streNgthening pUblic TranSport to enHance accEssibility in ruraL centraL Europe

Programme 2021 - 2027 Interreg VI-B Central Europe

Date of latest update: 2025-10-08

Description

Description (EN):

Staring in the face of social exclusion, rural and peripheral areas of Central Europe are trying to escape isolation by turning to car-oriented policies. But the construction of new roads as the main transport solution is turning out to be a poor remedy for years of separation between half-century-old land use/spatial and transport planning. Village separation as one of the features of the European landscape turned out to be a bad starting point for the current socio-economic-territorial development (sprawling effect) causing the current unsustainable transport models, including gaps in accessibility and connectivity of rural and peripheral areas. Instead of densified functions and activities (residential, economic, service, commercial) in rural and peripheral areas, their spatial distribution is mostly fragmented and scattered, leading to further challenges. Reversing these trends, the overall objective of NUTSHELL@CE is to pursue a strategic and integrated transformation of spatial and transport planning in rural and peripheral regions of Central Europe, to (re)place the public transport at the core of regional transport systems, integrated with other sustainable means (ie. cycling, DRT, sharing), to ensure better connectivity with TENT-T and urban nodes. NUTSHELL@CE will tackle the challenges by offering innovative solutions in 5 key elements: 1)Integrated transport planning and land use; 2)Systematic spatial-transport analysis for sustainable means of transport; 3)Taylor-made vision co-creation followed by a local/regional action plans 4)Pilot action as a platform for testing new solutions able to bring immediate benefits to local communities; 5)Transnational Knowledge Hub to transfer outcomes and learning. The main project outcomes are georeferenced datasets (and related capacity building), one transnational package of seven action plans, joint pilot actions, and the establishment of a transnational competence centre /knowledge hub. The transnational cooperation will enable co-vision creation through a creative process, peer-review, and experience exchange.

Actual Achievements (EN):

In Year 1, all partners were actively involved at the project and regional levels. They participated in two in-person meetings: one in Ostrava (CZ), in September 2024, and another in Vienna (AT) in February 2025. Partners started coordinating tasks through online partner meetings, Work Package leaders’ meetings, and Steering Committee meetings to tackle implementation issues. The project activities began with the TU Wien (Vienna University of Technology) providing the knowledge of the existing Swiss and Austrian Public Transport Service Quality Classification (PTSQC) models and its applications for transport policy-making and planning. These original models are being adapted to include access by bicycles and e-scooters. To support this adaptation, TU Wien, in collaboration with the KTI Hungarian Institute for Transport Sciences and Logistics, began collecting data about the different types of transport available and identifying areas where PTSQC calculations were needed from seven partners across six territories: Czechia, Slovakia, Poland, Slovenia, Italy, and Germany. To enhance understanding of the model, TU Wien organised a policy-making training course focused on sustainable mobility . This course targeted local experts in rural and peripheral areas, training them in outcome-oriented planning and mobility design. Following this foundation, data collection continued under the direction of KTI, translating the data into seven georeferenced datasets required for the model calculations. This capacity-building and data-collection effort was further supported by regional and local stakeholder involvement through qualitative structured interviews. These interviews were organised by territorial partners to engage stakeholders using methodologies provided by knowledge partners (TU Wien, KIT, and the Institute of Traffic and Transport Ljubljana, PIL). Moreover, the partners began preparing for the implementation of three pilots based on the aforementioned activities: improving feeder access to existing public transport corridors, systematising public transport service timetables, and addressing gaps in public transport and catchment areas. Throughout Year 1, all project partners consistently contributed valuable inputs, ensuring that they met relevant deadlines while maintaining high-quality outcomes.

Project outputs: Organisations cooperating(EN)
Urban rural linkage
(EN)
Solution and planning tool PTSQC
(EN)
Transnational strategy for integrated transport and spatial planning for rural and peripheral regions(EN)
Regional action plans for integrated transport and spatial planning for regions 1-7(EN)
Pilot Action: Feeder access to existing public transport corridors(EN)
Pilot Action: Timetable systematization of public transport services(EN)
Pilot Action: Public transport missing links & catchment areas(EN)
Solution: Feeder access to existing public transport corridors(EN)
Solution: Timetable systematization of public transport services
(EN)
Solution: Public transport missing links & catchment areas
(EN)

Thematic information

Social inclusion and equal opportunities Rural and peripheral development

Priority: (VI-B_CE_3) Cooperating for a better connected central Europe

Priority specific objective: RSO3.2. Developing and enhancing sustainable, climate resilient, intelligent and intermodal national, regional and local mobility, including improved access to TEN-T and cross-border mobility

