- Geretsried's urban structure still reflects its origins as a planned post-war settlement, with residential areas spatially separated from commercial, administrative, and service functions. This spatial configuration has reinforced private car use as the dominant mode of transport for daily activities.
- Approximately two-thirds of all daily trips are made by private car. In addition, residents must travel to the neighboring city of Wolfratshausen to access the nearest direct rail connection to Munich.
- Local bus services operate approximately every 20 minutes. Survey findings and field observations indicated that this level of service is insufficient to encourage a significant shift away from private car use.
- These mobility constraints disproportionately affect older adults, who account for nearly one-third of the population, as well as Geretsried's sizeable migrant community, both of whom are particularly vulnerable when access to a private car is limited.
- Given these characteristics, together with the municipality's commitment to promoting sustainable mobility through its existing Mobility Concept, Geretsried provided an appropriate setting to evaluate whether a shared mobility intervention could enhance accessibility and reduce car dependence.
- The Living Lab initially aimed to design, implement, test, and evaluate a network of micromobility hubs at strategic locations across the city. These hubs were intended to integrate car-sharing services, bicycle parking, and bike-and-ride facilities with the existing bus network to reduce car dependence and improve access to everyday destinations.
- Following the withdrawal of two car-sharing partners, the envisioned hub model could no longer be realized. In response, the team formulated an alternative concept called Mobility Paths, centered on a network of connected points of interest in the city center, linked by wayfinding elements such as floor markings, informational panels, and artistic installations, to strengthen local identity and encourage sustainable mobility choices. This concept was discontinued after community feedback preferred tangible, permanent infrastructure.
- During the project, the scope and implementation strategy evolved considerably. As a result, the Living Lab shifted its focus to a planning process that built on existing mobility infrastructure rather than building entirely new infrastructure.
- The final intervention centered on redesigning the B11 bus stop as a mobility point, since the location already provides access to car-sharing services and bicycle parking. Through a co-design process with the municipality's planning and mobility departments, these existing assets were enhanced with additional mobility services and design improvements, resulting in a context-sensitive and locally supported mobility point concept. The pilot also served as the basis for a broader implementation framework, including a scale-up strategy for a network of four additional mobility points to support the municipality's long-term sustainable mobility objectives.
- Mobility Paths concept (discontinued): A network of connected points of interest in the city center, linked by wayfinding elements (such as floor markings, informational panels, and artistic installations); intended to strengthen local identity and encourage sustainable mobility choices. However, community feedback preferred tangible, permanent infrastructure, so the network was discontinued.
Partners: TUM, City of Geretsried - B11 Mobility Point Pilot Design: Redesign of the existing B11 bus stop into a mobility point. Added services included an EV charging point and car-sharing space, a bike-sharing docking area for 12 bicycles, a shaded seating and waiting area, and a covered bike-and-ride structure with parking for 40 bicycles.
Partners: TUM, City of Geretsried, MVV - Citywide mobility point network plan: Scale-up strategy for a network of 4 additional mobility points to support the municipality's mobility concept.
Partners: TUM, City of Geretsried, MVV
The Living Lab initially focused on developing a micromobility hub integrating car sharing, bike-and-ride facilities, and public transport at one or more strategic locations in Geretsried. However, the concept had to be substantially revised at an early stage when the two car-sharing operators initially involved in the pilot, SIXT and E Oberland, withdrew from the project. As a significant component of the original hub concept relied on the availability of shared vehicles, the project team reassessed the intervention's scope, timeline, and implementation approach. In response, the Living Lab team developed an alternative concept, Mobility Paths, envisioning a network of five connected points of interest in the city center.
The concept was presented to residents during Mobility Day on 21 September 2025. While the feedback was generally constructive, it highlighted a preference for more permanent and tangible infrastructure rather than visual interventions. Based on the inputs, the team decided to discontinue the Mobility Paths concept and return to a more infrastructure-oriented approach centered on the B11 bus stop at Karl Lederer Platz. This location already offered several favorable conditions, including barrier-free access, connections to the main bus lines, an existing car-sharing station, and bicycle parking facilities.
The municipality's mobility department subsequently presented the revised mobility point concept to the Geretsried city council, which approved the general approach in October 2025. The following design phase focused on the detailed spatial integration of individual components. This process required consideration of site-specific constraints, including tree root systems, underground gas infrastructure, and existing cables. Despite political approval of the concept, implementation faced further delays. A required €15,000 budget allocation was scheduled for discussion by the city council in January 2026; however, the sitting mayor requested its postponement due to concerns about the timing of discussions on reallocating public space and removing seven parking spaces, which were scheduled shortly before the municipal elections in March 2026. Following the transition to a new mayoral administration, it became clear that the original 2026 implementation timeline for the B11 pilot could not be kept.
Rather than concluding the intervention at this stage, the Living Lab used the remaining project period to translate the pilot concept into a broader network strategy. Four additional candidate locations—Gelting, Lilienstraße, Am Stern, and Stein—were identified, and an accessibility analysis was conducted to assess their potential reach by walking, cycling, and shared mobility. Throughout the process, the municipality's planning and mobility departments, MVV, and residents remained actively engaged through surveys, Mobility Day, and iterative design meetings. Although the private car-sharing operators initially considered for the hub were no longer formally involved after their withdrawal, the existing E Oberland car-sharing station remained integrated into the final mobility point concept.
The Geretsried Living Lab highlighted the importance of embedding Living Lab interventions within existing municipal planning frameworks from the outset, as alignment with the city's Mobility Concept helped maintain continuity despite political changes. The withdrawal of private mobility partners also demonstrated the need for early risk assessment, clearer partnership commitments, and contingency strategies, particularly in suburban contexts where shared mobility models face greater implementation challenges. Furthermore, the process showed that changes to public space allocation, such as reducing parking availability, require early communication strategies that highlight the broader benefits of reallocating space, including improved accessibility, safer mobility options, and enhanced public space quality.
