Germany sees rise in traffic jams despite flat-rate public transport ticket - motorist group

The introduction of a flat-rate “Germany Ticket” for public transport did not prevent a significant increase in traffic jams last year, according to motorist association ADAC. The duration of all traffic congestions in the country added up to a total of 427,000 hours in 2023, an increase of almost 30 percent compared to 2022, but still below the pre-corona year 2019, ADAC said. The association added that both a higher number of construction sites and a rise in traffic volumes were to blame for the increase. The lobby group counted a total of 504,000 traffic jams with a total length of 877,000 kilometres. "The hope that the Germany Ticket would encourage as many commuters as possible to switch to public transport and reduce congestion is not reflected in the figures," ADAC traffic expert Jürgen Berlitz said. "Unfortunately, there is no recognisable positive effect on the volume of traffic and the development of congestion."

The Germany Ticket (Deutschland-Ticket) is a monthly subscription which allows buyers to use regional public transport across the country for 49 euros. Munich’s Technical University also concluded last year that the flat-rate ticket did not lead to a significant reduction in car use, whereas a third of subscribers said in a survey that they leave their car at home more often.