Commission publishes new guidance on sustainable rural mobility and ecotourism

Today the Commission publishes four new guidance documents, developed under the SMARTA-NET Project Sustainable rural mobility in support of ecotourism’. The project, a European initiative active from 2022 to 2024, addressed one of the most persistent challenges in European transport policy: ensuring sustainable and equitable mobility for rural areas.  

In many parts of Europe, rural communities experience a significant mobility deficit, as access to essential services like employment, education, healthcare, and recreation becomes increasingly concentrated in urban centres. This trend deepens reliance on private vehicles, exacerbating socioeconomic inequalities, increasing carbon emissions, and putting individuals without access to a car at risk of transport poverty.  

Within this context, SMARTA-NET produced four guidance documents: 

• On Rural Mobility Shared Solutions, introducing good practice mobility solutions that can address mobility deficits in rural areas, how these can be packaged, and seamlessly integrated with the mainstream public transport network. The Guidance comes with a Catalogue detailing over 30 mobility solutions.
• On funding and financing options for rural mobility, providing guidance on how to plan, access and manage funding and finance for rural mobility. This targets rural municipalities in particular, who may need to access a blend of public, social and private finance to implement and sustain measures that address, or at least mitigate, mobility deficits and transport poverty.
• On integrating aspects of rural mobility within Sustainable Urban Mobility Plans (SUMPs): The  Sustainable Urban Mobility Plan instrument, was designed to meet transport needs while promoting accessibility, safety and sustainability. However, SUMPs have traditionally focused on urban areas, often overlooking rural surroundings—even though rural residents regularly commute across municipal boundaries. Addressing this disconnect, SMARTA-NET developed a dedicated Guidance Document to help planners incorporate rural mobility considerations into all phases of the SUMP lifecycle.
• On Sustainable Mobility in rural tourism regions, to support rural destinations in improving transport options for visitors and residents alike. This resource explores tourist travel behaviours, promotes collaboration between key stakeholders, and outlines strategies to boost walking, cycling, public transport, and intermodal connectivity. It emphasises the importance of effective travel information—both before and during the trip—to enable environmentally friendly travel choices and ensure a seamless, informed experience for tourists while reducing car dependency in vulnerable rural landscapes.

SMARTA-NET was broadly structured around three interlinked pillars. Alongside guidance documents, these were:

• European Rural Mobility Network (ERMN): The first pan-European platform of its kind. Through four in-person events and four webinars, the ERMN connected municipalities, rural development agencies, local action groups, practitioners, and researchers from across the EU to exchange knowledge and foster collaboration. See also: Report on the European Rural Mobility Network (ERMN).
• Training Courses: Tailored sessions were delivered in 14 EU countries in national languages, covering the four thematic areas of the Guidance documents. The training empowered local authorities and rural stakeholders to take action on mobility planning, service design, and implementation.

Additional resources—including reports, presentations, brochures, and videos – can be accessed via the project website.

Background

SMARTA-NET’s ambition was to support the transition to low-carbon, inclusive rural mobility systems aligned with the European Long-Term Vision for Rural Areas—envisioning communities that are “stronger, connected, resilient, and prosperous” by 2040—and to contribute to European Green Deal targets by cutting fuel consumption and CO₂ emissions.

More information

Urban public transport & shared mobility