On a recent visit to Ulm, a mid-sized city in the German state of Baden-Württemberg, I wanted to understand how the city performs in terms of urban livability. Ulm offers a calm, walkable city center, visible investment in public transit, and plenty of quality bike parking spaces and mobility hubs scattered throughout the urban area. Yet, despite these promising signs, the city still seems to be underperforming when it comes to cycling.
According to the most recent modal split data available from 2017, only 12% of trips in Ulm were made by bicycle, which is relatively low for a compact city where the farthest points are just 7 kilometers apart. While car usage has decreased slightly over time, it still stood at 45% in 2017. The city had aimed for a 20% cycling share by 2020 but didn’t meet that goal. A new target of 25% by 2025 has since been set, but there are no updated figures available to show whether that goal is within reach.
In this video, I share my observations based on a few hours in Ulm. I didn’t get the chance to try biking myself, but I looked closely at the infrastructure, the overall street design, and the accessibility of various transport modes. I also briefly explore Ulm’s tram network—though it was unfortunately shut down for maintenance during my visit—and highlight thoughtful design elements like Neue Straße, where visual continuity and low traffic speeds create a near-shared-space atmosphere, even in areas still open to cars.
This video doesn’t claim to offer a full picture or a deep analysis, but rather a snapshot of what Ulm looks and feels like today from a mobility perspective. Whether the city will succeed in shifting more residents to cycling remains an open question.
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📹Camera DJI Pocket 3 https://amzn.to/3DGoUl3
📹Panasonic Luxim S5 https://amzn.to/3Fsj9YG
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Music Attributions:
Track: Home – Lofi Ambient Chill by penguinmusic
🎶 https://pixabay.com/music/beats-home-lofi-ambient-chill-176082/
Track: Two Sides by Ptr.
🎶Listen on Spotify https://open.spotify.com/track/2TYqFyKFNVIqAisl238kTg?si=c2548172d7074cd8
🎶Connect with the artist and buy the song https://ptrofficial.bandcamp.com/track/two-sides