SMARTA-NET : sustainable rural mobility for resilience in support of ecotourism : final report.
Date: 2025-07-31
Institutions: Directorate-General for Mobility and Transport, MemEx Srl
Subjects: action programme, ecological tourism, report, rural development, sustainable development, sustainable mobility

SMARTA-NET 
Sustainable rural mobility for 
resilience in support of 
ecotourism  

Contract: MOVE/2022/OP/0008 

FINAL REPORT 

Written by MemEx Srl 
January – 2025 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
EUROPEAN COMMISSION 

Directorate-General for Transport and Mobility 
Directorate B - Investment, Innovative & Sustainable Transport 
Unit B3 - Innovation & Research 

Contact: Isabelle VANDOORNE  

E-mail: MOVE-B3-secretariat@ec.europa.eu 

European Commission 
B-1049 Brussels 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
EUROPEAN COMMISSION 

Final Report 

Contract: MOVE/2022/OP/0008 

3 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union, 2025 

ISBN : 978-92-68-27126-1 
doi: 10.2832/7816473 

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Reproduction is authorised provided the source is acknowledged. 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
EUROPEAN COMMISSION 

CONTENTS 

4. 

2. 

3. 

1. 

KEY TERMS AND DEFINITIONS ....................................................................................... 8 
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ................................................................................................... 9 
Recommendations for policy from the European Rural Mobility Network ...................... 12 
The future of the European Rural Mobility Network ................................................... 12 
INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................... 13 
1.1.  The Rural Mobility Challenge in general .......................................................... 13 
1.2.  Recent EU advancements on rural Mobility: towards increased connectivity ........ 14 
1.3.  Learnings from the previous SMARTA projects ................................................ 15 
1.4.  SMARTA-NET and its ambition ....................................................................... 16 
TASKS 1 AND 2: A PORTFOLIO OF MOBILITY SOLUTIONS ......................................... 18 
2.1.  Developing a package of mobility solutions ..................................................... 18 
2.2.  The SMARTA-NET Catalogue and Guidance ..................................................... 19 
2.3.  Rural mobility solutions supporting ecotourism ................................................ 21 
2.4.  Key findings and recommendations from the tasks .......................................... 23 
TASK 3: PLANNING FOR SUSTAINABLE AND SHARED RURAL MOBILITY ...................... 25 
 ................................................................................................................. 25 
3. 
Integrating the rural dimension into existing planning practices ........................ 25 
3.1. 
3.2.  Developing new planning instruments for sustainable rural mobility ................... 28 
3.3.  Findings and recommendations from the task ................................................. 33 
TASK 4: BUILDING CAPACITY AT THE LOCAL LEVEL .................................................. 34 
4.1.  The SMARTA-NET Training Programme and contents ....................................... 34 
4.2.  Engaging rural municipalities and communities ............................................... 34 
4.3.  Findings and recommendations from the task ................................................. 41 
TASK 5: SETTING UP THE FIRST NETWORK ON RURAL MOBILITY ............................... 42 
5.1.  The ERMN and its vision ............................................................................... 42 
5.2.  The ERMN composition and participation ........................................................ 42 
5.3.  Key findings from the ERMN ......................................................................... 44 
5.4.  Findings and recommendations from the task ................................................. 45 
5.5.  Plans for the future ...................................................................................... 46 
TASK 6: FUNDING AND FINANCING OPTIONS FOR RURAL MOBILITY .......................... 48 
6.1.  Funding and financing frameworks for rural mobility ........................................ 48 
6.2.  Guidance on financing options for rural communities ....................................... 49 
6.3.  Funding streams and related issues across EU countries ................................... 50 
6.4.  Findings and recommendations from the task ................................................. 50 
TASK 7: EVALUATING RURAL ACCESSIBILITY IN EUROPE .......................................... 52 
7.1.  The SMARTA-NET evaluation methodology ..................................................... 52 
7.2.  General findings from the pan-European survey .............................................. 52 
7.3.  Key findings and policy recommendations from the survey ............................... 53 
7.4.  Key findings and recommendations from the task ............................................ 54 
TASK 8: COMMUNICATION ACTIVITIES ................................................................... 55 
8.1.  Raising awareness on rural mobility ............................................................... 55 
8.2.  Materials produced and diffused .................................................................... 57 
8.3.  External events in which SMARTA-NET participated ......................................... 58 

7. 

5. 

6. 

8. 

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8.4.  Findings and recommendations from the task ................................................. 59 
9.  CONCLUSIONS ..................................................................................................... 60 

List of Figures  

Figure 1 Presence of specific rural mobility/transport policy with objectives and targets. ......... 15 

Figure 2 - Rural Shared Mobility solutions. ........................................................................ 18 

Figure 3 The SMARTA-NET rural mobility good practices ..................................................... 20 

Figure 4 Self-check tool: rural tourism regions and mobility offers. ...................................... 22 

Figure 5 Steps required to achieve a more sustainable mobility in rural touristic regions ......... 22 

Figure 6 The 12 Steps of Sustainable Urban Mobility Planning .............................................. 26 

Figure 7 Backbone and localised transport services in rural territories. .................................. 30 

Figure 8 Map of the SMARTA-NET Lighthouse sites ............................................................. 43 

Figure 9 Funding panorama for rural mobility .................................................................... 48 

Figure 10 Stepwise approach on funding opportunities for rural mobility. .............................. 49 

Figure 11 Impact of fuel price increases ............................................................................ 53 

Figure 12 The SMARTA-NET Resources database ................................................................ 56 

List of Tables  

Table 1 Summary of key findings and recommendations from Task 1 ................................... 24 

Table 2 Summary of key findings and recommendations from Task 2 ................................... 25 

Table  3  Recommendations  for  incorporating  rural  mobility  aspects  in  SUMP  design  and 
implementation – Phase 1 ....................................................................................... 27 

Table  4  Recommendations  for  incorporating  rural  mobility  aspects  in  SUMP  design  and 
implementation – Phase 2 ....................................................................................... 28 

Table  5  Recommendations  for  incorporating  rural  mobility  aspects  in  SUMP  design  and 
implementation – Phase 3 ....................................................................................... 28 

Table  6  Recommendations  for  incorporating  rural  mobility  aspects  in  SUMP  design  and 
implementation – Phase 4 ....................................................................................... 29 

Table 7 Suggested tailored mobility-related KPIs for use in rural areas ................................. 32 

Table 8 Summary of key findings and recommendations from Task 3 ................................... 34 

Table 9 Summary information of the SMARTA-NET Training activities ................................... 37 

Table 10 Summary information of the first training sessions ................................................ 38 

Table 11 Summary information of the second training sessions ........................................... 39 

Table 12 Summary information of the third training sessions ............................................... 40 

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Table 13 Summary information of the fourth training sessions ............................................. 41 

Table 14 Key findings and recommendations from Task 4 ................................................... 43 

Table 15 List of SMARTA-NET Lighthouse Sites .................................................................. 46 

Table 16 Key findings and recommendations from Task 5 ................................................... 49 

Table 17: Overview of potential way forward for the ERMN.................................................. 50 

Table 18 Key findings and recommendations from Task 6 ................................................... 54 

Table 19 Key findings and recommendations from Task 7 ................................................... 58 

Table 20 Materials produced and diffused .......................................................................... 62 

Table 21: External events in which SMARTA-NET participated .............................................. 63 

Table 22 Key findings and recommendations from Task 8 ................................................... 64 

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KEY TERMS AND DEFINITIONS 

Lighthouse 
sites 

Network of 
Municipalities 

Rural Pact 
Support 
Office  

Term  Definition 
ERMN  The  European  Rural  Mobility  Network  (ERMN)  is  a  pan-European 
network  on  rural  mobility,  sharing  of  knowledge  and  experiences 
among local authorities, practitioners and experts. It has been set 
up and brought into action mobilised by the SMARTA-NET Project.  
Representing different rural contexts - both municipalities as well as 
higher  level  local  entities/multipliers  (e.g.  LEADER  Action  Groups 
(LAGs)  and  regional  authorities)  –  Lighthouse  Sites  are  core 
members  of  the  ERMN.  They  contributed  to  the  setting  up  of  the 
ERMN  network,  participated  actively  in  the  ERMN  networking 
events, and have been the focal point of the SMARTA-NET in-country 
training  activities  and  of  the  technical  work  on  the  evaluation  of 
travel behaviour. 
Identified in the Long-Term Vision for Rural Areas, the Network of 
Rural Municipalities is one of the core pillars of the ERMN. It consists 
mostly of rural municipalities and other rural local communities, with 
a size of approximately 70 local authorities (5 per each of the target 
Member State countries). 
The Rural Pact Support Office (RPSO) is a newly established office 
funded by the European Commission. It aims to provide facilitation 
and  networking  services  to  the  Rural  Pact  and  its  community, 
coordinating and implementing activities to achieve the Rural Pact's 
objectives  and  contribute  to  the  Long-Term  Vision  for  EU's  rural 
areas. 

SUMP  A  Sustainable  Urban  Mobility  Plan  is  a  strategic  plan  designed  to 
satisfy  the  mobility  needs  of  people  and  businesses  in  cities  and 
their  surroundings for a better quality  of life. It builds on existing 
planning  practices  and  takes  due  consideration  of  integration, 
participation, and evaluation principles. 
A  pool  of  specialist  experts  mobilised  by  the  project,  which 
supported  the  Project  Consortium  in  specific  tasks  (e.g.  training) 
according  to  their  thematic  and  language  knowledge,  including 
needs assessment, training courses, evaluation, etc. 
The  long-term  vision  for  the  EU’s  rural  areas  is  a  European 
Commission  initiative  to  develop  a  common  European  vision  for 
2040. It identifies 10 shared goals and 4 areas of actions towards 
stronger, connected, resilient and prosperous rural areas by 2040.  

Taskforce of 
specialist 
experts 

The long-
term vision 
for the EU’s 
rural areas 

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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 

Rural mobility is one of the key pillars to achieving the European Long-Term Vision for 
Rural Areas of "stronger, connected, resilient, and prosperous" communities by 2040. 
However, rural areas face a stark reality: essential services like employment, education, 
healthcare,  and  amenities  are  increasingly  concentrated  in  urban  hubs,  forcing  rural 
residents  to  travel  further  and  more  frequently.  Public  transport  and  shared  mobility 
services are usually limited or absent, leaving most reliant on personal cars, with  few 
or no travel options for those without access to a vehicle. 

Moreover,  improved  rural  mobility  will  support  the  goals  of  the  EU  tourism  transition 
pathway and of the upcoming EU strategy for sustainable tourism, to be published early 
2026, towards a more resilient, innovative and sustainable tourism ecosystem. It will in 
particular  contribute  to  developing  balanced  tourism  in  rural  and  remote  areas, 
connecting also with urban destinations and thus contributing to better distribution of 
tourist flows. Likewise, sustainable tourism development in rural areas may contribute 
to improved connectivity offer for the locals and for the visitors.  

The  SMARTA-NET  Project  -  “Sustainable  rural  mobility  for  resilience  in  support  of 
ecotourism” has been commissioned by the European Commission: Directorate General 
for Mobility and Transport (DG MOVE). It is the third project of a series1. The aim of this 
project was therefore to promote sustainable and resilient mobility connections between 
rural  areas,  and  between  remote  rural  areas  (including  isolated  regions)  and  urban 
areas, taking into account the need to support ecotourism. 

The project assessed 32 mobility solutions and the factors enabling their transferability 
in different EU countries. A specific Catalogue has been produced,  clustering the case 
studies into four main types: i) Flexible Transport Services, ii) Ride-sharing services, iii) 
Asset  sharing  services,  and  iv)  Other  types  of  mobility  initiatives,  including  school 
services of general access, mobility hubs, and autonomous shuttles. This work informed 
the SMARTA-NET Guidance on Rural Shared Mobility Solutions.  

Additionally,  SMARTA-NET  developed  guidance  on  connecting  rural  tourist 
destinations to resilient mobility networks and to adapt mobility offers to tourists 
needs.  To  achieve  this  goal,  SMARTA-NET  developed  a  classification  of  rural  tourist 
regions, a self-check for stakeholders in rural tourism regions and a guidance for more 
sustainable mobility in rural tourism areas. 

A  key  achievement  was  the  establishment  of  the  EUROPEAN  RURAL  MOBILITY 
NETWORK  (ERMN)  engaging  around  70  rural  municipalities2  and  other  relevant 
stakeholders. From February 2023, SMARTA-NET started to build the core group of the 
ERMN including the “Lighthouse Sites” - broadly rural areas that were in the process of 
implementing good examples of rural mobility, and were willing to be an active member 
of the ERMN. The ERMN was launched in Q2 2023, with the first in-person meeting of 

1  The  “SMARTA”  project  focused  on  rural  mobility  and,  in  particular,  on  rural  shared  mobility.  It  explored 
existing  mobility  policies  and  solutions  in  European  rural  areas  to  support  sustainable  shared  mobility, 
interconnected  with  public  transport.  The  “SMARTA  2”  was  a  logical  continuation  as  it  looked  at  the 
implementation of demonstrators in four  European rural areas, including the extension of an e-car sharing 
network, a car sharing scheme supported by a carpooling app, an extension of the e-bike sharing system, and 
a carpooling scheme linked to public transport. 

2 At various ERMN events (online and in-person) the number of municipalities varied. Detailed figures can be 
assessed  in  the  SMARTA-NET  report  “Report  on  the  European  Rural  Mobility  Network  (ERMN)”  (2024).  In 
general terms, about 54 rural municipalities (including a few where other organisations participated on their 
behalf), 14 association of municipalities and Local Action Groups, and 20 regional authorities joined the ERMN 
events.  

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Final Report 
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the Lighthouse Sites in Narni (IT) in May, and the first ERMN online event in June 2023.  

In Q2 and Q3 2023, further technical work included an EU wide survey to understand 
the mobility challenges and opportunities faced by rural regions. Site-specific evaluation 
frameworks at the Lighthouse Sites have been defined to assess the behavioural shift 
of individuals. Surveys were produced, customised, translated into local languages and 
disseminated, collecting more than 3500 responses3. 

In  late  2023,  SMARTA-NET  carried  out  the  first  training  session  on  shared  mobility 
solutions for rural areas, combining lectures and co-creation workshops. Initial findings 
were disseminated through the project website, newsletters, and active participation at 
events. An Expression of Interest was submitted to the Rural Pact Support Office for a 
‘Community Group on Rural Mobility”. This was accepted and the Community Group is 
now active4. Technical workshops around the topic of Sustainable Urban Mobility Plans 
(SUMP) were mobilised to assess the rural mobility planning issues and urban and rural 
interdependencies.  

From early 2024, SMARTA-NET consolidated the ERMN with two online events and the 
preparation  of  the  2nd  ERMN  conference.  The  training  was  rolled  out  for  the  second 
module on sustainable rural mobility in support of ecotourism. In May 2024, the ERMN 
joined  in-person  in  Evora,  Portugal.  Participants  from  rural  municipalities,  counties, 
regions, etc., engaged in discussions, workshops, and interactive sessions on financing 
rural  mobility  schemes,  sharing  experiences  with  funding  programs,  and  exploring 
strategies for securing additional resources inspired by successful case studies.  

In Q3 2024, technical work on the SUMP-related issues advanced5, with draft guidance 
on integrating rural mobility aspects in SUMP design  –  rural proofing SUMPs 
the  third  training  module  on  SUMPs  and  mobility  planning.  Workshops  were  held  at 
ERMN events, in particular at the first ERMN conference in Bingen am Rhein in October 
2023 and at the second online event in January 2024. A session to validate findings was 
held with the SUMP sub-group of the Expert Group on Urban Mobility (EGUM). 

Over  summer  2024,  a  briefing  note  and  templates  were  drafted  to  analyse  financing 
frameworks of target case studies and identify the potential funding sources to finance 
rural shared mobility solutions. The guidance document on funding and financial 
issues was produced in November 2024.  

The ERMN held its final conference in Brussels on 23-24 October 2024. More than 100 
people from 16 European countries participated in the conference. In Q4 2024, SMARTA-
NET,  focused  on  the  future  direction  of  the  network,  emphasising  the  importance  of 
ERMN  as  a  pan-European  forum  where  rural  mobility  stakeholders  could  continue 
sharing knowledge, exploring funding mechanisms, and advocating for policy change. 

PROJECT KEY FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS 

- 

Implementation  of  new  generations  of  rural  mobility  schemes  throughout  Europe 
can  be  done  rapidly  if  the  enabling  conditions  are  there.  It  requires  little 
infrastructure or capital financing. Furthermore, communities generally have a good 
capacity to mobilise and implement locally. 

3 The results are synopsised in the SMARTA-NET report “An EU-wide meta-analysis on rural accessibility from 
13 different EU rural areas” (2024).  

4 https://ruralpact.rural-vision.europa.eu/groups/rural-mobility_en  

5 Synopsis of this technical work is provided in the SMARTA-NET Guidance document “Guidance on integrating 
rural mobility aspects in SUMP design – rural proofing SUMPs” (2024). 

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- 

In order to achieve significant improvements in the quantum, availability and quality 
of  rural  mobility,  it  is  crucial  to  harness  the  will,  the  capacities  and  the  local 
knowledge  of  local  stakeholders.  As  there  are  tens  of  thousands  of  communities 
throughout  Europe,  with  great  diversity,  the  only  practical  way  is  to  put  the  local 
stakeholders at the centre of the process, and to give them substantial autonomy 
and flexibility to achieve both global and local goals in the way they see fit. While 
national  and  regional  governments  can  provide  funds,  high-level  guidance  and 
increased authority to act, building local capacity remains essential. 

