Fewer Passengers in Public Transport than Before Corona - Germany's Public Transport Sees Passenger Decline in 2024, Germany Ticket's Popularity Slows
Local rail transport in Germany saw a 1% decrease in passengers in 2024, with around 2.8 billion journeys. This follows a general trend of fewer people using buses and trains since the Corona pandemic. The Germany ticket, offering monthly travel for 58 euros, has 14 million users but its popularity has slowed, with passenger numbers increasing by only 1% in the first half of 2025 compared to the previous year. The ticket's price is set to rise to 63 euros in 2026, sparking concerns from a parliamentarian, Hölz, about its impact on commuter numbers and potential car usage.
Trams experienced the sharpest decline in passenger numbers, dropping by 5% to 3.9 billion in 2024. Overall, local public transport carried 11.5 billion passengers in 2024, a 2% decrease from 2019. Buses remained the most popular mode of transport, with 5.4 billion passengers, although this figure also showed a 1% decrease from 2019. The decrease in passengers is not surprising, given the end of the boom period for the Germany ticket and the lingering effects of the pandemic on travel habits.
The multiple counting of passengers who change between transport modes in the figures makes the exact number of unique passengers difficult to determine. However, the overall trend of decreasing passenger numbers is clear, raising concerns about the future of public transport in Germany.
In 2024, local public transport in Germany carried fewer passengers than in 2019, with all means of transport showing a decrease. The Germany ticket's popularity has slowed, and its price increase in 2026 could further impact commuter numbers. Efforts to encourage public transport usage and mitigate the effects of the price rise will be crucial to maintain and grow passenger numbers.
