Overview
The interconnectivity at European airports is often still limited to urban transport, with in particular very few high-speed train stations. Some of the existing intermodal links do not fully meet the passengers expectations, leading to low usage.
Through cooperation between air and rail stakeholders, as well as inter-modality and transport specialists, ModAir will be able to contribute to the preparation of future EU research and technological development policy.
The ModAir project aims at designing and setting up a mode-overlapping forum, where representatives from the air, rail and urban transport as well as any other relevant actor will contribute to the development and improvement of co-modality and inter-modality for passengers in European airports.
ModAir will build on the projects already funded by the European Commission to give a clear view of the current state of inter-modality and co-modality in the European airports. This is to deliver a roadmap for future research and provide the European Union with a structured group of experts able to help evaluate and select the best ways of implementing the connectivity of airports with other transport modes.
Funding
Results
Contributing to faster and more seamless air transport
Air transport needs to be well connected to other transport modes in order to offer smooth travel for passengers. An EU initiative mapped rail links to airports across Europe and established a forum on encouraging co-modal transport to achieve seamless door-to-door mobility.
Today, more than ever, faster and more seamless transport is associated with a better standard of living, as well as considerable savings in time and money. The EU is constantly looking at ways to improve mobility, and one way to do this is by integrating different transport modes.
The EU-funded project MODAIR (Co-modal airport) brought together representatives from air, rail and urban transport to upgrade co-modality and intermodality for European airport passengers.
MODAIR built on previously funded EU projects to map current intermodal and co-modal options for European airports. A database of the current state of co-modal connectivity in European airports was set up to support project activities.
Based on all the collected data, a report on intermodal passenger needs was produced. It proposed technology and logistical solutions to enhance co-modal links. These include better interconnected information exchange systems that provide single reservation and single ticketing abilities for an entire journey where several transport modes are foreseen, and problems with luggage transfer between transport modes.
MODAIR also mapped all high-speed train links connected to airports in all EU Member States. In addition, it defined a new discussion platform – the European Forum on Airport Passenger Intermodality (EFAPI) – articulating an overall vision on sustainable and seamless door-to-door intermodal passenger travel and information services.
EFAPI is mainly made up of key air, rail and urban transport actors that contribute to the development and improvement of co-modality and intermodality for passengers in European airports.
Lastly, the project delivered a roadmap for future research paths.
By bringing together air and rail stakeholders, as well as intermodality and transport experts, MODAIR will contribute to preparing future EU research and technological development policy.