-  Stakeholders  from  the  tourism  sector  that  should  be  involved  in  the  planning  of 
sustainable  rural  mobility  should  include  tourism  professionals,  municipalities, 
regional authorities, climate protection managers, business development agencies, 
trade associations, and environmental/energy managers. It is important that they 
get  to  know  each  other  and  that  they  meet  regularly,  understand  each  other’s 
jargon,  share  data  and  exchange  views.  In  all  issues  related  to  rural  mobility, 
tourism and its concepts (arrival and mobility on-site, provision of information before 
and during the trips) should be considered. 

- 

Integrating  rural  mobility  aspects  into  SUMP  planning  requires  considering 
demographic  realities:  420  out  of  828  European  cities  have  population  of  50-
100,000; there are 8,000 towns with population of 5-50,000. Together, urban areas 
in the population range 5-100,000 account for almost 30% of Europe’s population. 
For these smaller cities and towns, rural hinterlands play a key role. Thus, SUMPs 
must consider the rural population and its mobility needs. SMARTA-NET advocates 
Member States to incorporate the SMARTA-NET recommendations into their National 
SUMP  Support  Programmes  to  ensure  that  rural  areas,  particularly  those  lying 
beyond the remit of the city or beyond the Functional Urban Areas, are appropriately 
considered  in  the  planning  activities.  Examples  from  Slovenia  and  France,  where 
extended  catchment  areas  and  cooperative  models  are  used,  could  be  further 
explored. SMARTA-NET also recommends to urban transport practitioners and local 
authorities  to  organise  targeted  training  on  integrating  rural  mobility  into  their 
planning. 

-  The SMARTA-NET training program has significantly contributed to building capacity 
and encouraging collaboration among stakeholders in rural mobility across Europe. 
Participants gained valuable insights into shared mobility, sustainable tourism, urban 
mobility planning for rural areas, and funding opportunities, with case studies and 
interactive  workshops  proving  particularly  appreciated.  The  programme’s 
adaptability  allowed  it  to  remain  relevant  and  effective  across  diverse  regional 
contexts. Training delivered in local languages and tailored to specific regional needs 
enhanced  participant  engagement  and  understanding.  The  training  facilitated 
contacts among participants, fostering peer learning, collaboration, and a sense of 
community, inspiring them to replicate solutions in their own regions. 

-  The SMARTA-NET analysis indicates an imbalance between EU funding and national 
or regional funding sources, reflecting the challenges faced at the local level. Public 
transport is often regulated by higher-level agencies, which typically control service 
offerings  and  funding  allocations.  While  rural  municipalities  can  request  services, 
they have limited opportunities for direct access to these funding streams. Although 
national  and  regional  governments  have  resources  that  could  support  locally-
organised rural mobility, these funds are not often directed in ways that enable rural 
municipalities to take independent action. 

-  SMARTA-NET conducted a thorough exploration of funding opportunities and found 
that  rural  municipalities  have  access  to  only  a  limited  range  of  funding  sources, 
which  are  often  not  specifically  dedicated  to  mobility.  The  SMARTA-NET  guidance 
document has been designed to empower municipalities with the knowledge needed 
to develop and implement sustainable, inclusive, and integrated mobility solutions 
in rural areas. Focusing on the  critical issue of funding and financing—particularly 
for  rural  mobility  and  mobility  supporting  rural  tourism—it  tackles  a  significant 
barrier: the lack of resources and specific expertise in securing funding.  

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-  The survey confirmed that in all the Lighthouse Sites, the car is by far the dominant 
mode  of  transport,  with  modal  shares  between  50%-70%,  with  the  highest 
percentages on commute-related travel. Many respondents are open to shifting to 
more  sustainable  options  but  lack  viable  alternatives.  This  study  serves  as  a 
benchmark  for  rural  mobility  and  could  inform  future  longitudinal  research  to 
monitor  and  analyse  travel  patterns  over  extended  periods.  This  approach  would 
provide invaluable insights into the dynamics of rural mobility, capturing how these 
patterns  evolve  in  response  to  various  factors  such  as  economic  shifts,  policy 
changes, and technological advancements. 

Recommendations for policy from the European Rural Mobility Network 

Over the seven ERMN events during 2023-24, ERMN participants made many practical 
suggestions to develop and strengthen policy for rural mobility. These are summarised 
in chapter 5.3 and documented in the detailed ERMN event reports6. The SMARTA-NET 
team synthesised these contributions from the ERMN participants into the report on the 
European Rural Mobility Network (ERMN). Five strands of recommendations for policy 
have been identified. These offer a “grassroots” contribution to discussions on how to 
advance the “Connected” pillar of the European Long-Term Vision for Rural Areas: 

-  Assign the same importance to rural mobility as to urban mobility 

-  Rationalise  Vehicle-Kilometres  Travelled  (VKT),  to  achieve  European,  national 

and regional goals for Accessibility and Decarbonisation 

-  Persuade Member States to have policy and targets for rural mobility, at all levels 

-  Assign  sufficient  resources  to  deliver  enhanced  rural  mobility,  at  the  scale 

required to meet the targets 

-  Mobilise and empower the local level to deliver solutions. 

The future of the European Rural Mobility Network  

At  the  SMARTA-NET  project  final  conference  in  October  2024,  participants  in  the 
European  Rural  Mobility  Network  (ERMN)  have  voiced  a  shared  commitment  to 
sustaining its momentum. Stakeholders underscored the network’s vital role as a trusted 
pan-European forum for advancing rural mobility. This unique ERMN concept can foster 
collaboration,  share  knowledge,  explore  funding  opportunities,  and  advocate  for 
transformative policy change.  

The project coordinator has committed to supporting ERMN on a goodwill basis for an 
additional  9-12  months,  enabling  stakeholders  to  explore  possible  governance 
structures  and  funding  options.  During  this  transitional  period,  the  ERMN  will  aim  to 
maintain momentum through online meetings, newsletters, and working groups focused 
on specific rural mobility topics. The project coordinator outlined an initial action plan 
that included organising at least two thematic webinars, publishing periodic newsletters, 
and maintaining the SMARTA-NET website as a knowledge repository. Potential future 
activities also include forming working groups, where members could address specific 
themes—such  as  mobility  hubs,  rural  tourism  connectivity,  and  policy  development—
and  engage  in  detailed  discussions  to  foster  solutions.  These  initiatives  would  enable 
ERMN to continue supporting local and regional mobility projects and to consolidate its 
role as an advocate for rural mobility in Europe. The ERMN could become the leading 
“voice”  for  rural  mobility,  leveraging  its  collective  expertise  to  champion  the  mobility 
needs  of  rural  regions.  By  fostering  trust,  encouraging  collaboration,  and  building  a 

6 Detailed reports were prepared for each of the ERMN events, including summaries of key points of all the 
World Café sessions, workshops, parallel sessions, panel discussions, etc. These are available on the SMARTA-
NET website at https://www.smarta-net.eu/networking-events/ 

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EUROPEAN COMMISSION 

sustainable  framework,  the  ERMN  can  assist  policy-makers  and  decision-takers  at 
European,  Member  State  and  regional  levels  to  strengthen  the  frameworks  and 
programs for rural mobility.  

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1.  INTRODUCTION 

This  final  report  was  prepared  within  the  framework  of  the  European  Commission 
request MOVE/2022/OP/0008 — Sustainable rural mobility for resilience in support of 
ecotourism.  

The  European  Commission  Communication  on  a  Long-term  vision  for  the  EU’s  rural 
areas7  outlines  strategies  to  unlock  rural  potential  and  foster  stronger,  connected, 
resilient, and prosperous communities by 2040. The accompanying EU Rural Action Plan 
includes specific actions aimed at addressing the issues of rural mobility. The flagship 
action on rural mobility has the goal of supporting rural municipalities in identifying best 
practices building on the Commission’s experience with urban mobility networks. This 
project is trying to achieve this goal. 

Moreover, improved rural mobility will support the goals EU tourism transition pathway 
towards a more resilient, innovative and sustainable tourism ecosystem. 

The  aim  of  the  project  was  therefore  to  promote  sustainable  and  resilient  mobility 
connections  between  rural  areas,  and  between  remote  rural  areas  (including  isolated 
regions) and urban areas, taking into account the need to support ecotourism. 

1.1.  The Rural Mobility Challenge in general 

Rural  mobility  is  about  whether  those  places  can  thrive  and  continue  to  retain  their 
population, including their families and especially their youth and future generations. 

The current reality is that many forms of employment, education, shopping, services, 
healthcare, public administration and amenities have been disengaged from rural areas, 
now even from smaller towns and county hubs. This is not going to change any time 
soon. People in rural areas, now even in rural towns, have become increasingly obliged 
to travel more often and longer distances for the most basic requirements of a normal 
life. This is not going to change any time soon either. 

When  the  essentials  of  life  have  been  removed  from  the  locality,  it  follows  that  an 
acceptable quality of life is  only possible when people can travel to the places  where 
what  they  need  is  now  available.  However,  public  transport  and  shared  mobility  ser-
vices are minimal  or non-existent in most  rural areas throughout Europe.  Almost all 
travel  is  made  by  personal  car,  other  than  what  can  be  accessed  nearby  on  foot. 
Households own multiple cars, from sheer necessity. Those without cars are dependent 
on others for lifts, or they must forego travel, and their lives become limited8. 

When it comes to the decarbonisation of the transport sector and the targets set in the 
European Green Deal, we need to recognise the significance of rural mobility in Europe’s 
GHG/climate change response.  

7 European Commission, Long-term vision for rural areas: for stronger, connected, resilient, prosperous EU 
rural areas, 2021, https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/IP_21_3162  

8 Bisaschi, Romano et al, 2021, Research for TRAN Committee – Transport infrastructure in low-density and 
depopulating areas, European Parliament, Policy Department for Structural and Cohesion Policies, Brussels, 
https://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/STUD/2021/652227/IPOL_STU(2021)652227_EN.pdf; 

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1.2.  Recent EU advancements on rural Mobility: towards increased 

connectivity 

Recent years have seen significant advancements in the recognition of rural mobility as 
a  critical  priority  within  European  Union  policies.  This  shift  signals  a  growing 
acknowledgment  of  the  need  to  address  rural  connectivity  challenges  and  promote 
equitable mobility solutions.  

Beside the above-mentioned strategies, the following policies are relevant: 

The  Sustainable  and  Smart  Mobility  Strategy9  (2020)  highlights  the  necessity  of 
accessible and fair mobility for all, with improved connectivity in rural areas as a key 
priority.  

The  New  Urban  Mobility  Framework10  (2021)  emphasises  sustainable  connections 
between rural, peri-urban, and urban areas as essential for achieving broader mobility 
transitions. 

Further  recent  milestones  underline  this  momentum.  The  Barcelona  Declaration 11 
(2023),  endorsed  by  EU  transport  ministers,  calls  for  investments  in  rural  road 
infrastructure  and  public  transport,  leveraging  the  Social  Climate  Fund  and  Fit  for  55 
policies12. Similarly, the Logroño Declaration13 (2023) advocates allocating EU funds to 
rural mobility projects. 

Enhanced governance mechanisms are also emerging. The revised TEN-T Regulation14 
expands  urban  nodes  and  mandates  stronger  planning  for  functional  urban  areas, 
including  rural  connections.  It  also  includes  the  requirement  for  National  Support 
Programmes for SUMPs and the related recommendation15 provides legal, financial, and 
organizational  measures  to  align  urban  and  rural  mobility  planning,  improving 
institutional capacity and coordination. 

These  advancements  signify  a  decisive  shift  in  EU  policies  toward  embracing  rural 
mobility as a cornerstone of sustainable, inclusive, and connected transport  systems, 
paving the way for more balanced regional development. 

9 European Commission, Sustainable and Smart Mobility Strategy – putting European transport on track for 
the future, 2020, https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX%3A52020DC0789   

European 

10 
Mobility 
https://transport.ec.europa.eu/document/download/b8b9ff0d-cc00-47dc-bb28-
1a9da8c3da0e_en?filename=com_2021_811_the-new-eu-urban-mobility.pdf  

Commission, 

Urban 

New 

The 

Framework, 

2021, 

11Barcelona Declaration on the occasion of the Informal Meeting of EU Ministers of Transport, 21-22 September 
2023, 
https://www.transportes.gob.es/recursos_mfom/sala_prensa/recursos/230922_barcelona_declaration_peue
23_version_oficial.pdf  

12  Council  of  the  European  Union,  Fit  for 55:  a fund  to support  the  most  affected citizens  and  businesses, 
2023, https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/infographics/fit-for-55-social-climate-fund/  

13 https://ruralpact.rural-vision.europa.eu/news/logrono-declaration-thriving-and-vibrant-rural-areas_en   

14 Official Journal of the European Union, Regulation (EU) 2024/1679 of the European Parliament and of the 
Council of 13 June 2024, https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=OJ:L_202401679  

15  European  Commission,  Commission  recommendations  on  national  support  programmes  for  sustainable 
urban 
https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-
planning, 
content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=CELEX:32023H0550  

mobility 

2023, 

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1.3.  Learnings from the previous SMARTA projects  

The  SMART  Rural  Transport  Areas  Project  (SMARTA),  2018-2020,  examined  the 
frameworks  within  which  rural  mobility  is  located  for  each  of  the  27  European  Union 
(EU) Member States. This identified that virtually all European countries lack any explicit 
policy on rural mobility, lack targets or explicit obligations on levels of mobility provision 
(see Figure 1). It also showed that such policy and implementation/funding mechanisms 
for mobility that do exist are generally fragmented (general public transport, education, 
health, …) without effective coordination of planning or resources. Further, regulatory 
frameworks  either  do  not  make  provision  for  Demand  Responsive  Transport  services 
(DRTs) or for many emerging forms of shared mobility, or severely constrain what may 
be provided. 

Figure  1  Presence  of  specific  rural  mobility/transport  policy  with  objectives 
and targets.  
Source: ITF based on findings from SMARTA Project (Lorenzini, Ambrosino, and Finn, 2021) 

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The SMARTA Project identified16 that at the transport provision level, most rural areas 
in Europe have limited public transport at best. Many areas have no public transport at 
all,  except  where  they  are  fortunate  to  have  inter-urban  services  passing  through. 
However,  these  often  have  limited  stopping  places  and  may  not  serve  many 
communities along their route. Where local public transport is available in rural areas, 
frequency is usually low. When only available at commuting times, it is impractical for 
daytime  purposes  such  as  attending  social  services,  healthcare,  shopping,  training, 
leisure and cultural activities, socialising, etc. More recently, the impacts of the COVID-
19  pandemic  on  the  overall  transportation  system  have  further  exacerbated  the 
situation by reducing the sense of safety and comfort in sharing trips with others. 

The “SMARTA 2” was a logical continuation of SMARTA as it looked at the implementation 
of  demonstrators,  including  on  multimodal  and  travel  information  services  with 
demonstrators  being  developed  in  four  rural  areas  of  Europe:  (in  Austria,  Greece, 
Portugal  and  Romania).  Its  focus  was  on  sustainable  shared  mobility  interconnected 
with  public  transport,  including  multimodal  travel  information  services,  behavioural 
incentives and nudges.  The pilot projects included: the  extension  of an e-car  sharing 
network, a car sharing scheme supported by a carpooling app, an extension of the e-
bike sharing system, and a carpooling scheme linked to public transport. It has to be 
mentioned that the pilots were deployed during the COVID-19 pandemics modifying to 
some extent their expected roll-out and results. 

1.4.  SMARTA-NET and its ambition 

SMARTA-NET focusses on rural mobility, with additional emphasis on ecotourism. The 
project methodology followed a task-wise approach structured around 8 main tasks:  

-  Task 1: Analysis of sustainable mobility solutions from previous SMARTA projects 
-  Task 2: Guidance on connecting tourist destinations to resilient mobility networks 
-  Task 3: Guidance on rural dimension in SUMP 
-  Task 4: Training sessions with relevant materials 
-  Task 5: Launching a network of municipalities 
-  Task 6: Guidance on financing options for rural communities 
-  Task 7: Evaluation of the resilience of rural areas 
-  Task 8: Communication activities 

As per Task 5 goal, and as per the European Long-Term Vision for Rural Areas (LTVRA), 
SMARTA-NET  established  the  European  Rural  Mobility  Network  (ERMN)  (detailed  in 
Chapter 3). This is the first pan-European network on rural mobility, aimed initially at 
rural municipalities and others who can act at the local level. The ERMN consists of two 
main  groups:  i)  rural  municipalities;  ii)  rural  mobility  multipliers  (regions  and 
organisations  that  have  the  mandate  and  capacity  to  mobilise  and  support  mobility 
services in rural municipalities). The ERMN aims to enable the sharing of knowledge and 
experiences among local authorities, practitioners, and experts on rural mobility.  

The project prepared guidance documents on four key topics, designed to assist local 
implementers. The guidance, fed by in-depth research, supported by data collection and 
interviews and focus groups with relevant stakeholders, conducted within Tasks 1, 2, 3 
and 6, addressed:  

i) 

design and implementation of shared mobility services, and their integration 
with the conventional public transport (Task 1 Guidance);  

16  SMARTA  Project  key  outcomes,  including:  the  Final  Brochure  (https://ruralsharedmobility.eu/smarta-
resources-brochures/), 
(https://ruralsharedmobility.eu/wp-
content/uploads/2021/03/Smarta-Policy-Recommendations_Final-Version_web.pdf). Further information can 
be found at the SMARTA legacy website (https://ruralsharedmobility.eu/).  

the  SMARTA  Policy  Recommendations 

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ii) 

iii) 

iv) 

Connecting  touristic  destinations  to  sustainable  mobility  networks  (Task  2 
Guidance);  
integration  of  aspects  of  rural  mobility  into  the  sustainable  urban  mobility 
planning process (Task 3 Guidance); and  
funding and financing schemes for rural transport services (Task 6 Guidance).  

