Mobility in Cities

Transport and mobility are no constant variables. This applies especially to urban areas, where demographic, infrastructural, economic and many other developments are particularly closely intertwined and planning options are used differently.

Social and individual boundary conditions changing as a result of the Covid19 pandemic, confrontation with climate change and the current energy price development all have an impact on transport system and are developing with a considerable dynamic. In these turbulent times it is important to test and and if necessary readjust strategic orientations. This requires reliable information and data.

In 2028, the 13th survey iteration of the time series study "Mobility in Cities - SrV" will taking place. This unique time series was tailored to the needs of planning practice from the beginning - as a system of representative transport surveys (SrV). The data and results provide important indicators of the status of transport development for mobility planning and transport policy. At the same time, differentiated basic planning data are reported, which are of great importance for transport modeling.

learn more

Important Topics at a Glance

Foto vom Postplatz in Dresden mit Autos, einer Straßenbahn, Radfahrenden und Zufußgehendenn

Kickoff for SrV 2028 on May 4, 2026

The digital information event for SrV 2028 will take place on May 4, 2026 (in German). It is primarily aimed at potential commissioning institutions for the 13th iteration of the research project “Mobility in Cities – SrV.” The event will provide insights into current research findings on mobility, highlight the potential of SrV data for academia and practice, and outline the preparations for SrV 2028.

Die Abbildung zeigt die Systematik des Gesamtverkehrs einer Stadt. Hervorgehoben ist der "Verkehr der Wohnbevölkerung", der beim SrV betrachtet wird.

The SrV Standard

The SrV is committed to providing a continuous and comparable time series. The survey design is therefore characterized by certain core features. These include the fact that the target population consists of the residents of the respective city or municipality. The mobility of the resident population is thus the central research subject.

Information for potential commissioning bodies

An increasing number of cities are joining the collaborative project “Mobility in Cities – SrV”, driven by its alignment with transport planning needs, its scientifically robust survey design, and not least the cost advantages of joint commissioning. This enables them to assess their transport development both in relation to their own objectives and in comparison with other cities.

50 Years of Survey Tradition

For the past 50 years, the Faculty of Transport and Traffic Sciences at TUD Dresden University of Technology has been analyzing the development of mobility among urban residents by means of regular household travel surveys. The first survey within the "System of Representative Traffic Surveys" (in German: "System repräsentativer Verkehrsbefragungen", SrV) took place in 1972, followed by subsequent survey iterations in 1977, 1982 and 1987.

With the surveys conducted in 1991, 1994, and 1998, the interval between survey iterations was shortened in order to adequately capture the dynamic changes in eastern Germany after the reunification, which also affected urban mobility.

Since 2003, the SrV surveys have once again been conducted at five-year intervals. In the 1998 SrV iteration, Frankfurt am Main was the first city in former West Germany to take part. Since then, the group of participating cities in this part of Germany has continuously expanded. In 2018, almost half of all survey areas were located in former West German federal states.

SrV 2023 was conducted in approximately 500 cities and municipalities across all regions of Germany, with a total sample of over 280,000 respondents.