A Vito Tourer from ViaVan driving in Berlin.

New in the German capital: on-demand ride pooling from BerlKönig.

Mercedes-Benz Vans, Via and Berliner Verkehrsbetriebe have teamed up. Their "BerlKönig" on-demand ride pooling service has been available in Berlin since autumn 2018.

On-request ride pooling.

Using public transport without having to stick to a timetable and sharing a ride in an especially comfortable van whenever and wherever you want? BerlKönig makes it all possible. ViaVan has joined forces with Berliner Verkehrsgesellschaft (BVG) to create a special type of project: on-demand ride pooling for the German capital. ViaVan is a joint venture between Mercedes-Benz Vans and the Via transport company.

The smartphone app from BerlKönig makes it possible.

The principle is as simple as it is ingenious: anyone who wants to get from A to B in Berlin enters the time and location at which they wish to travel as well as their intended destination. The app then bundles all of the desired routes of the various passengers together in as efficient a way as possible. Specifically this means that the software from ViaVan checks in real-time which journeys can be logically combined without resulting in major detours. And then the journey can begin. Up to six passengers can travel at the same time – also barrier-free.

Passengers can get in and out virtually anywhere:

At virtual bus stops which the app shows.

Safety, comfort and flexible departure times.

The service is so flexible that customers are no longer bound by fixed departure times. They can simply get in and out at virtual bus stops. BerlKönig is thus a real alternative to using a car and a useful addition to the public transport network in Berlin.

Innovation as a driving force.

Individual advantages which relieve strain on the environment.

The good thing about BerlKönig: it thinks like you. The capacity of the vans is optimally used. That means sustainability for everyone. This method of planning transport requirements is especially advantageous for the passengers. They benefit above all from the prices and a great amount of flexibility when booking their journeys. An intelligent algorithm ensures that optimal use is made of the available vehicles. And that means great added value for city living. BerlKönig reduces the number of vehicles on the roads, reduces local emissions and relieves the load on urban infrastructure.