The knowledge assembled in the Guidance has been imparted through training events 
in 14 participating countries (see Task 4 Chapter 4.1). More specifically, SMARTA-NET 
has  developed  a  training  programme  focused  on  providing  know-how  and  tools  to 
address  mobility  and  transport  issues  and  sustain  them  over  time  and  designed  for 
capacity-building  and  empowerment  of  rural  communities  to  cope  with  the  mobility 
challenges and to build their resilience by leveraging ecotourism. The capacity-building 
was designed to be a participatory process involving the local stakeholders inspired by 
SUMP  principles  (it  was  co-designed  with  the  ERMN  municipalities;  hence  they  are 
involved since the preparation stage). The Training programme consisted of 4 training 
sessions on the guidelines in each of the member countries, in local language, for the 
ERMN members and other interested stakeholders. 

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2.  TASKS 1 AND 2: A PORTFOLIO 
OF MOBILITY SOLUTIONS  

2.1.  Developing a package of mobility solutions  

Sustainable and shared mobility and transport good practices are currently operated in 
different rural EU  contexts. This can be inspirational for other territories in Europe in 
which  accessibility  and  connectivity  are  major  issues.  A  wide  range  of  rural  mobility 
solutions, which can be packaged to meet the local needs, and connected to the regular 
public  transport,  already  exists  in  different  rural  EU  contexts.  These  solutions, 
demonstrated in multiple European projects including SMARTA, SMARTA2, LAST MILE, 
MAMBA, INCLUSION, MARA, MELINDA, Hi-Reach17, can be clustered in three main types, 
as shown in Figure 3: i) Flexible transport services, including on-demand transport; ii) 
Ride-sharing services, such as, carpooling and shared taxi  services; iii) Asset sharing 
services, including car and bike sharing. 

Figure 2 - Rural Shared Mobility solutions.  
Source: SMARTA Project 

Other  types  of  mobility  initiatives  include  school  services  of  general  access,  mobility 
hubs,  non-emergency  medical  transport,  mobility  in  support  of  rural  tourism, 
community  lift-giving,  autonomous  shuttles.  Rural  shared  mobility  solutions  offer  a 
range of distinctive features that cater specifically to the needs of rural communities. 
Long-lasting  durability,  community  engagement,  innovative  technology,  are  key 
elements that make or break these initiatives. By leveraging these features, rural shared 

LAST-MILE:  https://projects2014-2020.interregeurope.eu/lastmile/ 

17 Website links of the projects can be assessed at: SMARTA and SMARTA2: https://ruralsharedmobility.eu/  
; 
;  MAMBA:  https://interreg-
baltic.eu/project/mamba/; MARA: https://interreg-baltic.eu/project/mara/  ; MELINDA: https://www.alpine-
space.eu/project/melinda/  .  

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mobility solutions have the potential to enhance accessibility, connectivity, and overall 
quality of life for residents in rural areas. These become much more effective when they 
are coordinated or integrated with the fixed-route bus and rail services. They can extend 
the  coverage  of  the  conventional  public  transport  network,  reaching  additional  areas 
and  offering  higher  levels  of  service  than  would  be  feasible  or  affordable  with  larger 
vehicles. 

Implementing  stakeholders  should  focus  on  finding  a  blend  of  formal  organised  and 
informal forms of mobility, best suited to the needs of the area, the available resources 
and what the community itself is willing to do. The package of mobility solutions to be 
implemented can include a mix of different services. In any rural context, some level of 
conventional  public  transport  should  be  guaranteed.  This  will  provide  the  structured 
public transport framework and represents the “backbone” of the mobility offer, being 
a structuring network that connects towns, cities and regions. In turn, shared mobility 
services can provide the “first mile/ last mile” connections (which in rural areas may be 
much longer) to the public transport hubs and stops.  

The  package  of  mobility  solutions  to  be  implemented  should  depend  on  the  main 
identified needs of the area. The package of measures might include: 

•  Some level of conventional public transport, either in the target area or nearby, 

that provides the structuring PT framework; 

•  Some flexible mobility services, either general or dedicated group DRT, shared 

taxi, etc.; 

•  Organised lift-giving within the community; 

•  Organised and informal ride-sharing, that could include carpooling, hitchhiking, 

ride-sharing, etc.; 

•  Asset sharing (car, bicycle); and  

•  Other measures suited to the locality. 

Using  this  ‘package  of  measures’  approach,  the  implementing  stakeholders  need  to 
explore options that are best suited to the needs of their areas. This would be a blend 
of formally-organised and informal forms of mobility, based on the available resources 
and what the community itself is willing to do. The SMARTA-NET guidance was designed 
to assist rural municipalities and other local stakeholders in this process.  

2.2.  The SMARTA-NET Catalogue and Guidance 

SMARTA-NET assessed target mobility solutions and services and the factors enabling 
the  transferability  of  the  implemented  solutions  (and  approaches)  in  different  EU 
countries. Since the beginning, the SMARTA-NET consortium has proposed to  expand 
the  scope  of  this  task  to  also  include  target  Good  Practices  identified  by  SMARTA, 
demonstrators’ sites from the MAMBA and LAST-MILE projects, and others.  

Information has been collected following three steps: i) desk research and analysis of 
materials (case studies, evaluation reports, etc.); ii) offline survey to develop a further 
investigation  and  assessment  of  each  mobility  solution;  iii)  interviews  with  local 
implementers to discuss aspects related to long-term sustainability of the implemented 
mobility  solutions  (success  factors,  expansion,  durability,  long-term  viability,  etc.), 
ridership and key metrics, and costs of the solution/service and adopted business model. 

An assessment of gaps in type of mobility solution, target users, area type was made. 
Additional mobility solutions have been identified, which have been assessed following 
the same approach of the previous practices to cover the gaps. In total, 32 practices 
have been assessed. 

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A specific Catalogue has been produced, as a structured reference set of case studies, 
which have been clustered into four main types: i) Flexible Transport Services, ii) Ride-
sharing services, iii) Asset sharing services, and iv) Other types of mobility initiatives 
including  school  services  of  general  access,  mobility  hubs,  non-emergency  medical 
transport, mobility in support of rural tourism, community lift-giving and autonomous 
shuttles.  

Each  case  has  also  been  provided  with  a  general  indication  on  the  main  distinctive 
features:  

•  Organisational strengths: community-based, user-centred planning, responsive 

to vulnerable users;  

•  Service  strengths:  good  territorial  coverage,  integration  with  public  transport, 

innovative technology;  

•  Good  outcomes:  sustained  ridership  growth,  long-term  durability,  established 

brand 

Figure 3 The SMARTA-NET rural mobility good practices 
Source: SMARTA-NET  

To  foster  the  capacity  of  rural  municipalities  to  develop  and  implement  sustainable, 
inclusive,  and  integrated  mobility  solutions,  SMARTA-NET  produced  a  guidance  on 
rural  shared  mobility  solutions,  grounded  in  the  assessment  of  the  32  mobility 
services  investigated.  Key  aspects  included  in  the  guidance  are:  i)  guidelines  for  the 
development  of  a  package  of  mobility  solutions,  with  inspiring  examples  and  case 

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studies  from  practice;  ii)  key  implementation  aspects  concerning  demand  responsive 
transport services, ride-sharing services, and asset sharing services, with cases in the 
spotlight; iii) key issues concerning the integration of different transport and mobility 
solutions, at the physical, digital, and promotion layers. 

Outcomes of this task have also been used to generate the contents (presentations and 
other relevant material for the workshops) of the first training module (both train-the-
trainer and local training sessions). 

2.3.  Rural mobility solutions supporting ecotourism 

As  part  of  its  mission,  SMARTA-NET  prepared  guidance  on  connecting  rural  tourist 
destinations to resilient mobility networks and to adapt mobility offers to tourists needs. 
In  order  to  achieve  this  goal,  SMARTA-NET  developed  a  classification  of  rural  tourist 
regions, a self-check for stakeholders in rural tourism regions and a guidance for more 
sustainable mobility in rural tourism regions. 

First,  a  classification/typology  of  rural  tourist  regions  was  developed.  The  typology 
provides  background  information  for  guidance  on  sustainable  tourist  mobility  in  rural 
areas. Key factors influencing mobility include topography, landscape, tourism intensity, 
and  car-free  access  to  accommodations  and  attractions.  Sustainable  mobility  means 
providing  attractive  transport  options  that  minimise  environmental  impacts  like  CO2 
emissions and noise, and leaves no-one behind.  

Bearing in mind that the typology will give a first impression, but not a full picture about 
the  situation,  SMARTA-NET  developed  an  online  and  an  offline  version  of  a  self-
check18 which can be used by stakeholders in rural tourism regions. It helps rural places 
to gain knowledge and a realistic overview of the characteristics and the tourist mobility 
in  their  own  region.  This  could  also  be  a  good  starting  point  for  further  collaboration 
between tourism and transport actors.  

Analysing the situation in their own area will help to move forward on the way to a more 
sustainable  tourism  mobility.  The  summarised  answers  deliver  an  interesting  and 
challenging  overview  about  the  situation  and  future  tasks.  Completing  the  self-
assessment, the stakeholders will also see fields of action to define measures that lead 
to  more  sustainable  tourist  mobility.  Common  mobility  patterns  have  also  been 
described, which include transport for arrival/departure and last-mile travel. It becomes 
obvious that the mode of arrival often influences local transport choices. In addition to 
cars and bikes, walking also has to be considered an important means of transport at 
the destination. 

18 The self-check tool is available at: https://www.smarta-net.eu/tools/  

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EUROPEAN COMMISSION 

Figure 4 Self-check tool: rural tourism regions and mobility offers. 
Source: SMARTA-NET  

A  guidance  for  more  sustainable  mobility  in  rural  tourism  regions  was  then 
developed  to  improve  transport  options  and  promote  eco-friendly  practices  in  rural 
regions. It analyses tourist travel patterns, encourages stakeholder collaboration, and 
outlines  strategies  for  enhancing  walking,  cycling,  public  transport,  and  intermodal 
options. The guide addresses guest management, resident and staff mobility needs, and 
effective  delivery  of  travel  information.  It  highlights  the  importance  of  actively  and 
comprehensively  informing  visitors  about  mobility  options  available  to  and  within  the 
destination.  The  guide  encourages  providing  information  before  the  trip  to  motivate 
visitors to arrive by train, bus, or even by bike. Additionally, it stresses the importance 
of offering information during the trip, ensuring that guests feel well-informed and can 
navigate the destination easily. Furthermore, the guide advocates for evaluating results, 
adopting innovative models, and sharing best practices. These efforts align with the EU 
vision  for  rural  areas  by  2040  and  its  2020  smart  and  sustainable  mobility  strategy, 
supporting connectivity, accessibility, and sustainable tourism.  

Figure 5 Steps required to achieve a more sustainable mobility in rural touristic 
regions 
Source: SMARTA-NET 

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2.4.  Key findings and recommendations from the tasks  

The main findings and recommendations from Task 1 are summarised in Table 1 
below.  

Table 1 Summary of key findings and recommendations from Task 1 

What 

Description 

Key 
and products  

outcomes 

-  32 Rural Mobility Solutions assessed 
-  Catalogue of Rural Shared Mobility solutions  
-  Guidance on Rural Shared Mobility Solutions  

Key  findings  and 
recommendations 

- 

- 

Implementation  of  new  generations  of  rural  mobility 
schemes throughout Europe can be done rapidly if the 
enabling  conditions  are  there.  It  requires  very  little 
infrastructure  or  capital 
financing.  Furthermore, 
communities  generally  have  a  good  capacity  to 
mobilise and implement locally. 
In  order  to  achieve  significant  improvements  in  the 
quantum, availability and quality of rural mobility, it is 
crucial to harness the will, the capacities and the local 
knowledge  of  local  stakeholders.  As  there  are  tens  of 
thousands  of  communities  throughout  Europe,  with 
great diversity, the only practical way is to put the local 
stakeholders at the centre of the process, and to give 
them  substantial  autonomy  and  flexibility  to  achieve 
both global and local goals in the way they see fit. This 
means  bottom-up  design  and  mobilisation,  within 
guiding  and  enabling  frameworks.  This  also  has 
significant implications at the local level. While national 
and  regional  governments  can  provide  funds,  high-
level  guidance  and  increased  authority  to  act,  there 
remains the issue of capacity. 

The main findings and recommendations from Task 2 are summarised in Table 2 
below.  

Table 2 Summary of key findings and recommendations from Task 2 

What 

Description 

Key 
and products  

outcomes 

-  Classification/typology  of 
including self-check tool  

rural 

tourist 

regions, 

-  Guidance on connecting tourist destinations to resilient 

mobility networks 

Key  findings  and 
recommendations 

-  Stakeholders  from  the  tourism  sector  that  should  be 
involved  in  the  planning  of  sustainable  rural  mobility 
are  tourism  professionals,  municipalities,  regional 
authorities,  climate  protection  managers,  business 
development  agencies, 
trade  associations  and 
environmental/energy  managers.  They  should  get  to 
know  each  other  and  meet  regularly,  understanding 
each other’s jargon, share data and exchange views.  
In all issues related to rural mobility, tourism should be 
considered,  and  all  tourism  concepts  should  address 
sustainable  mobility  options  (arrival  and  mobility  on-
site,  provision  of  information  before  and  during  the 
trips). 

- 

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EUROPEAN COMMISSION 

3.  TASK 3: PLANNING FOR 

SUSTAINABLE AND SHARED 
RURAL MOBILITY  

3.1. Integrating the rural dimension into existing planning practices 

Sustainable Urban Mobility Plans (SUMPs) are recognised as a consolidated EU strategic 
planning instrument, designed to meet the mobility needs of people and businesses in 
cities  and  their  surrounding  areas,  aiming  for  sustainable  and  inclusive  transport 
systems.  Traditionally,  SUMPs  have  been  urban-centric,  concentrating  efforts  and 
measures on the urban fabric as they are mostly conceived, shaped and implemented 
by municipalities and regions, especially larger cities with more resources and expertise 
to employ in planning activities. 

However,  citizens  commute  across  localities  and  administrative  boundaries  for  their 
everyday lives and the same applies to tourists and cargo as well. Therefore, rural areas 
– when part of the Functional Urban Area (FUA) - should be considered as an extension 
of  the  (sub)  urban  transport  network.  More  generally,  planning  approaches  should 
recognise  connectivity  gaps  between  these  areas  and  seek  opportunities  to  enhance 
their  attractiveness  for  residents  and  tourists  alike.  With  this  concern  in  mind, 
incorporating rural mobility aspects throughout the SUMP planning lifecycle is essential. 

Leveraging  hands-on  work  with  ERMN  members,  external  expert  input,  and  desk 
research,  SMARTA-NET  developed  a  Guidance  document  to  provide  a  comprehensive 
framework for integrating rural mobility aspects into Sustainable Urban Mobility Plans 
(SUMPs).  

The Guidance19 provides a stepwise framework for incorporating rural dimensions into 
the  SUMP  lifecycle  –  composed  of  a  12-step  and  4-phase  approach,  including 
preparation, strategy development, measure planning, and implementation – enriched 
by  use-case  examples  from  across  Europe.  These  include  approaches  for  integrating 
rural voices into stakeholder engagement, practical methods for data collection in rural 
contexts,  and  examples  of  measures  tailored  to  address  rural  mobility  challenges.  A 
synthesis of practical tools includes a checklist for transport practitioners. Such hands-
on resource to guide professionals can be found below, in a shortened version.  

19 SMARTA-NET Guidance document “Guidance on integrating rural mobility aspects in SUMP design – rural 
proofing SUMPs” (2024) 

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Figure 6 The 12 Steps of Sustainable Urban Mobility Planning 
Source: Guidelines for developing and implementing a SUMP | Second Edition20 

Phase 1: Preparation and Analysis 

Table  3  Recommendations  for  incorporating  rural  mobility  aspects  in  SUMP 
design and implementation – Phase 1 

Recommendations for guidance producers and transport practitioners 
•  Inclusive working structures: Establish core working groups that include rural 
mobility experts, such as those with expertise in fields of relevance for rural areas 
(e.g.  land  planning,  health  management,  legal  requirements  for  introducing 
flexible transport concepts). In parallel, develop a comprehensive mapping of the 
stakeholders that are knowledgeable about rural mobility dynamics, both within 
and  beyond  the  FUA  remit,  and  who  can  provide  contextual  knowledge  about 
accessibility  for those living, working  or  visiting rural areas. This  should include 
non-traditional  entities  at  the  local  and  supra-regional  scales.  Include  these 
stakeholders  in  advisory  bodies  and  ensure  these  structures  can  interact 
effectively with the SUMP steering team throughout the planning process. 

•  Adapt 

length  and  resource  planning:  Stemming 

from  the  previous 
recommendation, plan consultation activities taking into consideration the need to 
cater  for  a  wider  and  more  heterogeneous  group  of  target  stakeholders  and 
citizens. 

•  Account  for  significant  tourism  and  non-commuting  travel  patterns: 
assess the mobility needs of non-commuting groups, including elderly residents, 
tourists,  etc.,  using  appropriate  evidence-collection  methods  (e.g.  quantitative, 
qualitative,  proxies,  hybrid  solutions)  and  establish  dialogue  with  key  trip-
generating  sectors.  On  the  supply  side,  determine  the  frequency  of  services 
provided  by  non-traditional  passenger  transport  actors,  such  as  schools,  postal 

https://urban-mobility-observatory.transport.ec.europa.eu/document/download/87adaa0c-cd13-4ce0-

20 
9a15-d138ea31bb2c_en?filename=sump_guidelines_2019_second%20edition.pdf  

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services and tourism, which can be relevant for pooling resources in later stages 
of the SUMP lifecycle 

Phase 2: Strategy Development 

Table  4  Recommendations  for  incorporating  rural  mobility  aspects  in  SUMP 
design and implementation – Phase 2 

Recommendations for guidance producers and transport practitioners 
•  Scenario  planning  and  foresight  analysis:  Conduct  foresight  analyses  to 
anticipate future developments and challenges with an impact in rural areas. Make 
use  of  knowledge  generated  from  the  EU  Megatrends  Hub  and  Triple  Access 
Planning  (TAP)  approaches  to  ensure  that  long-term  visions  for  rural  areas  are 
integrated into the SUMP strategy. 

