This paper aims to develop a user typology which enables user-specific analyses in respect of mobility behavior. It addresses the challenge of integrating unimodal and intermodal travel behavior into a user typology to obtain an overview of intermodal users within the context of their overall mobility behavior. The user typology is based on two cluster analyses (agglomerative hierarchical clustering) which use quantitative survey data on unimodal and intermodal mobility behavior obtained for Berlin, Germany. One cluster analysis was performed for unimodal use and one for intermodal mode use to take into account the users’ relatively low use of intermodal modes as well. The analyses resulted in 6 intermodal and 5 unimodal clusters based on users’ mobility behavior. Since in each case every individual is assigned to one intermodal and one unimodal cluster, the resulting intermodal and unimodal clusters were then combined in order to represent the overall mobility behavior of each individual as mobility types. The mobility types are further characterized by information on socio-demographics and mobility resources obtained from the dataset. These enhanced mobility types (EMT) provide a clearer impression of the users’ characteristics and needs. This user typology takes account of the wide range of mobility options available in cities today and the resulting diversity in people’s mobility behavior. To enable us to address the needs of users who combine several modes of transport within one trip, the proposed procedure approaches the challenge of integrating intermodal behavior into user types. The results provide a user typology which combines intermodal and unimodal travel behavior with personal characteristics and enable researchers and practitioners to work on user-specific research questions and planning tasks.

Cities offer a wide range of different mobility options, including a dense public transport network and good conditions for walking and cycling. They provide good basic requirements for using and combining different modes of transport in people’s everyday mobility in a flexible, individual and situational way. In larger cities in particular, intermodal mobility plays a significant role and is being discussed as crucial to minimizing traffic congestion, emissions and the demand for parking space. Although a common practice, intermodal mobility has so far received little attention in empirical and theoretic mobility research. This contribution addresses this gap. It compares unimodal and intermodal travel modes, and discusses their effects on accessibility in cities. Using the city of Berlin, Germany, as example, it explores intermodal mobility practice to and the extent to which this relates to accessibility in cities compared to unimodal modes. Based on empirical survey data and calculations of spatial accessibility indicators, we present the performance of unimodal and intermodal travel modes using accessible locations and distance over time, and set them against the frequency of using the various modes of unimodal and intermodal travel. The combination of empirical and modeling data provides new insights into how accessibility measures based on structural data fit together from a user’s perspective and can complement each other. Based on this, we discuss further aspects of accessibility relevant for intermodality.

This paper is an empirical mixed-method study on car use in an urban context. It explores the questions: What mobility practices do people in the city display? What role does car use play in this context? What is the guiding, underlying logic behind personal car use? The findings help to understand mobility practices and their underlying logic. The central component is a user typology based on a quantitative survey and qualitative interviews. The study aims to present an empirical description of mobility practices and the guiding logic of different mobility types in Berlin. The findings offer starting points for user-specific measures to encourage people to use new mobility concepts instead of their personal car.