On rail and road, or over hill and dale: people, animals and plants in the Alps are constantly on the move. They leave traces, change landscapes, transport goods, create encounters and cross borders – with far-reaching consequences for the Alpine region. More and more lorries cross the Alpine passes, commuters travel to work every day, and more and more tourists seek recreation in the mountains.

Multidimensional mobility, in the mountains and in the valleys

"Mobility is also in the min", says Andrea Szabadi-Heine, an adventure instructor featured in this issue. She once climbed the summit of Aconcagua: today she is happy with every step she climbs. Her life changed abruptly after an accident, but she still kept moving – including an inclusive crossing of the Alps on a handbike. Meanwhile, in his essay on long-distance hiking along the Via Alpina, Julien Defois describes just how much walking can inspire and give new strength. In addition, the themed issue presents mobility pioneers from the Alpine region – walkability plans in Slovenian municipalities; car-sharing and the Austrian Klimaticket; or projects that motivate people to commute by bike or on public transport. As mobility expert Helen Lückge sums it up in the SzeneAlpen interview: "The traffic turnaround is more than just switching to alternative drives".

Avoiding traffic collapse together

If the Simplon Alliance signed by the eight Alpine countries in 2022 has its way, all traffic in the EU and the Alpine region will be climate-neutral by 2050 – both passenger and freight traffic. «The following holds for the growing volumes of individual and transit traffic – neither regional nor national perspectives will lead to solutions. We have to find them together, because the Alps lie in the midst of Europe», as Kaspar Schuler states in his introduction to the booklet. "This geographical truism is central to an understanding of transport policy problems in the Alps so as to avoid transport collapse".

Themed issue no. 110 of SzeneAlpen – "Begegnungszone Alpen – Vielfältig mobil am Berg und im Tal" – explores new ways towards more sustainable mobility in the Alpine region. Subscribe free of charge at www.cipra.org/de/abo/szenealpen; a digital edition is available at www.cipra.org/szenealpen (de, fr, it, sl)