Vienna stands out with its innovative and environmentally friendly solution to urban logistics. Public transport package Thanks to the project, parcels are now delivered via tram passengers instead of traditional couriers. This extraordinary initiative aims to help reduce emissions in the city and ease the pressure on existing transport infrastructure.
Öffi-Packerl was developed with the support of the Austrian Federal Ministry of Climate Action and Innovation as part of the sustainable urban logistics vision of Vienna’s public transport company Wiener Linien. The project aims to make urban deliveries greener and more efficient by utilizing the potential of the public transport network.
Interesting Experiment in the North of Vienna
The trial will run from March 31, 2025 until the end of May on tram lines 25 and 26 in the northern part of Vienna. 150 volunteers is testing this new system. Special solar-powered parcel lockers have been installed at four designated tram stops.
The operation of the system is quite practical. Passengers participating in the project, Öffi-Packerl mobile app They can enter their own routes and view available packages waiting to be delivered in the system. If a package matches the passenger’s route, the participant scans a QR code on the locker at the stop to collect the package.
The delivered packages have certain size restrictions: weight up to 5 kg, the length is at most 50 cm After reaching the destination, the passenger leaves the package in the special locker at the designated recipient stop using another QR code scan.
Innovative Solution Based on Public Transport
The Öffi-Packerl project is actually based on the results of a study conducted in 2021. This study examined the public transport users in Vienna. 90% of showed that they support package delivery at tram stops. In fact, about 100 percent of the participants 65% of had expressed their willingness to assist in such a delivery process.
This valuable data provided important guidance to the project’s developers in determining the most efficient tram routes and optimal locations for parcel lockers across the city.
Strong Support from Leading Institutions
The Öffi-Packerl project was realised with the strong support of leading research and logistics partners specialising in sustainable logistics. Fraunhofer Research Institute Austria, Vienna University of Technology and Austria's national postal service Austrian post played an active role. This collaboration strengthens the scientific basis of the project and ensures that logistics processes are optimized in the best possible way.
If the ongoing trial is successful, the plan is to expand this innovative passenger delivery model to other parts of Vienna. With the Öffi-Packerl project, Vienna aims to set a new standard for environmentally friendly, flexible and efficient urban transport. This project is a striking example of how public transport networks can be used in many different and creative ways to help cities achieve their sustainability goals.