Priority policy objective (Interreg specific objective): PO3 A more connected Europe by enhancing mobility

Type of intervention: 109 Multimodal transport (not urban)

Partners (12)

Lead Partner: Unione dei Comuni Valle del Savio

PIC (Participant Identification Code): 924185252

Partner’s ID if not PIC: IT04185880400

Address: Piazza del Popolo , 47521 Cesena, Italy

Legal status: public

Organisation type: Local public authority

Website: http://www.unionevallesavio.it

Total budget: EUR 244 502.20

Partner’s programme co-financing: EUR 195 601.76

Partner’s programme co-financing rate: 80.00%

Partner contribution: EUR 48 900.44

Contractors:

Name: Claudia Frollà
VAT registration or tax identification number: 01213930520
Name: Resovo srl
VAT registration or tax identification number: 05925020488
Name: FINPROJECT srl
VAT registration or tax identification number: 03864170406

Bratislavská integrovaná doprava a.s.

Name: Bratislavská integrovaná doprava a.s.

Department: Department of transport infrastructure

Partner’s ID if not PIC: SK2022045894

Address: Jankolova, 85104 Bratislava, Slovakia

Department address: Jankolova, 85104 Bratislava, Slovakia

Legal status: public

Organisation type: Regional public authority

Website: http://www.bid.sk

Total budget: EUR 192 019.90

Partner’s programme co-financing: EUR 153 615.92

Partner’s programme co-financing rate: 80.00%

Partner contribution: EUR 38 403.98

Zarząd Transportu Miejskiego w Rzeszowie

Name: Zarząd Transportu Miejskiego w Rzeszowie

Partner’s ID if not PIC: 517-03-04-196 | NIP (EN)

Address: Trembeckiego, 35-234 Rzeszow, Poland

Legal status: public

Organisation type: Local public authority

Website: http://ztm.rzeszow.pl/

Total budget: EUR 182 922.44

Partner’s programme co-financing: EUR 146 337.95

Partner’s programme co-financing rate: 80.00%

Partner contribution: EUR 36 584.49

Contractors:

Name: InFast Sp. z o.o.
VAT registration or tax identification number: 8131013272

Gemeinde OT Crawinkel

Name: Gemeinde OT Crawinkel

Partner’s ID if not PIC: 156/253/02029 | Fiscal code (EN)

Address: Karl-Marx-Str., 99330 Crawinkel, Germany

Legal status: public

Organisation type: Local public authority

Website: https://www.thueringen.info/crawinkel.html

Total budget: EUR 188 879.28

Partner’s programme co-financing: EUR 151 103.42

Partner’s programme co-financing rate: 80.00%

Partner contribution: EUR 37 775.86

Contractors:

Name: ThAEP e.V.
VAT registration or tax identification number: 151/142/08768

ZossenRail Betriebsgesellschaft mbH

Name: ZossenRail Betriebsgesellschaft mbH

Partner’s ID if not PIC: 050/123/00656 | Fiscal code (EN)

Address: An den Wulzen , 15806 Zossen, Germany

Legal status: private

Organisation type: SME

Website: http://www.zossenrail.de/

Total budget: EUR 182 421.36

Partner’s programme co-financing: EUR 145 937.08

Partner’s programme co-financing rate: 80.00%

Partner contribution: EUR 36 484.28

Contractors:

Name: ThAEP e.V.
VAT registration or tax identification number: 151/142/08768

Prometni institut Ljubljana d.o.o.

Name: Prometni institut Ljubljana d.o.o.

PIC (Participant Identification Code): 991581919

Partner’s ID if not PIC: SI34722645

Address: Kolodvorska, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia

Legal status: public

Organisation type: Higher education and research organisations

Website: https://prometni-institut.si/

Total budget: EUR 222 208.00

Partner’s programme co-financing: EUR 177 766.40

Partner’s programme co-financing rate: 80.00%

Partner contribution: EUR 44 441.60

RRA SEVERNE PRIMORSKE Regijska razvojna agencija d.o.o. Nova Gorica

Name: RRA SEVERNE PRIMORSKE Regijska razvojna agencija d.o.o. Nova Gorica

Partner’s ID if not PIC: SI95877835

Address: Cesta 25. Junija , 5000 Nova Gorica, Slovenia

Legal status: public

Organisation type: Sectoral agency

Website: http://www.rra-sp.si

Total budget: EUR 194 289.30

Partner’s programme co-financing: EUR 155 431.44

Partner’s programme co-financing rate: 80.00%

Partner contribution: EUR 38 857.86

Contractors:

