Cross-Border Mobility Area

How do people in the Upper Rhine region get around?

Located at the crossroads of France, Germany, and Switzerland, the Upper Rhine region is an area where cross-border travel is part of everyday life. Whether to work, shop, visit loved ones, or enjoy leisure activities, many residents regularly cross the borders. Depending on individual needs, travel distances, and habits, several modes of transportation are available. Discover the infrastructure and mobility solutions that make it easy to travel between the three countries—by plane, car, public transportation, or bicycle.

The car: the most popular mode of transportation

Thanks to a dense road network and numerous border-crossing facilities, the car remains the most widely used mode of transportation in the region today. For example, according to INSEE (the French National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies), 82% of cross-border workers commute to and from work by car. As shown on the map below, the Upper Rhine region is crossed by several major European transportation routes that play a key role in the transport of people and goods.

Source: The Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T / TNET-T)

In the Upper Rhine region, major north-south highways facilitate trade between Northern Europe, the Rhine Valley, Switzerland, and Italy. East-west routes, meanwhile, connect the three countries of the Upper Rhine region and facilitate both daily commuting and the transport of goods.

Cross the border by car

Long regarded as a natural border, the Rhine is now one of Europe’s major transportation corridors. As a key north-south transportation route, it plays a vital role in freight transport while fostering trade between the regions it traverses.

To make it easier to cross the river, numerous infrastructure projects have been carried out over the years. The 41 bridges across the Rhine provide most of the road crossings between the countries along its banks. In addition, several ferries also allow drivers to cross the river in certain areas.

Border crossings are not limited to the Rhine either. In the north and south of the country, several land routes also allow for smooth travel from one country to another.

Map and distribution of crossings accessible by car

The crossings listed above are divided into four main categories: bridges, roads, highways, and ferries. You can view this information on the interactive diagram below (click on a border to narrow down the selection):

Public transportation: An efficient and eco-friendly way to cross borders?

The bus and train networks are closely connected to the major urban centers of the Upper Rhine region. Public transportation is used both for daily travel—particularly commuting—and for longer-distance trips.

The region has a well-developed transportation infrastructure and benefits from active cross-border cooperation. This cooperation has led to the creation of several routes directly connecting France, Germany, and Switzerland.

Train stations by country

This dataset comes from OpenStreetMap, and the two categories of stations can be defined as follows:

Main station: a station serving a major rail line in the network that generally handles significant passenger or freight traffic.

Secondary station: a station serving a local or minor line.

Germany accounts for nearly half of the 910 stations on the Upper Rhine (430), with France and Switzerland sharing the remainder almost equally (241 and 239).

• In Switzerland, nearly three out of every four stations are classified as main stations (177 main stations compared with 62 secondary stations): this distribution means that almost every station is a transport hub.

• On the French side, the situation is the reverse (64 main stations compared with 177 secondary ones), reflecting a hierarchical network centred on a few major hubs.

• In Germany, the figures lie between those of the other two countries (152 main station compared with 278 secondary ones), and its rail network is centred on the Rheintalbahn.

Legend:

Shown in green and in large font: stations in the main urban areas served by the TGV or ICE

Shown in mauve and in medium font: other main stations

Shown in small font: secondary stations (simple stopping points for passengers, often without staff or a passenger terminal).

Regional and cross-border train services

Number of regional and cross-border train lines

Some routes link major urban centres and carry a large number of passengers every day, whilst others serve more local needs.

In fact, a large proportion of the passenger numbers on these routes is linked to the movement of cross-border workers, in particular:

• TER A01 : Strasbourg - Mulhouse - Bâle
• RB 25 / TER A11 (Europabahn): Strasbourg → Kehl → Offenburg
• S5: Steinen → Weil am Rhein

Railway border crossings are divided into two main categories: bridges and land routes. You can view this information on the interactive diagram below (click on a border to refine your selection):

Lignes de bus/tramway transfrontalières

In less densely populated areas, bus routes ensure the continuity of public transportation service where there is no rail network.

Distribution of local cross-border buses

Cross-border bus routes between France and Germany are the most numerous. They often complement rail services and are a testament to dynamic cross-border cooperation in the transport sector.

Map of local cross-border bus and tram routes (routes and termini), with cross-border train routes shown in a lighter shade, to illustrate how these two modes of transport complement one another.

The cycle network: cycling in everyday life and for tourism

In large cross-border urban areas, such as Strasbourg and Basel, it is possible to make certain daily journeys between countries entirely by bike. Many travellers also combine cycling and train travel for their journeys.

Thanks to the high-quality cycling infrastructure, it is often even possible to travel safely to the neighbouring country via a cycle path (bridges/footbridges) or by using one of the Rhine ferries.

This map shows all types of border crossings accessible to cyclists and pedestrians.

Note: Click on an object (line/point) to view its details.

Cycling tourism also plays an important role in the region. Indeed, three major European cycle routes (EuroVelo 5, 6 and 15) pass through it, and there are a great many tourist routes.

Whether on foot or by bike, there are also facilities in place to enable you to cross borders safely. You can view this information on the interactive map below (click on a border to refine your selection):