German public transport passenger numbers in first half of 2021 down 42 percent compared to 2019

Rail and bus passenger numbers in Germany in the first half of 2021 were less 42 percent of pre-pandemic levels, statistics reveal. According to the Federal Statistical Office (Destatis), 3.5 billion journeys were taken between January and June 2021, nearly half that of the same period in 2019. Long-distance journey numbers shrank the most, with long-distance bus passengers contracting by a huge 92 percent. However, local passenger numbers may be artificially inflated due to many people owning season tickets. Overall numbers were also down 18 percent compared to the same period in 2020. This included 34 percent less long-distance train passengers and 24 percent less local rail journeys. However, the second quarter of 2021 showed a slight increase as Covid-19 related restrictions began lifting – 20 percent more passengers took bus and rail journeys from April to June than in the previous three months.

A 2020 survey suggested that the pandemic had made Germans more hesitant about using public transport and increased the use of cars for short journeys.