Name: BIG BANG d.o.o.
VAT registration or tax identification number: SI18224326
Name: ASK development d.o.o.
VAT registration or tax identification number: SI75907984
Name: JMMC HP d.o.o.
VAT registration or tax identification number: SI86305352
Name: CZT d.o.o.
VAT registration or tax identification number: SI57977658
Name: Teo Kekić s.p.
VAT registration or tax identification number: 41081722

Moravskoslezský kraj

Name: Moravskoslezský kraj

Department: Department of Transportation

Partner’s ID if not PIC: CZ70890692

Address: 28. října , 702 00 Ostrava, Czech Republic

Department address: 28. října , 70200 Ostrava, Czech Republic

Legal status: public

Organisation type: Regional public authority

Website: http://www.msk.cz

Total budget: EUR 174 569.66

Partner’s programme co-financing: EUR 139 655.72

Partner’s programme co-financing rate: 80.00%

Partner contribution: EUR 34 913.94

KTI Magyar Közlekedéstudomány és Logisztikai Intézet Nonprofit Kft

Name: KTI Magyar Közlekedéstudomány és Logisztikai Intézet Nonprofit Kft

Department: Research Centre for Transport Development

PIC (Participant Identification Code): 999497604

Partner’s ID if not PIC: 21925221-2-43 | Fiscal code (EN)

Address: Than Károly, 1119 Budapest, Hungary

Department address: Than Károly, 1119 Budapest, Hungary

Legal status: public

Organisation type: Higher education and research organisations

Website: http://www.kti.hu

Total budget: EUR 152 902.89

Partner’s programme co-financing: EUR 122 322.31

Partner’s programme co-financing rate: 80.00%

Partner contribution: EUR 30 580.58

Obcianske zdruzenie No Gravity

Name: Obcianske zdruzenie No Gravity

Partner’s ID if not PIC: 2021832989 | Tax Identification Number (EN)

Address: Oravska, 82109 Bratislava, Slovakia

Legal status: private

Organisation type: Interest groups including NGOs

Website: http://www.no-gravity.sk

Total budget: EUR 157 050.60

Partner’s programme co-financing: EUR 125 640.48

Partner’s programme co-financing rate: 80.00%

Partner contribution: EUR 31 410.12

Rzeszowska Agencja Rozwoju Regionalnego Spółka Akcyjna

Name: Rzeszowska Agencja Rozwoju Regionalnego Spółka Akcyjna

Department: Regional Development and International Cooperation Department

PIC (Participant Identification Code): 999767361

Partner’s ID if not PIC: PL8130010538

Address: Chopina Street , 35-959 Rzeszów, Poland

Department address: Chopina Street , 35-959 Rzeszów, Poland

Legal status: public

Organisation type: Regional public authority

Website: http://www.rarr.rzeszow.pl

Total budget: EUR 166 980.80

Partner’s programme co-financing: EUR 133 584.64

Partner’s programme co-financing rate: 80.00%

Partner contribution: EUR 33 396.16

Technische Universität Wien

Name: Technische Universität Wien

Department: Research Unit Transport Planning and Traffic Engineering

PIC (Participant Identification Code): 999979888

Partner’s ID if not PIC: ATU37675002

Address: Karlsplatz, A-1040 Wien, Austria

Department address: Karlsplatz, A-1040 Wien, Austria

Legal status: public

Organisation type: Higher education and research organisations

Website: http://www.tuwien.ac.at

Total budget: EUR 190 366.00

Partner’s programme co-financing: EUR 152 292.80

Partner’s programme co-financing rate: 80.00%

Partner contribution: EUR 38 073.20

Partners map

Partners and Projects info

Public Transport Organisation of Bratislava

streNgthening pUblic TranSport to enHance accEssibility in ruraL centraL Europe

Partners and Projects info

Public Transport Authority in Rzeszów

streNgthening pUblic TranSport to enHance accEssibility in ruraL centraL Europe

Partners and Projects info

Municipality of Crawinkel/Local community of Crawinkel

streNgthening pUblic TranSport to enHance accEssibility in ruraL centraL Europe

Partners and Projects info

ZossenRail operating company ltd

streNgthening pUblic TranSport to enHance accEssibility in ruraL centraL Europe

Partners and Projects info

Institute of Traffic and Transport Ljubljana l.l.c.

