Regensburg Plan 2040: Guidelines for the Coming Years

By 2040, Regensburg is focusing on the city of short distances. In the coming years, new and existing neighborhoods will be developed so that everyday destinations can be reached on foot, by bike, or by public transport. Compact structures, mixed uses, as well as climate-resilient open spaces and buildings are planned.

• Compact: Inner development and efficient land use instead of further urban sprawl.
• Mixed: Bringing living, services, education, work, and leisure closer together spatially.
• Climate-ready: Heat protection, rainwater management, more urban greenery, and energy-efficient construction.

Specialist concepts for mobility, open space, and affordable housing will be gradually integrated with the urban development plan so that projects can be implemented in a coordinated manner from 2025 to 2040.

Inner Southeast: Next Steps Toward a New Urban Neighborhood

The "Inner Southeast" remains a central development area. In the upcoming planning and construction phases, previously underutilized areas will be transformed into vibrant neighborhoods with social infrastructure, green spaces, and local amenities.

• Housing with a focus on affordable living and social mix is prioritized.
• Open spaces will be unsealed, greened, and developed as places to stay (shade, seating, play and sports areas).
• Neighborhood management and participation formats will be continued to design paths, squares, and amenities together with residents.
• Connections to bus, train, bike, and pedestrian paths will be expanded so that everyday destinations can be reached without a car.

Regional Mobility: From Timetable to Network

Coordinated mobility measures are planned for the city and surrounding area to relieve commuter flows and strengthen environmentally friendly transport.

• Public transport: Denser and more reliable schedules as well as better transfer points between bus and train.
• Cycling: Direct, safe routes and comfortable nodes at stops.
• Intermodality: Park & Ride and Bike & Ride options to reduce trips into the city center.
• Urban development: Denser, mixed neighborhoods along high-performance public transport corridors.

These measures will be gradually translated into projects so that capacity and quality will noticeably improve over several years.

Old Town and Smart City: Data as a Planning Basis

In the old town, data collection via anonymous frequency sensors will be continued and selectively expanded. The results will feed into future decisions on quality of stay, accessibility, and events.

• Needs-based square design: More shade, greenery, and seating at highly frequented locations.
• Traffic management: Fine-tuning of public transport services and pedestrian connections based on real use.
• Transferability: Insights from the old town will be applied to other neighborhoods to specifically improve public spaces.
• Data protection: Only aggregated, anonymized data is used.

Walkability: Walking as the Everyday Standard

Future upgrades will focus on the walkable accessibility of everyday destinations and the quality of public space.

• Comfortable crossings, clear routing, and safe school routes.
• Upgrading of nodes with lighting, greenery, and seating.
• Active ground floors and short distances between living, services, and leisure.
• Connection to the cycling and public transport network to make transfer chains seamless.

The results of new walkability analyses will be used to prioritize measures according to impact and need.

Participation, Housing, Public Space: What Matters Next

Regensburg plans to continue involving civil society actors so that future neighborhoods offer social mix, quality, and everyday suitability.

• Land and allocation strategies with quality criteria for mixed use and sustainability.
• Neighborhood garages and space-efficient solutions to free up street space for greenery, play, and encounters.
• Social infrastructure (daycare centers, schools, neighborhood meeting places) will be planned early on.
• Monitoring: Indicators for climate resilience, mobility, and quality of stay guide implementation.

What's Next: What You Can Expect in the Coming Years

1. Planning decisions and competitions for sub-areas in the Inner Southeast, followed by initial construction phases.
2. Gradual increases in public transport frequency and upgrades to nodes, supplemented by safe cycling routes.
3. Pilot areas in the old town with additional greenery and heat prevention, evaluated using smart city data.
4. Neighborhood-based walkability measures: better crossings, clear paths, furnished places to stay.
5. Continuous citizen dialogues on mixed use, open space quality, and mobility.

Sources and Further Information

1. City of Regensburg — Regensburg Plan 2040 — Overview and decision documents (accessed 2025-12-31)
2. City of Regensburg — ISEK/ Framework Plan Inner Southeast — Development concept and next steps (accessed 2025-12-31)
3. City of Regensburg — Smart City "New Horizons" — Pilot sites, data use, data protection (accessed 2025-12-31)
4. City/Region Regensburg — Regional Mobility Concept — Package of measures for city and surrounding area (accessed 2025-12-31)
5. BBSR — City of Short Distances — Background on mixed use, mobility, and resilience (accessed 2025-12-31)