Between relaxation and tantrums: On the move on public transport

Summer 2024. The Berlin public transport company wants to revamp its ticket app. It's supposed to be simpler and more powerful. But what was intended as progress causes months of trouble: In the new BVG app, previously purchased tickets and stored monthly passes are suddenly no longer displayed reliably. Sometimes the payment function fails, sometimes the money is debited multiple times. Or the purchased ticket is visible but cannot be validated. Anyone who gets caught in a ticket inspection is out of luck.

Those with older smartphones are also unlucky during those months: They can no longer buy tickets at all. Approximately 100,000 customers are affected, and this comes at a time when the BVG also stopped accepting cash payments on buses.

One year later, the app works quite reliably. But the example of Berlin shows that it's not enough to have a wide range of local public transport options – tickets must also be easily accessible. Buses and trams, as well as S-Bahn and U-Bahn trains, should also run punctually and reliably, of course. And even in this area, there's still room for improvement in Berlin, where delays and cancellations of public transport are commonplace: 6 percent of U-Bahn services were cancelled in 2024 – the highest number in years.

The Association of German Transport Companies (VDV), however, sees positive aspects in Berlin's example – namely, because of the capital's connections with Brandenburg. "The overall service provided by Berlin and Brandenburg is so good because we have a shared transport network," says Alexander Möller, VDV Managing Director for Public Transport.

"People's mobility needs don't stop at the borders of districts or federal states," Möller emphasizes. This means thinking more broadly, offering more integrated transport options, and better interlinking different modes of transport, such as rail and bus.

Specifically, not every bus route necessarily needs to be maintained or run at frequent intervals, but routes with higher demand need to be operated more regularly and frequently. Möller cites an example: "What works best in rural areas are plus buses." These are bus routes that run at fixed hourly intervals and connect cities, train stations, or important bus routes directly without the usual stops. The motto here: Get to the next connection point quickly.

Furthermore, for routes with less demand, there are around 120 different on-demand services nationwide, i.e. vehicles that run on request – and with very different capacity utilization.

A successful example of the networking of various public transport options is the SMILE 24 model project : Along the Schlei River in Schleswig-Holstein, in addition to the usual bus routes, additional express buses have been connecting the centers of the rural region more quickly and frequently for over a year. In addition, there are on-demand services for shorter distances and local car and bike sharing. This is particularly attractive for tourists. The number of people traveling to work with a job ticket has also quadrupled after one year.

The industry now wants to accelerate this momentum for public transport expansion: In addition to the VDV (German Transport Association), the associations MoFair (private passenger railways) and BSN (public transport authorities) are also committed to simplifying things. They call for industry structures to be streamlined and more uniform, aligned with the federal states.

There should also be more uniform standards, both in terms of requirements for rail vehicles and in the awarding of transport services. This would also make the acquisition of new vehicles easier and, above all, significantly cheaper, as transport associations currently often have their own, customized—and therefore significantly more expensive—models. A corresponding voluntary commitment is currently being signed, with the BSN taking the lead.

The associations also want to finally clean up the digital tariff landscape. Their proposal: reduce the variety of apps and introduce a powerful, neutral application.

Prof. Lukas Iffländer of the passenger association Pro Bahn (Pro Bahn) should also be pleased: The rail expert believes simpler fares are long overdue. Ideally, all fare groups should fit on a beer mat, he believes. The Rhine-Ruhr Transport Association and the Hamburg HVV aren't quite that far yet, but they've been taking significant steps toward simplification since the beginning of the year. "It's slowly getting there," says Iffländer.

At first glance, the Deutschlandticket also offers this simple and nationwide structure. However, at closer inspection, there are differences. Depending on which network you're traveling with, your partner, child, dog, or bicycle can travel for free. However, in neighboring networks, this can be entirely different – ​​and additional payments are due. According to VDV expert Möller, this must change. "We need a Deutschland-Ticket 2.0," he demands.

Combining a simpler fare structure with digitalization would indeed result in significant savings in public transport. There are 20,000 ticket machines nationwide. Maintaining each one costs €10,000 to €15,000 per year. This means that up to €300 million could be channeled into public transport elsewhere.

A new study led by the Technical University of Munich, which was commissioned by Deutsche Bahn, shows that this would even be economically worthwhile: the 25 billion euros that flow into public transport every year generate 75 billion euros in added value, three times the amount invested.

A large portion of this directly benefits the public transport sector, such as vehicle manufacturers or cleaning services. But retailers, tourism, and employers also benefit from good bus and train connections, according to the study, which is based on 2019 figures. Public transport also reduces costs that would otherwise be covered by taxpayers' money: These include traffic accidents and land use, as well as noise, air pollution, and climate impact.

There is one hurdle, however. All of this requires a lot of personnel, and urgently. According to the VDV (German Transport Association), there is already a nationwide shortage of around 20,000 bus drivers and at least 3,000 locomotive and railcar drivers. And the trend is rising. Career changers are welcome.