Linke on transport

The Left wants to make buses and trains free for everyone in stages by 2030. Until then there would be no more fare increases, including for the 49-euro ticket.

The Left wants buses and trains to be free for everyone by 2030. This would happen step by step. Fares should not go up until then. Transit is already free for schoolchildren today.

The program points out that schoolchildren already ride public transit for free. The Left also calls for more frequent S-Bahn service, more cross-town connections and better links to Hamburg's rural areas. The Elbe ferries would be electrified and their network made denser. The HVV transit association would train more staff, and employees' wage demands would be supported.

The Left wants to build a modern tram system and complete the U5 subway line only as far as its first section between Bramfeld and Borgweg. The remaining money would go to the tram network, which the program considers cheaper, faster and more accessible.

The Left wants to build a tram for Hamburg. The new U5 subway would only be finished in part. The rest of the money would go to the tram. The Left says the tram is cheaper and faster.

The tram would largely run on its own tracks. Buses would get dedicated lanes instead of pull-in bays, and those lanes could later be converted for trams. The Left also calls for a second rail crossing over the Elbe, an extension of the U4 to the Reiherstieg district and a second rail link for Harburg. For long-distance rail, Altona station would be kept, Harburg and Bergedorf expanded as long-distance stations, and the main station enlarged. The program backs a new line to Hanover, more night trains and a plan to shift freight from road to rail.

The Left wants bike lanes physically separated from the roadway wherever possible and continuous cycle routes. For pedestrians, sidewalks would be repaired and intersections made more accessible.

The Left wants safe paths for bikes. Bike lanes should be separated from car lanes. The city should fix broken sidewalks. E-scooters should only be parked at fixed spots.

Additional money would go toward fixing sidewalk damage, and lowered curbs would be kept clear. Under the program, e-scooters may only be parked at fixed stations, and providers would pay for violations. For schoolchildren, the plans include cycling training and school streets. Businesses that switch to cargo bikes would receive support. The needs of cyclists and pedestrians would be taken into account when the southern Elbe crossings are renewed.

The Left wants to make 30 km/h the standard speed limit and reallocate street space in favor of buses, trains, bikes and pedestrians. According to the program, this would cut noise and pollution and improve safety.

The Left wants 30 km/h as the normal speed in the city. Cars would get less space. Buses, trains, bikes and walkers would get more space. The A26 Ost highway would not be built.

The program rejects the A26 Ost highway. In neighborhoods with good transit access, parking would be removed, and resident parking would only come with accompanying measures. More one-way streets for cars, open to bikes in both directions, are meant to keep cut-through traffic out. There would be car-free Sundays with free HVV transit. Trucks working for the city would get turning sensors, and bus lanes on highways would be made possible.

The Left wants to enforce a strict night flight ban at Hamburg Airport and eliminate short-haul flights. Private jets would only be allowed to use the airport in emergencies.

The Left wants to ban flights at night. The ban would run from 11 p.m. to 6 a.m. Short flights of up to 500 kilometers would end. Private jets could only land in an emergency.

Between 10 and 11 p.m., strict rules for delayed flights would apply. Connections of up to 500 kilometers would be dropped; the program cites the Sylt shuttle as an example. Public infrastructure would no longer be provided for private jets. The North German aviation plan would be redrafted based on current ecological findings.

The Left wants e-scooters to be picked up and parked only at fixed stations, arguing that freely parked scooters are a tripping hazard, especially for older people. Sidewalks should also be better lit.

E-scooters often block the way. Older people can trip over them. The Left wants fixed parking spots for e-scooters. Sidewalks should also get more light.

The model for the scooter rule is the Stadtrad bike-share system with its fixed stations. According to the platform, streetlights today mainly light the roadway, while sidewalks are poorly lit or not lit at all. The Left therefore calls for adequate lighting on sidewalks. To avoid adding to light pollution, lighting on car lanes could be reduced in return.