•  Develop  rural-sensitive  objectives:  Consider  adopting  rural  equivalent 
approaches to widely recognised urban concepts such as the 15-minute city (for 
region´). 
instance,  drawing 
Complementary  to  this,  set  reducing  transport  poverty  as  a  key  high-level 
objective  for  the  SUMP,  or  consider  incorporating  a  placeholder  for  addressing 
principles of ´Mobility as a Right´ as part of the high-level objectives of the SUMP, 
particularly for vulnerable segments such as rural dwellers. 

the  FrankfurtRheinMain  ´5-minute 

from 

•  Data  Availability:  In  cases  where  quantitative  data  on  rural  mobility 
performance is scarce, use this as an opportunity to adopt a vision-led approach 
for  rural  areas.  Include  qualitative  and  subjective  dimensions  (e.g.,  passenger 
experience  or  perceptions  of  liveability)  as  crucial  indicators  for  developing  a 
people-centric and rural-proofed SUMP. 

Phase 3: Measure Planning  

Table  5  Recommendations  for  incorporating  rural  mobility  aspects  in  SUMP 
design and implementation – Phase 3 

Recommendations for guidance producers and transport practitioners 
•  Rural  proof  measures  to  be  implemented  in  rural  areas:  Ensure  that  the 
SUMP  contains  measures  that  i)  prevent  unnecessary  travel;  ii)  improve 
connectivity between rural areas and between these and urban centres; and iii) 
design transport services in rural areas that are digitally and physically integrated 
with urban services from the cities they are functionally dependent on. 

•  Rural  proof measures to  be  implemented  in  urban  areas:  When  selecting 
the  package  of  measures,  evaluate  them  from  a  rural  perspective.  This  is 
particularly  important  for  measures  implemented  exclusively  within  the  urban 
fabric, as they may have unintended or indirect impacts on rural areas.  To this 
end,  it  is  suggested  to  recognise  the  network  effect  of  urban  and  peri-urban 
mobility measures, as these can have strong and lasting impacts on rural areas 
(e.g. does the measure tackle traffic issues or simply divert traffic to peripherical 
areas?). 

•  Explicit  inclusion  of  rural  impact  for  the  entire  package  of  measures: 
Ensure that the impacts  of  measures on rural  areas, whether direct  or indirect, 
positive or negative, on residents, workers or visitors, are explicitly outlined in all 
measure fiches. In addition, allocate appropriate financial resources to measures 
with a greater direct impact on rural areas, using suitable criteria. For instance, 
prioritise  territories  with  higher  motorisation  rates  and  pool  resources  from 
different European, national and local funding streams, including urban services 
(e.g., parking revenues) or value capture solutions to prevent free-rider effects. 

Phase 4: Implementation and Monitoring 

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Table  6  Recommendations  for  incorporating  rural  mobility  aspects  in  SUMP 
design and implementation – Phase 4 

Recommendations for guidance producers and transport practitioners 
•  Balanced Implementation and adaptation: Ensure balanced attention to both 
urban and rural measures during the implementation phase, maintaining focus on 
the  specific  needs  of  rural  areas  and  measures  that  have  a  significant  positive 
impact on these areas.  

•  Inclusive  Procurement:  Adapt  procurement  methods  to  consider  the  specific 
needs  of  rural  areas,  ensuring  that  measures  are  timely  and  feasible  in  these 
contexts,  exploring  also  joint  tenders  with  other  rural  areas  that  have  similar 
characteristics and concerns, particularly in cross-border regions. 

•  Monitoring  and  evaluation  frameworks:  Develop  rural-sensitive  monitoring 
and evaluation frameworks to track the effectiveness of implemented measures 
in rural contexts. This should include realistic targets, adapted to the specificities 
of rural areas with low demand, and both quantitative and subjective indicators. 
Emphasise  process  evaluation,  especially  for  first-generation  rural-sensitive 
SUMPs. Such approach is particularly important for reviewing lessons learned and 
introducing  specific  requirements  to  ensure  that  the  next  SUMP  is  fully  rural-
proofed. 

3.2.  Developing  new  planning  instruments  for  sustainable  rural 

mobility  

When dealing with the incorporation of rural mobility aspects within the SUMP planning 
practice, it is important to acknowledge some key demographic territorial aspects:  

•  420 out of 828 European cities have population of 50-100,000, in total 7.5% of 

the EU populations  

•  There are 8,000 towns with population of 5-50,000, accounting for 21.6% of EU 

population 

Together,  urban  areas  in  the  population  range  5-100,000  account  for  almost  30%  of 
Europe’s  population.  For  these  smaller  cities  and  towns,  their  rural  hinterland  is 
comparatively  more  relevant  than  for  large  metropolitan  areas  –  in  some  cases  the 
hinterland population will be greater than those who live in the urban area. Thus, their 
SUMP must take the  rural population and its  mobility into account. The SMARTA-NET 
Guidance aimed to address this issue and advocate the inclusion of rural mobility issues 
as part of the SUMP activities.  

However, the large majority of this cluster does not have the obligation to implement a 
SUMP, nor a clear financial framework for doing so. 

Furthermore, some smaller municipalities might be located either remotely or not in the 
hinterland of an urban area developing the SUMP. These may be the focal point for a 
fairly  significant  but  diffuse  rural  population  within  reasonable  proximity.  There  is  no 
SUMP  in  which  they  could  be  included  and  they  need  a  mobility  plan  for  their  own 
functional area. For these cases, the threshold could be lower than 20,000 inhabitants. 
This might be the cluster for which new planning instruments shall be considered. 

Exploring alternative planning approaches 

The work conducted in SMARTA-NET, particularly in Task 3 (focused on SUMPs), as well 
as  the  engagement  of  the  Lighthouse  Sites  through  workshops  and  training  sessions 
revealed  that  public  transport  (PT)  in  many  rural  areas  is  often  inadequate  or  poorly 
developed. 

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Where public transport exists, service levels are typically designed to meet the needs of 
systematic home-to-work or home-to-school commutes, leaving other important user 
groups underserved, such as elderly residents, youth, tourists, and those with out-of-
school or off-peak travel needs. Additionally, the mobility offer is often fragmented in 
terms of information, marketing, ticketing, service operations, and collaboration among 
operators,  as  highlighted  several  times  by  the  ERMN  members  at  various  ERMN 
meetings.  

Rural areas can therefore be affected by one of the two situations below:   

•  Small  municipalities  and  rural  areas  with 

limited  transport  services—
characterised  by  few  lines,  infrequent  connections,  and  restricted  schedules—
can  be  described  as  experiencing  "poor  transport."  In  these  areas,  transport 
services exist but fail to adequately serve diverse user groups, including tourists, 
or  to  offer  competitive  choices  to  people  who  would  otherwise  consider 
alternatives to using their car to at least some of their trips. 

•  For  many  communities  and  hamlets,  the  situation  is  even  more  critical. 
Conventional transport options, as well as alternative service schemes such as 
demand-responsive transport, are almost  entirely absent.  There is therefore a 
complete lack of mobility and transport services and in turn a total dependency 
on the private car. This condition is a key driver of common rural issues such as 
depopulation, 
reduced 
attractiveness for experiential and sustainable tourism. 

social  exclusion,  village  marginalisation,  and 

This  situation  might  be  leading  to  rethink  how  mobility  is  planned  in  target  areas 
(including small and remote areas). Indeed, new planning options might be developed 
with the overall aim to:  

•  Facilitate  the  identification  and  assessment  of  the  specific  mobility  needs  of 

diverse user groups, including residents and tourists. 

•  Foster  the  design  and  implementation  of  new  transport  services  (or,  the 
strengthening  of  the  existing  ones),  tailored  to  the  unique  requirements  and 
constraints of individual municipalities or associations of municipalities. 

•  Promote  the  integration  and  cooperation  among  service  operators  and  local 

communities to create more integrated mobility solutions. 

•  Foster clustering of communities so collectively they can achieve a broader range 

of services, facilities and opportunities in their combined area.  

New  planning  instruments  for  rural  areas  should  aim  to  offer  residents  and  visitors 
accessible,  sustainable,  and  efficient  alternatives  to  private  cars.  By  focusing  on 
expanding  transport  options  and  enhancing  the  availability  of  reliable  and  practical 
transport solutions, these instruments can help foster more sustainable mobility choices.    

To  diagnose  rural  accessibility  and  mobility  challenges,  it  is  essential  to  assess  three 
key transport issues: 

•  Connectivity to the main public transport networks or to private services. 

•  Ease of access between target areas and main towns / transport hubs 

•  Availability  of  transport  options  (and  related  travel  times)  for  inter-municipal 

trips – i.e. “internal connectivity” 

The  type  of  transport  services  that  exist  (or  that  could  be  promoted)  in  rural  areas 
embracing different small municipalities or union of municipalities can be summarised 
as follows:  

•  Backbone  public  transport  services,  contracted  by  the  main  authority  (at 
regional or province level or municipality union); this category includes intercity, 

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long-distance  coach  services,  and  regional  transport  services.  They  are 
integrated  within  the  formal/conventional  public  transportation  networks, 
benefitting from established planning, organisation, and financing structures.  

•  The  localised  mobility  options,  such  as  those  providing  access  to  key 
destinations within rural areas or to backbone transport hub or connecting the 
different  hamlets  with  the  neighbouring  small  municipalities  or  villages.  These 
services are left to the local initiative of the small municipalities or communities. 
Indeed, in many cases they are not classed as “public transport” and hence they 
are ineligible for the main funding streams or mobility. 

As  community  services  are  not  included  in  public  transport  contracts,  it  often  occurs 
that many rural areas or significant parts of them are left without services.  

Community  mobility  services  should  address  these  challenges  through  diverse 
solutions, including on-demand services. These services must be rooted in a thorough 
identification  of  community  needs  and  requirements.  This  process  allows  for  defining 
the most suitable service schemes and organisational approaches, tailored to available 
resources and operational constraints. 

Figure 7 Backbone and localised transport services in rural territories.  
Source : SMARTA-NET 

To ensure feasibility, the phased approach (1-4) of the SUMP methodology—adapted to 
include  rural  mobility  considerations  as  proposed  by  SMARTA-NET—provide  a  useful 
framework. However, in rural areas, small municipalities often lack the resources and 
expertise to independently develop or implement a dedicated SUMP. To overcome this 
barrier, it is necessary to simplify the SUMP methodology, particularly its initial phases 
(1  and  2),  to  align  with  the  organisational  and  economic  capabilities  of  small  rural 
municipalities. A simplified approach would enable them to initiate a diagnostic process 
for their area and assess the feasibility of potential mobility services. These steps would 
serve  as  a  foundation  for  integrating  new  services  with  conventional  transport  and 
advancing the development of a comprehensive rural mobility plan. 

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New planning frameworks for rural areas 

Leveraging  the  SUMP  methodology  and  insights  from  lighthouse  sites  and  training 
activities, a revised methodology is presented below which adapts certain key actions 
from SUMP phases to simplify the analysis and planning process for rural municipalities. 

Phase 1: Assessing key mobility issues 

Context  analysis  is  the  backbone  step  for  local  administrations.  It  establishes  the 
reference  framework  for  mobility  needs  and  transport  services.  However,  small 
municipalities often perceive this step as daunting due to challenges in data collection 
and resource constraints. From work with lighthouses and various rural areas (e.g., in 
Tuscany),  SMARTA-NET 
territorial  and  demographic 
characteristics, as well as the accessibility and availability of basic transport services, 
can  largely  be  achieved  using  existing  datasets  (e.g.,  national  statistics,  municipal 
records, transport service networks) and widely accessible tools (e.g. Google maps). A 
preliminary assessment of mobility needs and service availability can be conducted as 
a desk-based activity by municipal staff using these resources. This approach is cost-
effective  and  can  produce  actionable  results  within  weeks,  ready  for  discussion  with 
stakeholders, citizen groups, and administrators. 

that  diagnosing 

found 

Examples of these tailored KPIs are reported in Table 7.  

Table 7 Suggested tailored mobility-related KPIs for use in rural areas 

Evaluating  the  number  and  proximity  of  stations  or  stops, 
service frequency, daily route availability, and punctuality 

Description 
Measuring  travel  time  and  options  available  for  residents  to 
reach transit stops from home or work 

KPI 
Accessibility to 
Terminals and 
Stops 
Quality and 
Availability of Public 
Transport 
Service Availability*  Ensuring residents have reasonable access to essential services 
such as hospitals, schools, supermarkets, post offices, banks, 
and cultural venues 
Assessing  how  easily  services  can  be  reached  by  public 
transport or car, including travel time and mode transfer needs 
Tracking  the  availability  of  integrated  transport  modes  to 
support a diverse range of travel needs 
Monitoring the presence of dedicated transportation options for 
students 

Accessibility to 
essential Services 
Multimodal 
Transport Options 
Availability of 
School Bus Services 

* Measuring “availability” in terms of ability of the target users to access the services 
during the times the services are available, and with due regard to the duration of the 
activity. For example, outpatient health services, employment support and post 
office/banking are typically short in duration, by appointment with time set by the 
service provider. A mobility service only at commuting times is of no use to this 
significant portion of the populace. 

The resulting diagnosis forms the basis for subsequent planning actions tailored to small 
municipalities' technical capabilities and financial resources, following a simplified and 
customised SUMP methodology. 

Step 2: Planning Approach 

Building  on  the  context  analysis,  this  step  identifies  potential  community  mobility 
services that address the needs of residents and the broader transport framework. From 
SMARTA-NET’s findings, while each lighthouse or small municipality faces unique local 
needs,  they  also  share  common  challenges  such  as  dispersed  settlements,  ageing 

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populations,  lack  of  private  vehicles,  and  inadequate  local  transport  services.  These 
often result in either limited or insufficient services or complete absence of services. 

Addressing limited or insufficient services 

For  municipalities  with  limited  or  insufficient  services,  analysis  often  confirms  that 
existing services are undersized relative to demand (from both residents and tourists), 
particularly  in  terms  of  routes  and  schedules.  To  address  this,  municipalities  or 
associations of municipalities should engage with the public transport contract authority 
to  request  service  reprogramming  or  enhancements.  Actions  may  include  replanning 
existing  services,  adjusting  timetables,  or  expanding  routes  based  on  an  analysis  of 
resident  and  tourist  needs.  A  well-optimised  conventional  public  transport  system 
benefits  both  residents  and  tourists,  creating  a  stronger  mobility  backbone  for  rural 
areas. 

Addressing the complete absence of services 

In  areas  where  services  are  entirely  absent,  social  exclusion  and  inequality  are 
pronounced.  Community-based  mobility  services  should  be  designed  to  address  this 
gap.  These  services  can  connect  dispersed  hamlets,  ensure  accessibility  to  key 
destinations,  and  cater  to  both  residents  and  tourists  (e.g.  sustainable  tourism).  The 
focus here shifts to creating new transport solutions. 

Addressing general absence of services requires a different approach. The planning of 
these services should aim to ensure connectivity between hamlets and municipalities. 
In the following step, the focus is on this second approach, as the need for community 
services and the lack of transport services are prevalent in nearly all rural areas, making 
it a challenging issue to tackle. 

Step 3: Designing Suitable Community Services 

At  the  municipal  or  association  of  municipalities  level,  actions  to  define  and  plan 
community  services  should  include  the  following,  in  alignment  with  the  SUMP 
methodology and available resources. 

a)  Data Collection: Gather basic data on population distribution, distances, existing 
services,  tourist  facilities,  and  PT  networks.  This  can  largely  be  done  through 
desk-based work using municipal records and accessible tools. 

b)  Stakeholder  Engagement: 

third-sector 
organisations (e.g., NGOs, volunteer associations) involved in mobility services. 

local  stakeholders  and 

Identify 

c)  Service Design: Define potential community mobility services based on service 
schemes, organisational models, and financial sustainability (revenue generation 
and subsidies). 

d)  Partnerships:  Establish  agreements  with  local  associations  and  entities  to 

implement the services. 

e)  Pilot  Testing:  Launch  and  evaluate  pilot  community  services,  including 

accessibility features and digital tools (apps, web portals). 

f)  Transferability: Extend successful solutions to other areas within the municipality 

or union. 

Planning activities must ensure that community services are integrated into the overall 
transport system. However, the economic and operational constraints of these services 
may  require  specific  resources  in  terms  of  organisation  and  management  from  local 
communities. It is important to note that, due to their nature, these services may not 
be eligible for funding from the Local Authority. 

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Additionally, a key requirement for community services is flexibility. This encompasses 
various aspects such as service schemes, types of vehicles, accessibility for users (both 
virtual and physical), and cooperation among stakeholders in rural areas, municipalities, 
or groups of municipalities, including volunteer associations and the third sector.  

These  services  should  be  envisioned  and  defined  through  a  participatory  approach 
involving  the  community/municipality.  This  process  should  consider  planning  and 
management aspects, as well as the necessary and available financial resources. 

Step 4: Feasibility, Service Models, and Organization 

Community services should be designed to meet the diverse travel needs of residents, 
students,  tourists,  and  elderly  populations,  considering  the  frequency  and  purpose  of 
trips. Based on insights from lighthouses and small rural municipalities, potential service 
models include: 

•  Demand-Responsive Transport (DRT), such as minibuses operating within a 20-
minute  radius  of  village  centres,  managed  in  partnership  with  third-sector 
associations (e.g., health-care daily transport). Initially, services could operate 
on fixed days with offline booking to minimise costs. Dynamic DRT options, while 
desirable, may not be feasible due to low demand and resource constraints. 