streNgthening pUblic TranSport to enHance accEssibility in ruraL centraL Europe

Partners and Projects info

RDA of Northern Primorska Ltd. Nova Gorica

streNgthening pUblic TranSport to enHance accEssibility in ruraL centraL Europe

Partners and Projects info

Moravian-Silesian Region

streNgthening pUblic TranSport to enHance accEssibility in ruraL centraL Europe

Partners and Projects info

KTI Hungarian Institute for Transport Sciences and Logistics Non Profit Limited Liability Company

streNgthening pUblic TranSport to enHance accEssibility in ruraL centraL Europe

Partners and Projects info

Citizens´ Association No Gravity

streNgthening pUblic TranSport to enHance accEssibility in ruraL centraL Europe

Partners and Projects info

Rzeszow Regional Development Agency

streNgthening pUblic TranSport to enHance accEssibility in ruraL centraL Europe

Partners and Projects info

TU Wien

streNgthening pUblic TranSport to enHance accEssibility in ruraL centraL Europe

Partners and Projects info

Union of Municipalities of the Savio Valley River

streNgthening pUblic TranSport to enHance accEssibility in ruraL centraL Europe

Lead partner

Project partner

Summary

Project name (EN): streNgthening pUblic TranSport to enHance accEssibility in ruraL centraL Europe

Project acronym: NUTSHELL@CE

Project ID: CE0200933

Project start date: 2024-05-01

Project end date: 2027-04-30

Project status: ongoing

Relevant linked projects:

NA (EN) | This application is not linked to on-going or planned initiatives/projects, and to any other proposal under preparation. (EN)

Total budget/expenditure: EUR 2 249 112.43

Total EU funding (amount): EUR 1 799 289.92

Total EU funding (co-financing rate): 80.00%

Co-financing sources:

ERDF: Amount, EUR 1 799 289.92. Co-financing rate, 80.00%.

Investments, deliverables, policy contributions

(bullets are inserted automatically and may be incorrectly placed)

Deliverables:

Tools and internal rules for efficient project communication implementation
Draft of adapted and localised Analysis and Planning Tool PTSQL
Training seminar with video recording on PTSQC
Package of training material on PTSQC (technical)
Package of training material on Sustainable Mobility Planning for rural/peripheral areas (policy)
Training seminar with video recording on Sustainable Mobility Planning for rural/peripheral areas
Compilation of 7 local georeferenced datasets for PTSQC
Transnational report: Result of status-quo analysis with PTSQC methodology
Compilation of 7 local-language summary
Adapted and localised Analysis and Planning Tool PTSQL
Transnational Knowledge Hub on rural/peripheral accessibility and connectivity.
Questionnaire for structured interview
Compilation of 7 reports on local stakeholder involvement
Transnational vision for integrated public transport and land use planning
Compilation of 7 reports on local /regional visions, with documentation of co-creation process
Regional /local action plan of Savio Valley (IT)
Regional /local action plan of Moravian-Silesian Region (CZ)
Regional /local action plan of Brda/Nova Goriza (SI)
Regional /local action plan of Crawinkel (DE)
Regional /local action plan of Rzeszow (PL)
Regional /local action plan of Bratislava-Kitsee connection (SK)
Action plan for National rail network of Slovenia (SL)
Draft Design of Pilot Action Cluster A: Feeder Access to Existing Public Transport Corridors
Final Design of Pilot Action Cluster A: Feeder Access to Existing Public Transport Corridors
Draft Design of Pilot Action Cluster B: Timetable Systematization
Final Design of Pilot Action Cluster B: Timetable Systematization
Draft design of Pilot Action Cluster C: Public Transport Missing Links & Catchment Areas
Final design of Pilot Action Cluster C: Public Transport Missing Links & Catchment Areas
Pilot implementation report: Thematic cluster A - PT access
Solution report: Thematic cluster A - PT access
Pilot implementation report: thematic cluster B - timetable
Solution report: thematic cluster B - timetable
Pilot implementation report: thematic cluster C- PT missing links
Solution report: thematic cluster C- PT missing links

Contribution to wider strategies and policies:

