Collective taxi Berlkönig ends on 20 July

The Berlin shared taxi Berlkönig will soon be terminated for good.

"On 20 July, the research and development project of Berliner Verkehrsbetriebe (BVG) and Via will end as planned after four years," BVG announced on Thursday. In return, the transport company plans to launch two new transport services this year, although an exact date has not yet been set.

Around 1.85 million passengers have used Berlkönig so far

The Berlkönig vehicles, which are operated by the Via company, are on the road in the eastern part of the city. The trips can be booked via an app, and a computer calculates the route so that as many passengers as possible can board with as few detours as possible. Although the duration of the project largely coincided with the Corona pandemic, around 1.85 million passengers have used the service so far, BVG announced. The Berlkönig project had almost ended prematurely about two years ago due to a dispute surrounding public funding.

BVG plans new call a bus-service

In the future, BVG is planning a call a bus-service that will also operate around the clock in the east of Berlin. The service will take passengers to regular stops and pick them up there. "However, direct trips in the service area will also be possible," it said. Trips will also be bundled together.

Pilot project: Linking stations that are not yet barrier-free

The second project is called "Alternative Barrier-Free Transport". Here, passengers are to be given an alternative form of transport, especially at stations that are not yet barrier-free. "By the end of 2023, the U8, parts of the U5 and the Marienfelde S-Bahn station will be connected in a pilot project. From the beginning of 2024, the service will then apply across Berlin." Via is once again responsible for staff, vehicles and software for both services.