About the NVV
The NVV plans and finances buses, tramsand trains in Kassel and the surrounding areas. Together with the state of Hesse, it monitors the quality of these transport services, as required by local transport law.
As the regional public transport authority, the NVV is responsible for ensuring an attractive mobility offering in northern Hesse. It also acts as the competent authority in accordance with EU Regulation 1370/2007. The NVV orders and provides transport services from various companies in accordance with the "purchaser-provider principle".
In addition to its main area of responsibility in the transport association, the NVV has a second area, the development company. This supports measures that strengthen the economy in northern Hesse. Verkehrsverbund und Fördergesellschaft Nordhessen mbH holds 50% of the share capital of Regionalmanagement Nordhessen GmbH. Other shareholders are the Chamber of Industry and Commerce, the Kassel Chamber of Crafts and the Pro Nordhessen e. V. association.
Tasks of the association
A single ticket allows you to use buses, trains and tramsin the Nordhessischer Verkehrsverbund (NVV). The NVV guarantees a uniform fare for all local transport in North Hesse. The fare area is divided into zones corresponding to the more than 100 towns and municipalities in North Hesse. The KasselPlus area includes the city of Kassel and 14 surrounding municipalities. Within the NVV area you can purchase end-to-end tickets for your entire route on local transport. With day tickets and season tickets of the highest price level 8, you can even travel throughout the entire network area.
The NVV customer centres and NVV InfoPoints not only offer tickets, but also personal advice and information material. Ticket machines are available at most stations, making it quick and easy to purchase all NVV fare tickets. Since 2012, it has also been possible to download the ticket directly to your mobile phone via the NVV app.
Clear and uniform passenger information is particularly important for successful local public transport. This includes all information about routes, departure times, travel times, prices and the like. Dynamic passenger information, for example on screens, is important for passengers and is best available in real time. The NVV app has been offering this service since 2012 and even allows tickets to be purchased directly via smartphone.
Stations and stops on local rail services are something like the calling card of a transport association and showcase the image of a town or municipality. The NVV therefore attaches great importance to ensuring that all 99 stations in the fare zone are well equipped and in good condition. Various modernisation programmes have brought all stations and stops up to a minimum standard. These include ticket machines, information showcases for passengers, sheltered waiting areas and new signposts. Regular maintenance programmes ensure that any damage caused by vandalism is quickly repaired.
Some stations have been modernised through extensive repairs and care has been taken to ensure that they are barrier-free. The NVV continues to invest in the stations to create modern access points to rail transport along the rail routes.
Modern electric railcars, double-decker coaches and light diesel railcars are used on most routes to provide first-class comfort. This means that boarding is easy, the interior is air-conditioned, the seats are upholstered, the design is appealing and there are disabled-friendly toilets.
In total, there are 24 lines that use the tram, RegioTram, regional train and regional express to ensure good connections in the city and the region. The RegioTram in particular offers a new quality of local transport. Since 2007, it has been possible to travel from Hofgeismar, Wolfhagen and Melsungen to Kassel city centre in modern railcars without changing trains.
In recent years, various sections of the line and stations have been renovated or reopened. The modernisation of stations and transport facilities will continue in the future.
The bus is the most important means of public transport in North Hesse. Around 70% of the daily mileage in northern Hesse is covered by bus. On weekdays alone, buses cover around 74,000 kilometres.
The NVV develops the transport services together with the districts and the city of Kassel and commissions the various bus companies that operate on the NVV network.
The contracted transport companies must meet high quality standards. For example, only low-floor buses are used and the passenger information (e.g. next stop announcement) is announced visually and acoustically. All buses in the NVV network have a uniform colour.
When designing the timetable, the bus routes in the region are connected to the rail network in order to provide as seamless a journey from A to B as possible. Existing gaps, especially where fewer people live, are filled by the AnrufSammelTaxi.
The comprehensive modernisation of over 5600 bus stops throughout the NVV area is one of the central tasks of the transport association. With a well thought-out, uniform design, they are eye-catching and informative ambassadors for the public transport network in northern Hesse. And municipal quality assurance ensures that it stays that way. This is how the NVV shows character.