Intermodality represents the future of mobility and train stations play a central role in connecting cities, towns and regions.
The term intermodality indicates a particular type of transport that arises in the context of freight transport. In recent years, the meaning of the term has expanded to include the mobility of people. Intermodal transport provides integrated travel solutions to move in an agile and convenient way with the combined use of different means of transport.
Goods or people leave by one means of transport and arrive at their destination by another. Examples of intermodal passenger mobility are journeys that involve the use of train and subway or train, ferry and car or tram, train and car and so on.
Intermodality and sustainable development
Intermodal mobility is at the center of the theme of the development of smart cities.
Intermodal travel, especially in large urban centres, offers the advantage of limiting the use of private cars and encouraging the use of public transport and vehicles with low environmental impact such as electric cars, pedal-assisted bikes and scooters.
Intermodality, in addition to having obvious positive impacts on the environment, improves the quality of life in cities by reducing traffic and noise pollution.
The role of the stations
Railway stations will be at the center of tomorrow's smart cities.
From places of transit only for passengers and goods they are gradually transforming into multi-service mobility hubs with low environmental impact.
The stations of the future will put people at the center and will focus on offering mobility-related services. On the Lombardy network managed by FERRVIENORD, for example, there are currently 25 velostations, protected car parks to be able to leave bicycles safely, for a total of 2.019 stalls.
E-VAI: an example of integrated and sustainable mobility
E-VAI it is the first regional electric car sharing integrated with the Lombardy railway service.
For those who live or work in Lombardy, moving in and out of the city can be long and complex, with E-VAI, it is possible to leave by train and continue the journey with an electric car available at the station.
E-VAI it is the convenient solution for commuters who travel every day to reach their workplace within the region. The E-VAI In fact, Points are found in all the main railway stations and airports. It is also present with various points in Milan and in provincial centers such as Como, Mantua, Pavia, Sondrio, Varese, Bergamo, Brescia and in various municipalities such as Morbegno, Lierna, Domaso, Laveno-Mombello, Tirano, Saronno, Meda, Gallarate, Marudo.
The integration of cars with railway lines makes E-VAI a comfortable, fast, sustainable and innovative way of moving, a step forward towards the intermodal mobility of the future.