•  Social Groups for Recurrent Trips: Informal carpooling networks (e.g., through 
WhatsApp  groups)  for  transporting  children  or  residents  to  nearby  hubs, 
managed and certified by the municipality. 

•  Ride-Sharing Noticeboards: Digital or physical noticeboards where residents and 

tourists can post or find shared travel options for occasional trips. 

Underlying all these models is the need for a participatory planning process to ensure 
services align with community needs, available resources, and operational flexibility. 

3.3.  Findings and recommendations from the task 

The main findings and recommendations from Task 3 are summarised in Table 8.  

Table 8 Summary of key findings and recommendations from Task 3 

What 

Description 

Key 
and products  

outcomes 

-  Guidance on integrating rural mobility aspects in 

SUMP design   – rural proofing SUMPs 

Key  findings  and 
recommendations 

-  SUMP knowledge maps infographic  
-  Takeaways around options to develop new planning 

instruments for rural mobility  

- 

-  Main policy recommendations of the Guidance include 
"rural-proofing"  the  current  version  of  the  SUMP 
guidance to address the unique mobility challenges of 
rural areas.  
It is recommended that Member States incorporate the 
SMARTA-NET  recommendations  into  their  National 
SUMP Support Programmes to ensure that rural areas, 
particularly  those  lying  beyond  the  remit  of  the  city 
developing the SUMP  or beyond the Functional Urban 
Areas,  are  appropriately  considered  in  the  planning 
activities. Examples  from Slovenia and France, where 
extended catchment areas and cooperative models are 
used, could be further explored at the EU level 

-  Urban transport practitioners and local authorities also 
need targeted training on integrating rural mobility into 
their planning 

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4.  TASK 4: BUILDING CAPACITY 

AT THE LOCAL LEVEL  

4.1.  The SMARTA-NET Training Programme and contents 

SMARTA-NET developed a training programme for rural municipalities to help them to 
cope with their mobility challenges and to plan and implement shared mobility solutions 
in their territories. The Training programme consisted of 4 training sessions in each of 
the member countries, held in their own country and language.  

Each training session followed a four-stage process:  

1.  testing-of-the-training sessions;  

2.  train-the-trainer sessions;  

3.  training session with the municipalities and 

4.  evaluation of the training session by municipalities.  

Twelve specific trainer memoranda of understanding have been elaborated and signed 
with  target  experts  and  practitioners  in  each  participating  country  (see  below).  This 
ensured that the training could be delivered in local language, and also that sufficient 
consideration could be given to the local context.  The trainers were a mix of transport 
practitioners, university and institute experts, etc. 

SMARTA-NET developed and delivered the planned four training modules in each of the 
14 participating ERMN  Member States (two in  Portugal, being Alentejo Region on the 
mainland  and  the  island  of  Madeira).  Each  module  was  based  on  one  of  the  four 
SMARTA-NET Guidance documents. The technical content for each module was prepared 
by  the  Partner  who  had  developed  the  Guidance  document  (MemEx,  NIT,  TIS  and 
MemEx  respectively).  Content  was  then  consolidated  and  structured  through  theme-
specific presentations in PowerPoint format.  

Post-event  reports  have  been  produced  by  the  trainers  for  each  training  session  (57 
Reports  in  total).  Such  reports  aimed  to  report  the  trainers’  feedback  on  the  group 
dynamics  of  the  trainees,  the  appreciation  of  the  topics,  and  to  assess  whether  the 
learning objectives of the training were met.  

For evaluation purposes, the trainees have also been asked to share their feedback on 
the session. Summary reports for each module have been produced. A specific Report 
has been drafted to assess the effectiveness of the training sessions in terms of their 
usefulness and potential for replication in diverse rural contexts.  

4.2.  Engaging rural municipalities and communities  

The  training  events  were  a  fundamental  mechanism  to  extend  the  ERMN  outreach 
beyond the initial cadre in  lighthouse sites, those who are comfortable in the English 
language and those who are able to travel to European events.  

With assistance from the lighthouse sites, the trainers identified target participants for 
the  training,  some  of  whom  subsequently  participated  in  the  ERMN  conferences  and 
online events. 

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The  training  was  designed  around  “typical”  stakeholders  at  or  supporting  rural 
municipalities.  The  modules  were  implemented  in-country  and  in  own-language.  This 
immediately removed some of the biggest barriers for local stakeholders to participate. 
The invited participants were from relatively-near areas, to avoid heavy burden in travel 
time and cost.  

In  this  way,  the  training  events  worked  at  two  levels.  At  one  level,  it  engaged  rural 
municipalities  and  other  stakeholders  –  often  the  professional  or  leadership  cadres  - 
who would then participate in the ERMN in-person and online events. At another level, 
it engaged the on-the-ground cadres who would otherwise not be able to participate, 
for various reasons. 

The training modules were delivered as one-day events in locations convenient for the 
participants. The SMARTA-NET project provided a budget for catering and materials for 
each local event, while participants covered their own travel and accommodation costs 
(as/if  required).  The  arrangement  worked  well,  with  good  participation  in  most 
countries.  

The  structure  was  designed  to  enable  ongoing  training  in  the  participating  countries, 
should they wish to do so. There is now a cadre of trainers in each country, with tested 
training materials and an initial batch of trained people. It is now just an organisational 
and resource matter to extend the training to more people and to other parts of their 
respective  countries.  The  materials  are  also  available  to  countries  that  did  not 
participate in the ERMN to date. 

Information about the four training modules is shown in Table 9. 

Table 9 Summary information of the SMARTA-NET Training activities 

Training theme  

1  Rural shared mobility solutions 
2  Mobility and tourism cross-sectoral synergies 
3  Sustainable Mobility Plans: guidance for rural areas 
4  Funding and financing opportunities, and frameworks 

for sustainable mobility services, solutions and 
initiatives 

Timing*  Participants  
Q4/2023 
Q1/2024 
Q2/2024 
Q4/2024 

241 
277 
189 
199 

* In some countries, training has been delivered in subsequent months (see below).  

Each module was prepared in English as a PowerPoint presentation21. It included a wide 
range  of  cases  and  good  practice,  from  which  the  trainer  could  choose  those  most 
relevant to the specific country. Exercises were devised, in the form of group workshops, 
to enable the participants to test some of the principles in that training. The trainer had 
flexibility in how the sessions were organised,  for example inviting guest  speakers to 
share contextual information or good practice from that country/region. The trainer was 
responsible  to  translate  the  material  into  local  language,  which  usually  began  with 
machine-translation  and  was  then  fine-tuned  by  the  trainer  to  ensure  correct 
terminology and local idiom. 

Everything has been designed to facilitate continuation of the training for further groups 
of rural municipalities and other municipalities, where there is interest to do so. 

21  The  English  language  versions  of  the  training  modules  are  available  at:  https://www.smarta-
net.eu/training-sessions/  

35 

 
 
 
 
SMARTA-NET Project  

1st Training session 

Final Report 
January 2025 

Over  the  period  November  and  December  2023,  SMARTA-NET  implemented  the  first 
round  of  training  sessions  in  target  countries  (in  a  few  countries,  the  training  was 
implemented in the subsequent months, see Table 10). Following the methodology set 
by the Task 4 Coordinator, the training focussed on shared mobility solutions for rural 
areas,  based  on  the  guidance  documents  produced  by  the  Task  1  Coordinator.  The 
training was designed as a blend of lecture-mode and co-creation workshops, with the 
following structure: 

•  An introductory part, to present the SMARTA-NET project and give some insights 
and  figures  to  the  audience  about  the  rural  context  in  Europe  and  within  the 
target country / region. 

•  The range of existing mobility solutions and services that may be adopted in rural 

areas. 

•  The phased approach to implement the referred solutions. 

•  A catalogue of good practices, based on the research made in Task 1. 

•  Co-creation  workshops  with  the  purpose  of  implementing  different  mobility 

solutions in a fictional territory. 

The training has a planned duration of 5 to 6 hours, but trainers were given the flexibility 
to modify the training contents according to their needs and specificities of their target 
audience. As an example, SMARTA-NET provided the trainers with 20 different mobility 
solutions and gave them the freedom to select a subset of these solutions to present 
during the training. 

The trainers have been provided with material to carry out the workshops. To this end, 
two fictional territories (maps, territory features, and working sheets to distribute to the 
trainees) have been prepared, so they could choose the one that better fits with their 
audience, or even explore both. 

A Summary report of all the first-round training on Module 1 has been produced.  

Information about the first training sessions is shown in Table 10. 

Table 10 Summary information of the first training sessions 

Austria 
Croatia 
Czechia 
France 
Germany 
Greece 
Hungary 
Ireland 
Italy 
Latvia 
Portugal (Alentejo) 
Portugal (Madeira) 
Romania 
Slovenia  
Spain 

Date 
11/12/2023 
12/04/2024 
23/11/2023 
20/11/2024 
06/03/2024 
04/12/2023 
12/06/2024 
28/11/2023 
12/12/2023 
19/12/2023 
05/12/2023 
11/12/2023 
29/11/2023 
25/01/2024 
20/03/2024 

Place 
Lienz 
Jastrebarsko 
Borovany 
Clermont-Ferrand 
Mainz 
Rethymno 
Keszthely 
Kilkenny 
Narni 
Valmiera 
Évora 
Machico 
Râmnicu Sărat 
Velenje 
Barcelona 

Participants  
12 
4 
9 
31 
16 
22 
9 
14 
14 
21 
19 
19 
18 
13 
20 

Total   241 

36 

 
 
 
 
EUROPEAN COMMISSION 

2nd Training session 

Over the period January to March 2024, SMARTA-NET implemented the second round 
of training sessions in target countries (in a few countries, the training was implemented 
in the subsequent months, see Table 11). Following the methodology set by the Task 4 
Coordinator,  the  training  focussed  on  mobility  solutions  supporting  rural  ecotourism, 
based on the Guidance documents produced by the Task 2 Coordinator.  

The training content aimed to introduce important concepts on the mobility patterns of 
tourists  visiting  rural  areas,  provide  information  on  the  main  challenges  and 
opportunities  for  synergies  between  rural  mobility  and  tourism,  and  introduce  key 
aspects to consider in terms of information, data collection, and the development of new 
mobility services. A set of good practices on cross-synergies between rural mobility and 
tourism implemented across Europe were proposed for each of the main topics, serving 
as inspiration for the target audience. 

This training was carefully crafted to be highly interactive, featuring a diverse range of 
distinct and customisable workshops. 

The learning objectives of this training were as follows: 

• 

• 

Identify the main challenges and opportunities for tourist mobility in rural areas 
and recognise the specificities of tourism demand. 

Identify sustainable mobility solutions that address the needs of both residents 
and tourists. 

•  Generate ideas on how to engage the tourism sector in reducing car dependency 

in rural areas. 

•  Foster cooperation beyond institutional borders, including with the private sector 

A Summary report of all the first-round training on Module 2 has been produced.  

Information about the second training sessions is shown in Table 11. 

Table 11 Summary information of the second training sessions 

Date 
21/05/2024 
Austria 
26/06/2024 
Croatia 
19/03/2024 
Czechia 
21/11/2024 
France 
20/03/2024 
Germany 
04/03/2024 
Greece 
17/06/2024 
Hungary 
20/02/2024 
Ireland 
06/03/2024 
Italy 
Latvia 
20/02/2024 
Portugal (Alentejo)  20/02/2024 
Portugal (Madeira)  23/02/2024 
07/03/2024 
Romania 
22/03/2024 
Slovenia  
17/04/2024 
Spain 

Place 
Lienz 
Jastrebarsko 
Borovany 
Clermont-Ferrand 
Mainz 
Rethymno 
Balatonalmadi 
Portlaoise 
Calvi dell’Umbria 
Ropaži 
Odemira 
Ribeira Brava 
Râmnicu Sărat 
Velenje 
Barcelona 

Participants  
7 
5 
13 
52 
18 
15 
10 
16 
20 
21 
19 
19 
16 
21 
25 

Total  277 

37 

 
 
 
 
SMARTA-NET Project  

3rd Training session 

Final Report 
January 2025 

Over  the  period  April  to  June  2024,  SMARTA-NET  implemented  the  third  round  of 
training sessions in target countries (in a few countries, the training was implemented 
in the subsequent months, see Table 12). Following the methodology set by the Task 4 
Coordinator, the training focussed on Sustainable Urban Mobility Plan (SUMP), based on 
the handbook on integrating rural mobility aspects in SUMP design,  developed by the 
Task  3  leader.  This  document  identifies  the  main  challenges  and  opportunities  for 
mainstreaming rural mobility aspects in SUMP design and provides recommendations to 
address these challenges.  

The learning objectives of the training were closely aligned with the handbook and for 
that  reason  the  training  guidelines,  which  are  described  in  the  following  paragraphs, 
were inspired by the handbook. 

The  SUMP  concept  and  its  technical  details  were  introduced  at  the  beginning  of  the 
training, keeping in mind participants who are not familiar with SUMP. The difference in 
planning  paradigms  introduced  by  SUMP,  compared  to  former  transport  planning 
methodologies, was highlighted. Then, the SUMP process was described, detailing each 
of the twelve steps within the four phases of the plan. 

Some practicalities regarding the plan implementation were also presented, as well as 
the policies and requirements at the European level aimed at promoting broad adoption 
of this planning tool. After this introductory and broad section about SUMP, the training 
focused on the specificities of small and medium cities and towns, considering that there 
is already a specific topic guide addressing their specific needs and idiosyncrasies. 

As the needs of rural territories are not directly addressed in the SUMP guidelines and 
existing topic guides, the training then focused on providing insights on how SUMPs can 
be more rural-sensitive. The concept of rural proofing was introduced and applied to the 
SUMP development process. 

The  concepts  acquired  during  this  expository  part  were  then  put  into  practice  in  the 
workshop phase. Three workshops were proposed, covering three of the four steps of 
the SUMP cycle, with a focus on the rural perspective and the participatory process that 
is usually required. 

This training structure was suggested to the trainers, but flexibility was given for each 
trainer  to  change  and  adapt  the  training  structure  to  their  context.  This  is  especially 
relevant in the workshop part, which tend to be more difficult to standardise given the 
local context, and the professional and cultural differences. 

A Summary report of the all first-round training on Module 3 has been produced.  

Information about the third training sessions is shown in Table 12. 

Table 12 Summary information of the third training sessions 

Austria 
Croatia 
Czechia 
France 
Germany 
Greece 
Hungary 
Ireland 
Italy 

Date 
21/05/2024 
12/07/2024 
11/06/2024 
27/01/2025 
16/04/2024 
14/06/2024 
26/08/2024 
23/04/2024 
26/06/2024 

Place 
Lienz 
Jastrebarsko 
Borovany 
Lyon 
Mainz 
Rethymno 
Siófok 
Ballina 
Terni 

Participants  
7 
4 
13 

7 
13 
10 
20 
7 

38 

 
 
 
 
 
EUROPEAN COMMISSION 

Latvia 
Portugal (Alentejo) 
Portugal (Madeira) 
Romania 
Slovenia  
Spain 

30/04/2024 
22/04/2024 
30/04/2024 
04/07/2024 
16/10/2024 
20/05/2024 

Ādaži 
Beja 
Porto Moniz 
Râmnicu Sărat 
Velenje 
Barcelona 

25 
14 
12 
14 
21 
23 

Total  190 

4th Training session 

From October to December 2024, SMARTA-NET carried out the fourth round of training 
sessions  in  the  target  countries,  with  sessions  continuing  into  early-2025  in  a  few 
locations (see Table 13). These sessions followed the methodology established by the 
Task  6  Coordinator,  and  focused  on  funding  and  financing  opportunities  as  well  as 
frameworks for sustainable mobility services, solutions, and initiatives. 

The  primary  objective  of  the  training  was  to  address  the  knowledge  gap  in  rural 
communities  regarding  funding  and  financing  issues.  This  included  introducing 
fundamental  concepts  such  as  capital  expenditure  (CapEx),  operational  expenditure 
(OpEx),  and  financing  mechanisms,  along  with  strategies  to  secure  funding  for  the 
development of tailored mobility services. 

The  training  content  was  structured  on  the  related  guidance  document  (see  Chapter 
6.2).  This  document  provided  a  stepwise  approach  to  assist  rural  municipalities  and 
practitioners in understanding, preparing, and submitting robust funding proposals for 
mobility projects while ensuring the sustainability of targeted services over time. 

Building  on  the  guidance,  the  training  delivered  essential  components  for  crafting  a 
comprehensive project plan. These included identifying community-specific challenges 
and  resources,  evaluating  practical  financial  frameworks,  and  defining  key  project 
elements.  This  structured  approach  aimed  to  enable  local  authorities  to  navigate 
complex  funding  landscapes,  accurately  assess  financial  requirements,  and  develop 
persuasive  proposals  aligned  with  regulatory  and  legislative  considerations  unique  to 
rural mobility contexts. 

To enhance learning and practical application, the training also showcased case studies 
of rural communities that successfully prepared and secured funding for their mobility 
projects.  These  examples  served  as  tangible  illustrations  of  effective  proposal 
development and implementation, inspiring participants to apply similar approaches in 
their own contexts. 

Two  specific  workshops  were  also  prepared,  the  first  aiming  to  develop  a  financing 
strategy  for  the  local  community  mobility  projects,  the  second  to  identify  and 
understand  the  key  aspects  of  different  funding  sources  and  how  financial  support  is 
structured to co-design a specific mobility solution. 

A Summary report of all the first-round training on Module 4 has been produced.   

Information about the fourth training sessions is shown in Table 13. 

