Low-emission zones, modes of transport and house prices: evidence from Berlin’s commuter belt

We study the impact of a tightening of a private driving restriction in Germany’s capital, the city of Berlin, on house prices in its affluent suburbs. Using geo-referenced data on train stations, motorway access points and offers of single-family houses for sale from Germany’s leading online property broker ImmobilienScout24 in a spatially staggered DiD framework, we find evidence for sizeable price growth premia for houses located in walking distance of train stations that lie within 30 min commuting duration to Berlin main station. Property located in immediate vicinity (5 min walking distance) of train stations within 30–40 min commuting duration, however, face penalties. Our findings are of relevance for the design of public infrastructure planning policies that seek to accommodate and facilitate changes in local demands for alternative and more environmentally sustainable modes of transport induced by private driving restrictions.