// VIEWS

Across Europe, the way people move is being rewritten. Transport accounts for around 29% of the continent’s greenhouse gas emissions, so the push for cleaner, shared, and people-focused mobility isn’t just a policy goal, it’s become a collective necessity. From Amsterdam’s narrow canal-side streets to Berlin’s wide modern boulevards and the plains of Spain, a shift is clearly underway. 

The new mobility landscape is built on alternatives: scooters for the last mile, bikes and e-bikes for daily commutes, electric cars and charging hubs for city centers, and trams and autonomous shuttles reshaping public transit. What makes these changes powerful isn’t only the technology itself, but the rethinking of what mobility means, less about owning a car, more about access, inclusion, and care for the environment. 

This edition of VIEWS brings together snapshots of Europe’s mobility transition: a mosaic of wheels, wires, and walkways pointing toward a future that’s healthier, cleaner, and more connected. 

A trusty steed since the 19th century, bicycles are still a popular and affordable way to move around, especially in urban areas like Amsterdam. Photo: Sabina Fratila / Unsplash 
Bike sharing programs in urban centres around the world encourage citizens to opt for cycling as a sustainable way of getting around. Photo: nextbike / Unsplash 
These initiatives receive an extra boost when paired with well-developed and efficient cycle lanes, like this one in Copenhagen, Denmark. Photo: Antoine Schibler / Unsplash 
Recent years have seen electric scooters grow in popularity both as private vehicles and through app-based rental services. Photo: Gabriella Clare Marino / Unsplash 
Bike carriages are a common way parents in many European cities bring their kids to daycare or school before heading to work. Photo: Hardial Singh / Unsplash
The rise of e-scooters was a good example of regulation falling behind a trend with controversies arising due to safety concerns. Photo: Pony / Unsplash 
In 2023, Paris became the first European capital to ban rental e-scooters from its streets following a referendum. Photo: Volodymyr Dobrovolskyy / Unsplash 
The quiet whirring of electric vehicles is becoming an increasingly common feature of many European cities. Photo: Stepan Konev / Unsplash 
Growing EV demand has seen the rapid roll out of new infrastructure, such as this charging point in the Netherlands, which is home to more than any other European country. Photo: Rick Govic/Unsplash 
Car-sharing app based rental schemes like this CAR2GO vehicle offer comfortable trips through urban areas. Photo: JavyGo / Unsplash 
The advent of new technologies has ushered in a taste for autonomous vehicles like this electric shuttle being tested in Berlin. Photo: falco / Pixabay 
It’s not just electric cars nowadays either. This electric ferry runs routes in Norway. Photo: Hyke 
Intercity travel options like highspeed facilitate more sustainable travel options over cars and planes. Photo: Joon Kwon / Unsplash  
In Spain, high speed trains turn a 6.5-hour car journey between Madrid and Barcelona into a 2.5 whizz through the countryside. hoto: Nico Ruge / Unsplash 
Sustainable transport options don’t have to be modern and shiny, something this classic Portuguese tram attests to.  Photo: Pedro Farto / Unsplash