Table 13 Summary information of the fourth training sessions 

Austria 
Croatia 
Czechia 

France 

Date 
25/11/2024 

Place 
Online 

26/11/2024 

27/01/2025 

Municipality of České 
Budějovice 
Lyon 

Participants  
7 

13 

39 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
SMARTA-NET Project  

Final Report 
January 2025 

Germany 
Greece 
Hungary 
Ireland 
Italy 
Latvia 
Portugal (Alentejo) 
Portugal (Madeira) 

Romania 
Slovenia  
Spain 

19/11/2024 
01/11/2024 
07/11/2024 
21/11/2024 
17/12/2024 
05/11/2024 
25/11/2024 
21/11/2024 

12/12/2024 
25/11/2024 
15/10/2024 

Online 
Municipality of Rethymno 
Municipality of Marcali 
Kerry 
Stroncone 
Municipality of Limbaž 
Portalegre 
Municipality of Camara de 
Lobos 
Online 
Municipality of Velenje 
Barcelona 

19 
17 
12 
13 
20 
23 
16 
15 

10 
16 
18 

Total  199 

Fostering institutional cooperation  

The SMARTA-NET training programme was designed to help rural municipalities address 
mobility challenges and develop shared mobility solutions tailored to their local contexts. 
Delivered through four tailored sessions in each participating country, the programme 
went beyond capacity building to foster institutional and organisational cooperation at 
multiple levels: 

1.  Cooperation within municipal/town Administrations 

The  training  encouraged  collaboration  among  departments  within  municipal 
administrations by enabling discussions on mobility and transport themes across 
different  sectors.  This  cross-sectoral  dialogue  helped  integrate  mobility 
considerations  into  broader  planning  and  decision-making  processes,  breaking 
down  silos  and  fostering  a  shared  understanding  of  mobility’s  role  in  rural 
development. 

2.  Institutional cooperation among neighbouring municipalities 

Through  interactive  sessions  and  shared  discussions,  the  training  programme 
facilitated  dialogue  and  coordination  between  adjacent  and  nearby 
municipalities. These discussions promoted the alignment of mobility strategies 
across local boundaries, creating opportunities for shared solutions to common 
challenges,  such  as  inter-municipal  transport  routes  and  regional  accessibility 
improvements. 

3.  Institutional cooperation with higher levels of government 

The training supported rural municipalities in building synergies with provincial, 
and  regional  authorities.  By  addressing  topics  like  funding  and  financing 
opportunities, participants gained a clearer understanding of how to collaborate 
with  higher  levels  of  government  to  secure  resources,  align  policies,  and 
integrate local initiatives into broader mobility strategies. 

4.  Organisational cooperation with tourism Stakeholders 

Given  the  importance  of  tourism  in  rural  economies,  one  module  specifically 
addressed  mobility  and  tourism  synergies.  This  fostered  cooperation  between 
municipalities and tourism organisations, helping them work together to design 
mobility  solutions  that  benefit  both  residents  and  visitors.  Examples  include 
shared  biking  programs  and  sustainable  transport  links  to  key  attractions, 
ensuring a balanced and coordinated approach. 

40 

 
 
 
 
EUROPEAN COMMISSION 

4.3.  Findings and recommendations from the task 

The main findings and recommendations from Task 4 are summarised in the Table 14 
below.  

Table 14 Key findings and recommendations from Task 4 

What 

Description 

Key outcomes and 
products  

Key findings and 
recommendations 

-  4 Training modules (PowerPoint presentations), 

including case studies and workshop outlines and 
guidance, EN Version 

-  4 Training modules (PowerPoint presentation), 

including case studies and workshop outlines and 
guidance, local language version (14 languages in 
total)  

-  57 training sessions in each Lighthouse Site country, 

in their own language  

-  57 post-event reports (one per each training session)  
-  4 Summary Report (one per each module)  
-  1 Report on training evaluations 

-  The  SMARTA-NET  training  program  has  significantly 
contributed  to  building  capacity  and  encouraging 
collaboration  among  stakeholders  in  rural  mobility 
across  Europe.  By  combining  theoretical  knowledge 
with  practical  applications,  the  programme  has 
empowered  participants  to  address  the  unique 
challenges  of  rural  mobility  with  innovative  and 
sustainable  solutions.  Participants  gained  valuable 
insights  into  shared  mobility,  sustainable  tourism, 
urban  mobility  planning  for  rural  areas,  and  funding 
opportunities,  with  case  studies  and  interactive 
workshops proving particularly appreciated. 

-  Despite  some  challenges,  such  as  variability  in 
attendance  and  the  need  for  more  time  during 
workshops, the programme’s adaptability allowed it to 
remain relevant and effective across diverse regional 
contexts.  

-  Training  delivered  in  local  languages  and  tailored  to 
enhanced  participant 

specific 
engagement and understanding.  

regional  needs 

-  The  training  allowed  for  connections  to  be  formed 
among  participants,  enabling  peer  learning  and 
collaboration.  The  emphasis  on  interactive  learning 
and collaboration helped create a sense of community 
and inspired participants to replicate solutions within 
their own regions 

41 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
SMARTA-NET Project  

Final Report 
January 2025 

5. TASK 5: SETTING UP THE FIRST 
NETWORK ON RURAL MOBILITY  

5.1.  The ERMN and its vision   

A key recommendation of the prior SMARTA project, further emphasised by the Long-
Term Vision for Rural Areas, was to develop a forum for rural stakeholders at the local 
level  –  local  government,  rural  development  agencies,  social  service  providers, 
communities, and mobility providers – both to exchange experience and to develop a 
collective voice. The scope of SMARTA-NET included this aspect as its key pillar.  

Responding  to  this  mandate,  SMARTA-NET  established  the  European  Rural  Mobility 
Network (ERMN22) during 202323 with the following key objectives:  

•  Provide Europe’s first network and forum on rural mobility;  

•  Bring together municipalities, multipliers, associations and practitioners; 

•  Share experience, both peer-to-peer and structured collective outputs; 

•  Provide a platform to discuss and explore solutions to issues of common interest; 

•  Assemble  and  structure  the  perspectives  of  diverse  rural  stakeholders  across 

Europe;  

•  Enable a pan-European “voice” to emerge from the grassroots level and inform 

regional, national and European policy-makers on rural mobility issues;  

•  Provide a mechanism  for the ERMN to  endure beyond the life  of the  SMARTA-

NET project; 

5.2.  The ERMN composition and participation  

The core group of the ERMN included 15 designated “Lighthouse Sites”. A Lighthouse 
Site was a rural area municipality or higher-level entities that had or was in the process 
of implementing good examples of rural mobility, was willing to participate in research 
and knowledge sharing, and be an active member of the ERMN. Over time, they became 
pillars of the ERMN, became focal points for the training activities and participated in 
evaluation activities such as the pan-European mobility surveys. 

The Lighthouse Sites24 are shown in Table 15 and in map format Figure 14.    

22  On March  27th,  2024,  the  European  Commission  adopted a  report  on  the  long-term  vision for  EU's  rural 
areas (https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/ALL/?uri=comnat:COM_2024_0450_FIN ). The purpose of 
this report is to evaluate the actions that have been taken so far and to provide possible directions for further 
support and financing for rural areas. The report acknowledges the European Rural Mobility Network (ERMN) 
as  a  ground-breaking  initiative  for  rural  mobility  and  highlights  the  need  for  continued  support  for  rural 
communities. 

23 The setting up of the Network of rural municipalities was a process. Invitations to join the Network have 
been issued in Q1/2023; the first online event for the Municipalities was done on the 6-7th of June 2023, and 
the formal launch of the Network was done at the first in-person event in Bingen am Rhein, Germany, on 10-
12th October 2023. The network has been consolidated through the in-country training events in 2023 and 
2024.  

24  More  detailed  information  about  the  Lighthouse  Sites  is  available  on  the  SMARTA-NET  website  at 
https://www.smarta-net.eu/lighthouse-sites/  

42 

 
 
 
 
 
EUROPEAN COMMISSION 

Table 15 List of SMARTA-NET Lighthouse Sites  

Country 

Lighthouse Site 

Country 

Lighthouse Site 

Austria 

East Tirol (Osttirol) 

Italy 

Narni 

Croatia 

Jastrebarsko 

Latvia 

Vidzeme Region 

Czechia 

Sdružení Růže 

France 

CERAMA Lyon 

Portugal 

Portugal 

Alentejo Region 

Madeira 

Germany 

Kusel District 

Romania 

Râmnicu Sărat 

Greece  

Rethymno 

Slovenia  

Šaleška Valley 

Hungary 

Lake Balaton 

Spain  

Barcelona District Council 

Ireland 

Kilkenny 

Figure 8 Map of the SMARTA-NET Lighthouse sites 

These  sites  also  facilitated  knowledge-sharing  through  targeted  activities,  such  as 
training events and evaluation surveys. They reflected Europe’s wide diversity in rural 
areas and underscored that rural mobility is complex, influenced by factors like scale, 
funding, and governance structures.  

SMARTA-NET reached out in a targeted way to stakeholders, who have been identified 
based  on  their  openness  and  capacity  to  get  engaged  in  the  project  and  the  ERMN 
activities,  in  the  15  Member  States  listed  above.  This  consisted  in  a  primary  set  of 
stakeholders of the following types: 

•  Rural municipalities and counties 
•  Associations of municipalities 
•  LEADER Action Groups (LAGs) 
•  Mobility service providers 
•  Rural tourism-related organisations 

Participation was also open to regional governments and to experts who could contribute 
to the know-how exchange. 

43 

 
 
 
 
 
SMARTA-NET Project  

Final Report 
January 2025 

Throughout 2023 and 2024, ERMN hosted a series of seven events, including three in-
person  conferences  and  four  online  meetings25.  The  events  fostered  cross-border 
collaboration  among  ERMN  members.  The  increased  level  of  participation  in  the  in-
person meetings reflects the learning by doing practice of the networking. In turn, online 
meetings have been a good opportunity to showcase key features (challenges, ongoing 
pilot initiatives,  etc.)  of the Lighthouse Sites,  and to deepen some specific transport-
related topics.  

In late 2023, an Expression of Interest was submitted to the Rural Pact Support Office 
for a ‘Community Group on Rural Mobility”. This was accepted and the Community Group 
is now active26. 

Collectively,  these  events  provided  rural  stakeholders  with  opportunities  to  form 
professional  connections,  exchange  knowledge,  and  develop  innovative  solutions. 
Through  its  collaborative  approach,  the  ERMN  demonstrated  that  rural  areas  across 
Europe,  despite  their  differences,  face  common  challenges  in  improving  access  to 
sustainable  mobility.  Moreover,  the  ERMN  became  a  space  where  participants  could 
explore advocacy strategies to elevate rural mobility issues within national and EU policy 
frameworks. Overall, the network fostered a stronger European dialogue around rural 
mobility, building momentum for future cross-border initiatives and policy development.  

5.3.  Key findings from the ERMN 

Over the course of the in-person and online events, the ERMN members have shared a 
wide range of perspectives, concerns and suggestions about the state of rural mobility 
and how it could be developed better. This has emerged through the workshops, world 
café sessions, panel discussions and spontaneous inputs and interactions.  

During  the  ERMN  Final  Conference  in  Brussels  on  23-24th  October  2024,  a  draft 
synthesis of findings was put forward, inviting discussion and feedback27. The findings 
were structured into three sections:  

•  Diagnostic of the situation with rural mobility in Europe 
•  Recommendations for policy 
•  Recommendations for action 

These are detailed in the report on the European Rural Mobility Network.  

The  diagnostic  of  the  situation  has  three  strands,  covering  both  what  the  ERMN 
participants see as the challenges related to rural mobility and what they consider needs 
to be done:  

•  Acknowledge the scale and issues around rural mobility in Europe 
• 
•  Develop solutions sets with universal mobility coverage 

Improve rural mobility through a set of structural changes 

Policy  relating  to  rural  mobility  was  a  recurrent  theme  throughout  the  ERMN  events. 
ERMN participants  repeatedly highlighted the lack  of specific policy for  rural mobility, 

25 Detailed reports were prepared for each of the ERMN events, including summaries of key points of all the 
World Café sessions, workshops, parallel sessions, panel discussions, etc. These are available on the SMARTA-
NET website at https://www.smarta-net.eu/networking-events/  

26 https://ruralpact.rural-vision.europa.eu/groups/rural-mobility_en  

27  The  presentation  is  available  at:  https://www.smarta-net.eu/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/14_Key-
messages-from-SMARTA-NET.pdf   

44 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
EUROPEAN COMMISSION 

which  is  in  strong  contrast  to  the  well-developed  policy  base  for  urban,  regional  and 
trans-European mobility of people and goods. ERMN participants expressed their opinion 
that  the  lack  of  dedicated  policy  results  in  lack  of  targeted  programs,  lack  of 
accountability for mobility deficits, and lack of financing to proactively establish levels 
of service that meet the mobility needs of rural areas. 

ERMN participants made many practical suggestions to develop and strengthen policy 
for  rural  mobility.  The  SMARTA-NET  team  synthesised  these  contributions  from  the 
ERMN  participants  into  a  set  of  recommendations  for  policy,  consisting  of  five  main 
strands:  

•  Assign the same importance to rural mobility as to urban mobility 

•  Rationalise vehicle-kilometres travelled (VKT) to achieve European, national and 

regional goals for accessibility and decarbonisation 

•  Persuade Member States to have policy and targets for rural mobility, at all levels 

•  Assign  sufficient  resources  to  deliver  enhanced  rural  mobility,  at  the  scale 

required to meet the targets 

•  Mobilise and empower the local level to deliver solutions 

These  recommendations  offer  a  “grassroots”  contribution  to  discussions  on  how  to 
advance the “Connected” pillar of the European Long-Term Vision for Rural Areas. They 
can also be explored and further developed by the ERMN in its post-project format. 

Throughout the ERMN  events, the ERMN participants identified a very  broad range of 
actions that would help to improve rural mobility. The more significant of these have 
been identified and they are arranged in three thematic clusters: 

•  Recognition and planning 
•  Engaging and empowering 
•  Addressing knowledge and capacity gaps 

Each of these is a work item in its own right – in some cases even a cluster of projects 
or program.  

5.4.  Findings and recommendations from the task  

The main findings and recommendations from Task 5 are summarised in Table 16.  

Table 16 Key findings and recommendations from Task 5 

What 

Description 

Key outcomes and 
products  

-  ERMN and its activities (ERMN meetings and 

conferences, training sessions) 

-  Report on the European Rural Mobility Network 

Key findings and 
recommendations 

(ERMN) 

-  Community Group on Rural Mobility with the Rural 

Pact Program 

-  ERMN contributed to build a pan-European community 
on rural mobility. Of at least equal importance, local 
networks have also been formed through the training 
events. This it is now appreciated as a very significant 
development. 

-  The ERMN participants valued the interaction and the 
shared  learning.  They  clearly  appreciated  that  the 
challenges  they 
level  are 
face  at  their 
symptomatic  of  lacunae  at  European  and  national 
levels,  so  they  do  not  have  suitable  frameworks  to 

local 

45 

 
 
 
 
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plan and deliver what is needed, and funding does not 
follow  through  to  what  rural  communities  need  for 
daily life. 

-  The  ERMN  could  be  worth  further  support  with  the 
initial  purpose  of  providing  a  continuous  forum  for 
implementers  and  sponsors  of  rural  mobility  to 
network  and  organise  online  and  in-person  events. 
Ultimately, the goal is to expand the membership to 
become a ground-level voice for the sector 

5.5.  Plans for the future  

As the SMARTA-NET support to ERMN concluded in November 2024, ERMN participants 
expressed  a  shared  desire  to  sustain  the  network’s  activities  beyond  the  life  of  the 
project.  

MemEx, as the project coordinator, committed to supporting ERMN on a goodwill basis 
for an additional 9-12 months, enabling stakeholders to explore sustainable governance 
structures  and  funding  options.  During  this  transitional  period,  the  ERMN  aims  to 
maintain momentum through online meetings, newsletters, and working groups focused 
on specific rural mobility topics. MemEx outlined an initial action plan (see below) that 
includes organising at least two thematic webinars, publishing periodic newsletters, and 
maintaining the SMARTA-NET website as a knowledge repository. 

its  current  member  base  before  expanding 

Feedback from the Brussels conference highlighted that, for now, ERMN should focus on 
consolidating 
include  new 
stakeholders/regions.  Participants  also  suggested  exploring  governance  models  from 
other  established  mobility  networks,  like  POLIS,  to  identify  a  framework  that  could 
provide ERMN with stability and long-term continuity. Additionally, there was interest in 
establishing pan-European working groups on targeted themes to facilitate collaboration 
and refine rural mobility solutions. 

to 

Table 17: Overview of potential way forward for the ERMN 

Ideas for ways forward for the ERMN 

Primary 
purpose and 
scope 

•  Provide a pan-European Forum for implementers and sponsors of 

rural mobility to network   

•  Pursue the key activities of the ERMN, as agreed by the 

membership 

•  Enlarge and increase participation, both within those countries 

already participating and to new countries; 

Membership 

•  Rural municipalities, multiplier associations and agencies; 
•  Organisations that can act in the domain of rural mobility 

(program, plan, implement and organise rural mobility services); 

•  Organisations and stakeholders engaged in rural tourism 
•  To be determined - how open and wide-ranging the membership 

is or becomes over the years 

Activities 

•  Capacity-building activities 
•  Organisation of online and in-person events (annual conferences, 

thematic webinars, etc.) 

•  Exchange of experience, challenges, solutions 
•  Facilitation of members to find partners for proposals and 

initiatives 

•  Mentorships and training activities 
•  Development of database and reference sets on rural mobility 

46 

 
 
 
 
 
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Perspectives 

•  Development of policy notes and technical briefs for European, 

national and regional decision-takers and policy-makers 

•  Establishment of working groups on specific themes 

•  ERMN over time could become a trusted voice from the sector 
•  ERMN will channel the collective voice and experience of the 
ERMN members - giving a pan-European perspective – on 
selected matters about rural mobility 

This  is  a  starting  point  for  discussion  among  the  ERMN  participants,  which  MemEx  is 
willing to facilitate as/if requested. 

