Local public transport users 6% up in Germany in first half of 2024

The Deutschlandticket, a subscription public transportation ticket, likely contributed to a six percent year-on-year increase in the number of passengers using local bus and train services in Germany to around 5.6 billion in the first half of 2024, according to the Federal Statistical Office (Destatis). The number of passengers on local rail services rose by 12 percent to over 1.3 billion, while the number of passengers on local tram services increased by seven percent to over 1.9 billion.

Data reported for local bus services show a four percent increase to 2.5 billion passengers in the first half of 2024. At the same time, passenger numbers on long-distance rail services fell by five percent to 69 million due to strikes, while the number of passengers using long-distance buses rose by four percent to five million. Overall, passenger numbers using long-distance scheduled services fell by four percent to 73 million passengers.

The Germany Ticket is often considered a success. A recent analysis by transport policy think tank Agora Verkehrswende partly attributed a dip in cars on German roads to the popularity of the ticket. The Deutschlandticket, introduced in spring 2023, has been hailed as a potential breakthrough in transport policy that could trigger a long-term change to mobility patterns. However, the issue of how to fund the ticket has been debated by the federal government and states since it was introduced, casting doubt on the offer’s long-term viability.