EuropeanGreenDeal It will contribute in various way to it. To become climate neutral by 2050,
Strategy GHG emissions from transport sector must be cut by 90%. The promotion of a more sustainable connection between rural-peripheral areas /urban nodes
/TEN-T will contribute to it, because the carbon footprint of daily commuting towards cities is relevant. By contributing to retaining people in rural- peripheral areas, it supports EU strategy on biodiversity and more sustainable food systems, relevant aspects of Green Deal.
TerritorialAgenda2030 It supports the development of new strategic documents, and promotion of Strategy co-development, involving citizens across borders. It calls to improve links
between regional planning/development of Trans-European Networks (TEN), and invites spatial / transport planners to explore new socially
/environmentally progressive models for local/regional mobility and to cooperate on multimodal/ environmentally friendly accessibility of and within urban centres. All these aspects are addressed by NUTSHEL@CEL.
EUStrategyDanubeRegion By pursuing a better link between marginal/peripheral areas of CE with Danube Region national and European networks, the project will contribute to Pillar A of Strategy EUSDR, focused on “Connecting the Danube Region”, in particular to Action
“To improve regional/ local cross-border infrastructure and access to rural areas”. EUSDR points out that in the Danube Region, percentage of population living in rural areas is much higher than in the rest of Europe which makes need for access to these areas of primary importance.
EUStrategyAdriaticIonianRegion Project contribute to Pillar 2 “Connecting the Region” of EUSAIR- topic 2 Adriatic and Ionian “Intermodal connections to the hinterland”.
Region Strategy EUSAIR points out that territorial cohesion is supported through better connections, including remote areas. NUTSHELL@CE, in particular, will contribute to the action “Developing the Western Balkans comprehensive network, aimed at promoting sustainable transport in the Region, and to prepare their integration in the Trans-European Network – Transport (TEN-T) network
EUStrategyBalticSeaRegion Project will contribute to objective “Connecting people in the region – sub- Baltic Sea Region objective “Good transport conditions” of EUSBSR. It sets up the target of Strategy completion of the TEN-T core and comprehensive network in the Baltic Sea
region according to CEF and TEN-T timetables and their links to Russia and Belarus as defined under the framework of NDPTL and involving EaP regional transport network, for which NUTSHELL@CE will promote an ancillary system to better connect marginal areas to TEN-T themselves.
EUStrategyAlpineRegion Project will contribute to Action 4 “To promote inter-modality and
Alpine Region Strategy interoperability in passenger and freight transport”. EUSALP underlines that TEN-T Network aims at connecting national patchworks towards an integrated European transport network. TEN-T are like arteries, aimed at transporting main share of traffic. They ensure possibility of travelling fast across thousands of km, but ‘last kilometer’, access to main links, connections to spread-out communities, all this requires veins (as DRT).
Other To remove the social and territorial barriers affecting many regions of the EU countries is the overall objective of all the Recovery and Resilience Facility plans of the member states involved in NUTSHELL@CE, to which the project will give a contribution made of new approaches, ideas, and solutions.

Programme Common Output Indicator:

RCO 084 - Pilot actions developed jointly and implemented in projects, Measurement unit:
RCO 116 - Jointly developed solutions, Measurement unit:
RCO 083 - Strategies and action plans jointly developed, Measurement unit:
RCO 087 - Organisations cooperating across borders, Measurement unit:
RCO 120 - Projects supporting cooperation across borders to develop urban-rural linkages, Measurement unit:

Delivered output indicator(s):

(RCO87) Organisations cooperating across borders: 18.0
(RCO120) Projects supporting cooperation across borders to develop urban-rural linkages: 1.0

Programme Common Result Indicator:

RCR 084 - Organisations cooperating across borders after project completion, Measurement unit:
RCR 104 - Solutions taken up or up-scaled by organisations, Measurement unit:
RCR 079 - Joint strategies and action plans taken up by organisations, Measurement unit:

Project part of European Union Macro-Regional or Sea Basin Strategy: EUSBSR

EUSBSR Priority (Policy) area / Horizontal action:

EUSBSR Degree of compliance:

Project part of European Union Macro-Regional or Sea Basin Strategy: EUSALP

EUSALP Priority (Policy) area / Horizontal action:

EUSALP Degree of compliance:

Project part of European Union Macro-Regional or Sea Basin Strategy: EUSDR

Project part of European Union Macro-Regional or Sea Basin Strategy: EUSAIR

EUSAIR Priority (Policy) area / Horizontal action:

EUSAIR Degree of compliance:

Information regarding the data in keep.eu on the programme financing this project

Financing programme

2021 - 2027 Interreg VI-B Central Europe

Last month that data in keep.eu was retrieved from the Programme's website or received from the Programme

2025-10-08

No. of projects in keep.eu / Total no. of projects (% of projects in keep.eu)

100 / 100 (100%)

No. of project partnerships in keep.eu / Total no. of project partnerships (% of project partnerships in keep.eu)

1 013 / 1 011 (100.2%)

Notes on the data

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streNgthening pUblic TranSport to enHance accEssibility in ruraL centraL Europe

Description

Thematic information

Partners (12)

Partners map

Summary

Investments, deliverables, policy contributions

Information regarding the data in keep.eu on the programme financing this project

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