Commitment from the MemEx team for a transition period of 9-12 months 

MemEx  will  establish  an  interim  arrangement  to  give  substance  to  the  ERMN  –  for 
example so it can engage with organisations or can apply for support funding for event 
costs  and  logistics.  At  a  suitable  point,  it  can  then  transition  to  the  long-term 
arrangement. 

The preliminary action plan for the next 9-12 months (2025) is the following:  

•  Organise  at  least  two  online  events/webinars,  on  topics  proposed  by  the 

members; 

•  Where  there  is  interest,  facilitate  the  organisation  of  ad  hoc  working 

groups/sessions (online) on technical or operational subjects; 

•  Maintain the SMARTA-NET website as a resource repository on rural mobility and 

containing a wide range of legacy SMARTA and SMARTA-NET materials; 

•  Produce  periodic  newsletters  (i.e.,  semester  newsletters)  to  share  latest  news 

and stimulate broader interest; 

•  Being practical, the ERMN could only organise another in-person event if there 
is  a  source  of  financial  support,  a  sponsor,  or  someone  willing  to  host  and/or 
cover the event costs; 

•  That said, members may be interested to arrange in-person events, which ERMN 
members would have the opportunity to join (covering own costs), and also be 
a source of speakers; 

•  Organise specific thematic sessions and workshops on rural mobility liaising with 

other European events.   

A program of activities can be worked out in the first months and adapted from time 
to time. 

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6. TASK 6: FUNDING AND 

FINANCING OPTIONS FOR RURAL 
MOBILITY 

6.1.  Funding and financing frameworks for rural mobility  

Different  funding  opportunities  are  available  across  the  European  Member  States. 
Nevertheless,  rural  communities  are  usually  inhibited  from  using  many  of  them  to 
finance  mobility  interventions.  In  some  occasions  where  finance  can  be  accessed, 
measures are introduced but with only a limited timeframe in terms of funding, so that 
they are not financially sustainable in the long term. To make shared mobility initiatives 
durable, it is always necessary to ensure continuity of stable funding sources during the 
whole  lifecycle  of  a  new  measure.  Among  rural  stakeholders,  there  is  often  a  lack  of 
awareness and understanding of all the potential sources of funding they could try. 

Generally speaking, the funding panorama can be clustered in four main categories, as 
shown in Figure 19. Three out of the four are various forms of government funding, 
which  are  all  at  higher  levels  of  government  than  the  target  area.  They  all  have  the 
ability  to  mobilise  substantial  financial  resources,  but  the  crucial  issue  is  how  these 
resources are distributed between urban and rural areas. 

The  fourth  category  is  non-public  sector  funding.  This  includes  communities, 
individuals, NGOs, charities, and commercial entities. It is inevitable that mobility in the 
style of public transport in rural areas requires a government funding source. However, 
many  of  the  other  types  of  rural  mobility  have  smaller  financing  needs  that  can  be 
achieved in different ways from the community, sponsorship or businesses. 

Figure 9 Funding panorama for rural mobility  

SMARTA-NET facilitated several discussions28 with members of the ERMN through both 
in-person  and  online  events  to  assess  the  needs  and  challenges  faced  by  rural 
municipalities  in  accessing  funding  for  mobility  services.  From  these  discussions,  it 
became clear that even when municipalities can identify relevant funding options at both 
the  EU  and  national/regional  levels,  they  encounter  various  challenges  in  accessing 
these funds. These challenges include complicated application processes and difficulties 
in quantifying both the monetary and non-monetary benefits of new or improved rural 
mobility solutions.  

28 
content/uploads/2024/07/06_SMARTA-NET-6th-ERMN-meeting_World-cafe-results_final-version.pdf  

https://www.smarta-net.eu/wp-

presentation 

summary 

available 

at: 

is 

A 

48 

 
 
 
 
 
EUROPEAN COMMISSION 

6.2.  Guidance on financing options for rural communities  

SMARTA-NET prepared a guidance document to foster the capacity of municipalities to 
develop and implement sustainable, inclusive, and integrated mobility solutions in their 
territories. In particular, this guidance focuses on a critical aspect: funding and financing 
options  for  rural  mobility  initiatives,  including  mobility  in  support  of  rural  tourism.  It 
recognises  that  a  lack  of  resources  and  specific  know-how  in  securing  funding  are 
significant obstacles for rural communities aiming to develop tailored mobility services. 

To  address  this  need,  this  Guidance  provides  a  stepwise  approach  designed  to  guide 
rural municipalities and practitioners in understanding, preparing, and submitting robust 
funding  proposals  for  mobility  projects  and  sustain  target  services  over  time.  Each 
chapter  builds  on  key  elements  necessary  for  crafting  a  strong  project  plan—from 
identifying challenges and assets within rural communities, to assess practical financial 
frameworks  and  defining  essential  project  components.  This  structured  approach  will 
help  local  authorities  navigate  complex  funding  landscapes,  clearly  assess  financial 
requirements,  and  develop  compelling  proposals  that  address  regulatory  and  market 
considerations unique to rural mobility. 

Figure 10 Stepwise approach on funding opportunities for rural mobility.  
Source: SMARTA-NET 

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6.3.  Funding streams and related issues across EU countries  

Complementarily to the guidance document, SMARTA-NET collected information about 
financing frameworks of target case studies and assessed the potential funding sources 
to finance rural shared mobility solutions at the national, regional, and local levels.  

A  specific  Summary  Report29  of  Funding  streams  and  related  issues  across  EU 
countries has been developed, including a cross-comparison analysis by country focused 
on: i) modes or service types eligible for funding; ii) eligibility criteria (who can apply); 
iii) periodicity or duration of the funding stream.  

Rural  mobility  funding  comes  from  various  sources—EU,  national,  and  regional—each 
addressing different priorities and scales. EU programmes often focus on large, cross-
border  projects,  while  national  and  regional  funds  address  local  challenges,  with  a 
shared  commitment  to  sustainability.  Investments  target  eco-friendly  infrastructure, 
low-emission  vehicles,  and  active  mobility  solutions  in  line  with  the  European  Green 
Deal.  Infrastructure  development,  connectivity  improvements,  and  digital  tools  to 
reduce  isolation  and  promote  economic  growth  are  also  key  priorities,  supported  by 
resources like the Recovery and Resilience Fund. 

Despite  these  advances,  significant  challenges  remain.  There  is  no  established 
methodology  to  benchmark  rural  accessibility,  making  it  difficult  to  quantify  mobility 
deficits and guide funding allocation. Remote and sparsely populated areas struggle to 
access adequate funding, exacerbating regional disparities. Smaller municipalities face 
administrative  burdens  in  navigating  complex  funding  applications,  and  large-scale 
infrastructure projects often overshadow community-focused solutions.  

Moreover,  rural  municipalities  lack  dedicated  funding  streams  to  self-initiate  tailored 
mobility  solutions,  while  many  rural  areas  suffer  from  poor  connectivity  with  urban 
transport systems.  

Geographic  and  economic  differences,  particularly  in  border  areas  and  tourism-
dependent regions, further influence funding access and effectiveness. 

6.4.  Findings and recommendations from the task  

The main findings and recommendations from Task 6 are summarised in Table 18 
below.  

Table 18 Key findings and recommendations from Task 6 

What 

Description 

Key outcomes and 
products  

-  Guidance  document  on 

financial 

issues  and 

opportunities for mobility solutions, EN version  

-  Guidance  document  on 

issues  and 
opportunities  for  mobility  solutions  in  all  official  EU 
languages 

financial 

-  Summary Report of Funding streams and related 

issues across EU countries 

Key findings and 
recommendations 

-  The  SMARTA-NET  analysis  indicates  an  imbalance 
between EU funding and national or regional funding 
sources,  reflecting  the  challenges  faced  at  the  local 

29 The results are synopsised in the SMARTA-NET report “Summary Report of Funding streams and related 
issues across EU countries (2024). 

50 

 
 
 
 
 
EUROPEAN COMMISSION 

funding  allocations.  While 

level.  Public  transport  is  often  regulated  by  higher-
typically  control  service 
level  agencies,  which 
offerings  and 
rural 
municipalities can request services, they have limited 
opportunities  for  direct  access  to  these  funding 
streams. Although national and regional governments 
have  resources  that  could  support  locally-organized 
rural  mobility,  these  funds  are  not  often  directed  in 
ways  that  enable  rural  municipalities  to  take 
independent action 

-  The  SMARTA-NET  team  has  conducted  a  thorough 
exploration  of  funding  opportunities  and  found  that 
rural  municipalities  and  stakeholders  have  access  to 
only  a  limited  range  of  funding  sources,  which  are 
often not specifically dedicated to mobility.  

to  empower  municipalities  with 

-  The  SMARTA-NET  guidance  document  has  been 
the 
designed 
knowledge  and 
to  develop  and 
tools  needed 
implement  sustainable,  inclusive,  and  integrated 
mobility  solutions  in  rural  areas.  Focusing  on  the 
critical issue of funding and financing—particularly for 
rural mobility initiatives and mobility supporting rural 
tourism—it  tackles  a  significant  barrier:  the  lack  of 
resources  and  specific  expertise  in  securing  funding. 
These challenges often hinder rural communities from 
creating tailored mobility services. 

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7. TASK 7: EVALUATING RURAL 
ACCESSIBILITY IN EUROPE  

7.1.  The SMARTA-NET evaluation methodology  

Task  7  of  the  SMARTA-NET  project  focussed  on  the  challenges  of  maintaining  rural 
accessibility in the face of systemic changes and shocks. Through a study of 15 rural 
areas,  it  provided  a  comprehensive  analysis  of  recent  and  ongoing  changes  in  rural 
mobility  behaviour  and  transport  services,  the  attitudes  of  both  rural  residents  and 
policymakers towards rural mobility. Importantly, this task has expanded knowledge on 
how rural mobility systems have responded to past external shocks, such as the COVID-
19  pandemic,  and  offers  insights  to  help  policymakers  better  prepare  for  future 
disruptions.  

The  research  followed  three  phases:  i)  a  desk  study  to  understand  the  current 
knowledge  levels  at  different  lighthouse  sites  and  identify  gaps,  supplemented  by 
interviews  with  site  representatives;  ii)  a  survey  in  13  lighthouse  sites  to  fill  the 
identified  gaps;  and  iii)  follow-up  interviews  to  validate  survey  results  and  facilitate 
knowledge  transfer.  These  steps  not  only  deepened  the  understanding  of  residents’ 
perceptions of rural mobility challenges but also generated new knowledge about site-
specific mobility issues.  

The main result of this task is a survey that have been filled in by 3,500 rural residents 
over  13  different  lighthouse  sites.  The  survey  gave  insights  in  mobility  behaviour 
(changes), impacts of COVID and the recent inflation on this travel behaviour, attitudes 
towards  sustainable  alternatives,  and  on  tourist  management.  A  specific  summary 
report  has  been  produced,  highlighting  the  outcomes  of  the  survey  and  providing  an 
EU-wide  meta-analysis  on  rural  accessibility  across  13  rural  areas,  complemented  by 
detailed individual site reports30. 

By  bridging 
these  knowledge  gaps,  SMARTA-NET  sought  practical  policy 
recommendations to tailor rural mobility policies more to the specific circumstances of 
the lighthouse sites. 

7.2.  General findings from the pan-European survey  

Cross-site comparison of the survey responses and analysis indicated common findings 
on some themes and diversity in others. This had been expected given the diversity of 
the sites themselves, on factors such as population density, rurality, level of proximity 
to urban centres, facilities and services, and level of tourism/visitors to the area.  

To (partially) account for such diversity, respondents were asked to indicate the type of 
area in which they live as one of urban, suburban, rural (<3 km from an urbanised area) 
or rural (>3km from an urbanised area), This provides a reasonable proxy both for the 
opportunities available in their area and how practical walking or cycling would be for 
trips they wish to make. For all relevant factors, the analysis disaggregated according 
to  this  typology  in  addition  to  examining  the  total  sample.  Perhaps  unsurprisingly, 
respondents  in  the  type  ‘rural,  >3km  from  an  urbanised  area’  exhibited  much  higher 
levels of strong dissatisfaction with the availability of public transport and of car-based 
travel than their counterparts in urban and suburban areas.  

30 The results are synopsised in the SMARTA-NET report “An EU-wide meta-analysis on rural accessibility from 
13 different EU rural areas” (2024). 

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EUROPEAN COMMISSION 

The  surveys  highlighted  a  strong  car-dependency  across  all  types  of  trips.  People  in 
rural areas still rely on the more “traditional” forms of transportation, such as personal 
vehicle,  bikes,  walking,  and  public  transport.  It  was  found  to  often  be  the  case  that 
other alternative mobility solutions  are not present. While it could be considered that 
this simply states what was generally considered to be the case, it is helpful to be able 
to confirm it and indicate its universality.  

Respondents indicated that the COVID-19 pandemic affected their travel behaviour at 
the time of restrictions. Generally, rural residents experienced fewer changes in public 
transport usage than urban residents, often due to limited alternatives and dependence 
on  private  vehicles.  18%  of  respondents  indicated  that  they  still  feel  some  residual 
impact on their activities and travel behaviour. 33% of respondents indicated that they 
were  less  willing  to  participate  in  collective  and  shared  mobility  at  the  time  of  the 
pandemic. Even at the time of the survey in early-2024, of those, 28% (i.e. 9% of the 
total)  still  feel  negatively  towards  these  modes  of  transport.  This  is  worth  further 
examination, as it may signal that some of the most vulnerable people in society are 
afraid or unwilling to use the only means of mobility available to them. If so, this would 
lead to increase in isolation and ability to continue to live their community.  

The impact of fuel price increases since 2022 is shown to be significant, as shown in 
Figure 21. While 26% of respondents indicate that they felt no significant change and 
many others have made some adaptation to their travel, 36% continue to use their 
cars but feel reductions in their disposable income. The consequences of such impacts 
need further examination. 

Figure 11 Impact of fuel price increases  
Source: SMARTA-NET travel survey, 202431 

I m p a c t   o f   f u e l   p r i c e   i n c r e a s e   ( % )

N o   c h a n g e

26

O t h e r

5

I   r e l o c a t e d   c l o s e r   t o   m y   p l a c e   o f   w o r k   t o   s a v e
o n   t r a n s p o r t a t i o n   c o s t

1

I   w a l k   m o r e

10

I   u s e   m y   o w n   c a r   l e s s   o f t e n

14

I   u s e   m y   b i k e   m o r e   o f t e n

I   u s e   p u b l i c   t r a n s p o r t   m o r e   f r e q u e n t l y

6

7

I   c o n t i n u e   t o   u s e   m y   c a r   b u t   f e e l   r e d u c t i o n
o f   d i s p o s a b l e   i n c o m e

38

7.3.  Key findings and policy recommendations from the survey  

In addressing the transportation challenges faced by rural communities,  the SMARTA-
NET project advises local policymakers to: 

31 Report “an EU-wide meta-analysis on rural accessibility from 13 different EU rural areas”, 2024 

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•  Advocate for better timing and routing of public transport in rural areas 

•  Explore demand-responsive transport (DRT) in rural areas. 

•  Ensure affordability of transport in rural areas, as much as possible by (amongst 
other  strategies)  availing  of  public  and  private  transport  operators’  local 
knowledge  in  the  service  planning,  fare  product  and  price-setting  decision-
making processes, to ensure inclusive use of public transport by citizens. 

•  Encourage  e-bike  use,  especially  in  hilly  regions,  as  an  eco-friendly  car 

alternative. 

•  Establish shared biking programs for locals and tourists. 

• 

Invest in targeted infrastructure upgrades to develop a network of segregated 
cycling lanes to ensure safety and promote cycling. 

•  Make sustainable mobility alternatives more available and accessible for users. 

•  Raise  awareness:  Launch  campaigns  to  educate  residents  about  available 

transport alternatives, promoting public transport and shared biking. 

•  Establish mobility hubs: Create hubs integrating buses, bike rentals, and e-bike 
charging stations to enable seamless transitions between transport modes. 

• 

• 

Introducing tourist mobility management in rural areas that suffer from over-
tourism. 

Introduce seasonal transport options, such as shuttle services from park-and-
ride locations to tourist destinations. 

7.4.  Key findings and recommendations from the task  

The main findings and recommendations from Task 7 are summarised in Table 19.  

Table 19 Key findings and recommendations from Task 7 

What 

Description 

Key 
and products  

outcomes 

-  Processing and analysis of 3,500 survey responses 
-  Report on findings from the survey per Lighthouse Site (13 
Reports, in total), including a set of recommendations from 
the survey  

Key  findings  and 
recommendations 

- 

In all the Lighthouse Sites, the car is by far the dominant mode 
of transport. The mode share of car in lighthouse sites varies 
between 50%-70%, with the highest percentages on commute-
related travel. 

-  Many  respondents  are  open  to  change  their  travel  behaviour 
and are open to choose for more sustainable options. However, 
the  main  barrier  for  rural  residents  is  the  lack  of  suitable 
alternatives. 

