewide calculation of public transport quality for NAH.SH, the public transport authority for Schleswig-Holstein. The project assessed the quality of local public transport (ÖPNV) for 2025 across the entire federal state, analysing both traditional scheduled services and on-demand services based on timetable data, service times and stops, using the public transport quality class (ÖV-Güteklassen) methodology.
I carried out the Güteklassen calculation and gap analysis and produced all cartography for the project, working alongside other colleagues at Plan4Better on timetable data preparation.
Client: NAH.SH · Period: 2025
View on Plan4Better ↗Workflow
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01Timetable Data Preparation
Prepared and cleaned timetable (GTFS) data covering all scheduled public transport services across Schleswig-Holstein, as the basis for a statewide quality assessment.
02On-Demand Data Integration
Integrated on-demand transit data alongside classical line-based services, so station categories reflect the full range of public transport options available at each stop.
03Güteklassen Calculation
Calculated public transport quality classes for a representative typical working day (Tuesday, 6:00–20:00), based on departure frequency per stop to determine station categories across the state.
04Municipality-Level Cartography
Produced statewide maps of public transport quality at the municipality level, highlighting weak points in the network and the accessibility improvement from on-demand services.
Goals
- Assess public transport quality across Schleswig-Holstein to obtain representative results for a typical working day (Tuesday, 6:00–20:00)
- Account for departure frequency per station to determine station categories, including both scheduled and on-demand services
Results
- Detailed insights into public transport quality classes based on real timetable data, identifying weak points across the network
- Integration of on-demand services showed a measurable accessibility improvement, with findings transferable to other federal states
Tools & Technologies
- GOAT (Plan4Better) — public transport quality class (Güteklassen) calculation engine and cartographic output
- GTFS timetable data combined with on-demand service data
- Public transport quality class (ÖV-Güteklassen) methodology
Outcome
Delivered a statewide, data-driven picture of public transport quality for NAH.SH — covering all of Schleswig-Holstein's municipalities and integrating on-demand services — that identifies weak points in the network and supports future transit planning decisions, with a methodology transferable to other federal states.