-  To  our  knowledge,  this  survey  was  the  first  comprehensive 
cross-EU study focusing specifically on rural mobility. It serves 
as  a  benchmark,  providing  insights  on  the  unique  challenges 
and  opportunities  faced  by  rural  communities  in  terms  of 
transportation.  The 
followed  up  by 
longitudinal  research  to  monitor  and  analyse  travel  patterns 
over extended periods. This approach would provide invaluable 
insights  into  the  dynamics  of  rural  mobility,  capturing  how 
these  patterns  evolve  in  response  to  various  factors  such  as 
economic 
technological 
advancements. 

findings  could  be 

shifts,  policy 

changes, 

and 

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8. TASK 8: COMMUNICATION 

ACTIVITIES  

8.1.  Raising awareness on rural mobility  

SMARTA-NET has used both direct and indirect communication methods and channels 
to reach key target groups (including rural municipality and regional  representatives, 
policymakers from all levels, researchers, specialist organisations and other interested 
stakeholders).  Direct  communication  included  targeted  e-mailing  (e.g.  prior  and  post 
events,  and  newsletters),  as  well  as  face-to-face  contacts  and  exchange  during 
SMARTA-NET  events.  One  of  the  main  findings  has  been  that  direct  and  targeted 
communication  to  interested  stakeholders  is  very  important  for  effectively  sharing 
outcomes (in this context direct mailing, newsletters and events have proven the most 
useful communication channels). SMARTA-NET has also participated at several events 
to disseminate the project outcomes.  

A promotional leaflet has been produced early on to raise awareness about the project 
and has been shared through the website in four languages (see below), as well as being 
disseminated  during  various  events.  Producing  the  leaflet  early  on  helped  to  raise 
awareness  about  the  overall  project’s  structure  and  activities  among  interested 
stakeholders. 

A total of 6 newsletters has been published and shared (through a mailing list of almost 
300 stakeholders), including news, updates on SMARTA-NET activities, information on 
lighthouse  sites  and  on  other  relevant  projects  and  initiatives.  The  newsletters  were 
useful tools for providing regular updates about the project’s achievements and other 
relevant rural mobility information. 

The website has been the main repository of SMARTA-NET information and results. As 
the website has been gradually enhanced with new information, the number of (unique) 
visitors has also increased. Between May 2023 (when the website became active) and 
October  2024,  15,291  unique  visitors  have  visited  the  website  (29,454  visits).  The 
number  of  visitors  doubled  from  2023  (5,023)  to  October  2024  (10,268).  The  main 
sections of the website include: 

•  Home:  with  direct  access  /  buttons  to  the  most  relevant  SMARTA-NET 

information; 

•  About: information about the project, including the SMARTA-NET brochure in 4 
languages  (EN,  DE,  HU,  IT)  and  basic  information  about  the  project  and 
consortium partners, as well as SMARTA-NET main news on a separate subpage; 

•  ERMN: information about the ERMN with access to signing up to be part of the 
network  and  lighthouse  sites  database,  including  visual  map  and  profiles  (key 
characteristics, challenges, solutions) of lighthouse sites; 

•  Events:  information  on  key  events  (agenda,  presentations,  video  recordings, 
etc.),  including  networking  events/  ERMN  meetings,  training  sessions,  final 
conference, and lighthouse site event; 

•  Rural shared mobility solutions: inspiring rural mobility solutions identified by the 

project; 

•  Resources: including tools & guidance, reports, and newsletters (accessible both 

in a structured list and a searchable database); 

•  Tools  &  Guidance:  dedicated  page  for  tools  (self-check  on  sustainable  tourist 
mobility  and  knowledge  maps),  and  guidance  (guidance  on  the  assessment  of 

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good  practices  and  durable  solutions  in  rural  mobility  and  guidance  on 
sustainable mobility in rural tourism communities). 

The most visited pages include the ERMN page (2,428 views in total), followed by that 
of the final conference (1,658 views) and the guidance documents (1,621 views) pages. 
The  high  number  of  visits  to  the  ERMN  page  could  demonstrate  strong  interest  from 
communities (and other stakeholders) to network and learn from each other. Continued 
sharing of information through networking and exchange mechanisms is important. 

SMARTA-NET  outcomes  have  also  been  promoted  through  various  (social)  media 
channels: YouTube, Twitter / X, Facebook and LinkedIn. SMARTA-NET YouTube videos 
mostly concerned event videos and presentations recordings. The 28 videos uploaded 
were watched 394 times. Videos are particularly useful for sharing outcomes of events 
in  a  user-friendly  and  easily  accessible  manner.  62  posts  (with  162  likes)  have  been 
posted in the  course of the project  on Facebook and 70 on Twitter/ X, most  of these 
concerned ERMN events; other posts were linked to the promotion of Rural Pact related 
activities, the newsletters, trainings, etc. The Facebook account has 49 followers, while 
Twitter/ X and LinkedIn have 70 and 159 followers respectively. While LinkedIn had not 
been  foreseen  as  a  main  social  media  channel  at  the  start,  it  triggered  high  interest 
(with the largest number of followers among the three social media channels). 

The SMARTA-NET website aims to be the main source of the project’s  - and previous 
SMARTA projects’ - legacy also in the longer run. To achieve this goal, a database of 
SMARTA-NET resources & legacy from previous SMARTA & SMARTA2 projects has been 
developed32.  The  database  reports  a  comprehensive  collection  of  documents  and 
materials from the SMARTA-NET, SMARTA, and SMARTA2 projects, including guidance 
documents, tools, and case studies that showcase successful mobility initiatives. 

A final Brochure was prepared at the end of the project and translated into all official 
EU languages. Two versions of the brochure were prepared, the longer version aimed 
towards  mayors  and  other  leaders  at  municipalities,  with  a  shorter  version  aimed 
towards citizens. 

Figure 12 The SMARTA-NET Resources database 
Source: SMARTA-NET 

32 https://www.smarta-net.eu/resources/smarta-resources/  

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8.2.  Materials produced and diffused  

The list of materials produced and diffused in the project is reported in Table 20 
below.  

Table 20 Materials produced and diffused  

Type 

Brochure 

Video 

Photo 

Material produced   

-  SMARTA-NET Brochure – EN version 
-  SMARTA-NET Brochure – DE, HU, IT versions  
-  SMARTA-NET Final Brochure – EN Version  
-  SMARTA-NET Final Brochure – Shorter version for citizens -  

EN version  

-  SMARTA-NET Final Brochure – All official EU languages  
-  SMARTA-NET Final Brochure – Shorter version for citizens – 

All official EU languages  

-  SMARTA-NET leaflet – focus on training 

-  Summary video from Bingen Meeting  
-  Summary Video from Evora Meeting  
-  Summary Video From the SMARTA-NET Final Conference 

-  Photo gallery of the 1st in person meeting of the ERMN 
-  Photo gallery of the 2nd in person meeting of the ERMN 
-  Photo gallery of the SMARTA-NET Final Conference 

Recordings 

-  ERMN online meetings recording 

Gadgets 

-  Gadget (including notebook, pens) for the 1st in person 

meeting of the ERMN 

-  Gadget (including notebook, pens) for the 2nd in person 

meeting of the ERMN 

-  Gadget (including notebook, pens, caps) for the SMARTA-NET 

Final Conference 

Posters 

-  15 Lighthouse Sites posters, shown at the SMARTA-NET Final 

Conference 

Publishable 
quality 
reports 

-  SMARTA-NET Catalogue of Rural Shared Mobility Solutions  
-  SMARTA-NET Guidance on Rural Shared Mobility Solutions  
-  SMARTA-NET Guidance for more sustainable mobility in rural 

tourism regions 

Guidance 
documents 

-  Guidance on Rural Shared Mobility Solutions  
-  SMARTA-NET Guidance for more sustainable mobility in rural 

tourism regions 

-  Guidance on integrating rural mobility aspects in SUMP design 

– rural proofing SUMPs 

-  Guidance on Funding and Financing Options for Rural Mobility 

– EN Version 

-  Guidance on Funding and Financing Options for Rural Mobility 

– All official EU languages Version 

Database 

-  SMARTA-NET Resources database 

Social 
channels 

Training 
material 

-  SMARTA-NET YouTube channel 
-  SMARTA-NET Twitter/X Channel  
-  SMARTA-NET Facebook Channel 
-  SMARTA-NET LinkedIn Channel 

-  1st Training Module – Rural Shared Mobility Solutions  

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SMARTA-NET Project  

Final Report 
January 2025 

-  2nd Training Module – Mobility and tourism cross-sectoral 

synergies 

-  3rd Training Module - Sustainable Mobility Plans: guidance for 

rural areas 

-  4th Training Module - Funding and financing opportunities, and 
frameworks for sustainable mobility services, solutions and 
initiatives 

Newsletter 

Conference 
papers 

Presentation 
to events 

-  SMARTA-NET Newsletter every 3 months (6 in total) 
-  SMARTA-NET Final Newsletter 

-  Lorenzini, A. Finn, B., (2023), “Developing pan-European 
Capacity at local level for a new era of sustainable rural 
mobility: SMARTA-NET”, TRA24 Conference 

-  See “Events and networking activities in which SMARTA-NET 

participated” (section 8.3) 

Other  

-  1 new Community Group on Rural Mobility, within the 

framework of the EU Rural Pact  

8.3.  External events in which SMARTA-NET participated 

SMARTA-NET participated at several events in 2023 and 2024 to disseminate the project 
results and raise awareness about rural mobility. A list of the most relevant conferences, 
events, seminars, in which a partner of the SMARTA-NET Consortium is shown in Table 
21.  

Table 21: External events in which SMARTA-NET participated 

Date 

Event 

Venue 

Project partner 
who joined the 
event  

14th September 
2023 
5th October 2023 
Urban Mobility Days 
25th October 2023  Global Mobility Call 

RURACTIVE Kick-off 
project Meeting  

22nd March 2024 

15-18th April 2024 

7th May 2024 

22nd May 2024 

27-28th May 2024 

20th June 2024 

2023 

Policy Forum for 
Ireland 

Transport Research 
Arena  

Workshop “Study on 
novel policies 
supporting a shift 
towards low-carbon 
mobility”, supported by 
DG CLIMA 

RPSO’s Policy Lab on 
“Bringing the Rural 
Pact Closer to Citizens” 

The Sustainable 
Tourism Mobility Forum  

Good Practice Webinar 
on “Enhancing Rural 
Mobility through local 

Bologna (IT) 

MEMEX 

Seville (ES) 

NIT 

Madrid (ES) 

MEMEX 

Dublin (IE) 

MEMEX 

Dublin (IE) 

MEMEX 

Online  

MEMEX 

Brussels 

MEMEX 

Breda (NL) 

NIT 

Online  

MEMEX 

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EUROPEAN COMMISSION 

17th September  

18th September  

action”, supported by 
the RPSO 

Austrian Tourism 
Mobility Day  

Zell am See-
Kaprun (AT) 

NIT 

Brussels (BE) 

MEMEX 

Commission Expert 
Group on Climate 
Change Policy – 
Meeting on the Social 
Climate Fund formation  

8.4.  Findings and recommendations from the task 

The main findings and recommendations from Task 8 are summarised in Table 22.  

Table 22 Key findings and recommendations from Task 8 

What 

Description 

Key 
and products  

outcomes 

-  SMARTA-NET Website, including the SMARTA-NET 

Resources Database  

Key  findings  and 
recommendations 

-  SMARTA-NET communication and dissemination materials, 
including the leaflets, the brochure, the newsletters, the 
videos 

-  SMARTA-NET Social Media Channels  

-  The  SMARTA-NET  Website  has  been  a  unique  point  of 
reference  where  relevant  rural  mobility  information  was 
easily accessible for different types of stakeholders according 
to their level and field of interests. SMARTA-NET information 
was  equally  targeted  at  municipalities,  policymakers  at  all 
levels and the wider interested public.  

social 

-  The project's communication and dissemination tools played 
a pivotal role in sharing information about the challenges of 
rural mobility and potential solutions. They also helped raise 
awareness  about  the  significance  of  rural  mobility  in 
promoting 
inclusion,  economic  growth,  and 
environmental  sustainability.  Furthermore,  the  project 
highlighted  how  inadequate  mobility  worsens  inequalities 
between rural and urban areas, which can restrict access to 
education, healthcare, and employment opportunities 
In  the  context  of  the  website,  the  continuous  sharing  of 
information  needs  to  be  highlighted.  Ideally,  the  SMARTA-
NET website should become the long-term repository of the 
SMARTA  and  SMARTA  2  legacy.  The  Commission  needs  to 
ensure that all information is available in the longer run, and 
continue  to  promote  and  disseminate  relevant  outcomes 
through  various  activities  and  mechanisms  (such  as  the 
Rural Pact Community Group). 

- 

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Final Report 
January 2025 

9. CONCLUSIONS 

The  SMARTA-NET  Project  -  “Sustainable  rural  mobility  for  resilience  in  support  of 
ecotourism” has been commissioned by the European Commission: Directorate General 
for  Mobility  and  Transport  (DG  MOVE).  As  part  of  its  mission,  SMARTA-NET  has 
succeeded  to  establish  the  European  Rural  Mobility  Network  (ERMN)  with  active 
participation  of  rural  municipalities  and  other  relevant  stakeholders.  The  ERMN  was 
involved  in  developing  guidelines  for  practitioners  and  organising  training  events  for 
rural  municipalities  in  14  EU  Member  States.  During  2023-24,  the  ERMN  proposed 
several opportunities of engagement and interactions, including three in-person events 
and four online meetings, plus the Final Conference. 

The  SMARTA-NET  project  duration  was  two  years,  ending  in  November  2024.  At  the 
second ERMN conference in Evora on 14-16th May 2024 and at the SMARTA-NET final 
conference in Brussels on 23-24th October 2024, many ERMN participants indicated that 
they would like the network to continue. While they expressed different perspectives on 
what such a network should do, including the bundling of knowledge and good practice 
on rural  mobility and the scale-up  of training activities in European territories, it was 
clear that they appreciated the networking, exposure to a wide range of experience, and 
the opportunities to discuss issues of interest to them.  

SMARTA-NET  aims  to  give  a  future  to  the  ERMN  beyond  2024,  at  least  for  2025. 
Discussions are ongoing with current and future members of the ERMN to clarify what 
should be the scope of the ERMN33 and what issues would current and future members 
of the ERMN be happy for ERMN to continue to pursue.  

Rural  mobility  has  been  put  in  the  spotlight  thanks  to  the  different  EU  initiatives 
developed and conducted over the last few years. With the SMARTA-NET Project being 
concluded, it is particularly important that the dialogue is continued,  for the following 
reasons, among others:  

•  The  recent  review  of  the  long-term  vision  for  the  EU’s  rural  areas:  key 
achievements  and  ways  forward34  and  Rural  Pact  acknowledged  the  project 
SMARTA-NET, and indicate that the creation of a group on “mobility” as part of 
the rural pact community platform is being considered. 

•  The  SMARTA-NET  team’s  participation  in  events  and  its  outreach  beyond  the 
mobility sector has started some conversations, but these need to be sustained 
and deepened so they can lead to practical measures.  

•  The rural municipalities that have engaged to date in the ERMN events and the 
training have valued the regular networking opportunities. For many of them, it 
was the first time they have had access to such a forum and they were gaining 
the benefits. A momentum was being generated but it needs to be sustained. 

33 The envisaged scope and mission of the ERMN, built upon the various interactions with the ERMN members, 
was  presented  at  the  SMARTA-NET  Final  Conference.  Presentation  available  at:  https://www.smarta-
net.eu/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/12_Overview-and-profile-of-the-ERMN.pdf  

34 The long-term vision for the EU’s rural areas: key achievements and ways forward; COM (2024)450 final, 
https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=CELEX:52024DC0450  

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EUROPEAN COMMISSION 

•  The  recent  EU  study  report35  “Novel  policy  ideas  for  a  shift  to  low-carbon 

mobility” identifies rural mobility as one of the three key policy options. 

SMARTA-NET  outcomes  clearly  highlight  the  multi-dimensional  framework  of  rural 
mobility, with key implications across multiple policy areas: the Sustainable and Smart 
Mobility Strategy, which underscored the importance of enhancing connectivity in rural 
and remote areas to support a just transition towards sustainable mobility; the Long-
Term Vision for European Rural Areas 2040, recognizing mobility as a critical  enabler 
for the vitality and sustainability of rural communities; sustainable and balanced tourism 
in rural areas, which relies on connectivity; Climate change mitigation and adaptation, 
just transition and transport poverty. 

This cross-sector engagement highlighted the interconnectedness of rural mobility with 
integrated  mobility  solutions  can 
broader  EU  objectives,  demonstrating  how 
simultaneously address climate, social, economic, and territorial challenges. 

Ecotourism plays a growing role in rural development, offering an alternative to mass 
tourism  by  promoting  nature-based,  cultural,  and  community-driven  experiences. 
However,  its  potential  is  often  hindered  by  the  lack  of  sustainable  mobility  options. 
SMARTA-NET  highlights  the  need  for  integrated  rural  mobility  solutions  that  support 
ecotourism  by  providing  accessible,  low-impact,  and  zero-emission  transport  options. 
Informing  visitors  about  available  mobility  choices  before  and  during  their  trip, 
encouraging  sustainable  travel  modes,  and  developing  multimodal  connections  can 
enhance  the  visitor  experience  while  preserving  the  rural  environment.  By  linking 
mobility  planning  with  tourism  strategies,  rural  areas  can  ensure  that  ecotourism 
remains both a driver of economic growth and a model for sustainable development. 

By grouping together participants directly from 14 EU countries and indirectly  from  7 
more, the ERMN has been the launch of something new and long overdue. The network 
became a dedicated forum to advance rural mobility, bringing together the people who 
can make it happen. The ERMN aimed to connect individuals, foster knowledge sharing, 
inspire improvements, and amplify a common voice for the sector. 

Building on the extensive inputs and discussions of the ERMN events, a set of findings 
was developed. These cover a diagnostic of the situation for rural mobility in Europe, 
recommendations  for  policy,  and  recommendations  for  actions.  These  are  detailed  in 
the ERMN Report. Over 2023 and 2024, SMARTA-NET played a pivotal role in facilitating 
knowledge exchange and building this network. 

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