By Jheruleene Anne Ramos
Germany’s traffic behaviour is shifting as car usage declines, according to a comprehensive urban mobility survey (SrV 2023) published in early April.
The SrV 2023, conducted by the Technical University of Dresden, surveyed nearly 282,000 residents across Germany between February 2023 and March 2024, revealing a nationwide decline in car usage in cities and major towns.
Data showed that the share of journeys made by car in metropolitan areas declined from 31 per cent in 2018 to 26 per cent in 2023, as cited by Sueddeutsche Zeitung.
Another report, Mobility in Germany, commissioned by the Federal Ministry of Transport and released in March, also showed that individual motorised transport usage fell to 53 per cent in 2023–2024, down from 57 per cent in 2017.
Interestingly, the decline in usage comes despite a rise in car ownership.
There are now 1.2 cars per household in Germany, up from 1.1 in 2017, Spiegel reported.
Walking, cycling on the rise
Both studies observed that as fewer people use cars, more are turning to eco-friendly alternatives like walking and cycling.
SrV 2023 found that the share of walking rose by five percentage points to 33 per cent, while bicycle use increased slightly compared to 2018.
Similarly, Mobility in Germany noted that approximately 26 per cent of all journeys had been made on foot in 2023-2024, which was higher than the 22 per cent in 2017.
It also noted a modest increase in public transport use, with journeys made by train and bus rising from 10 per cent to 11 per cent.
Women and older adults more mobile than men and youth
Aside from the rise in people choosing to walk and use bicycles as their primary mode of transportation, SrV 2023 also observed that the different mobility behaviours among age groups and genders.
Women aged 30 to 50 were found to be more mobile than men, often due to the complexity of their daily routines, such as transporting children and shopping.
Furthermore, it noted that older age groups are becoming increasingly mobile compared to younger people around 20, whose mobility saw a decline between 2018 and 2023, though figures were not specified.
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COVID-19 pandemic drives the change in behaviour
Researchers attributed much of the shift in traffic behaviour to the lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.
They noted that there was an increase of employees who have been working from the comforts of their home due to the COVID-19, eradicating long car commutes.
Likewise, the Mobility in Germany report noted a surge in bicycle ownership and the widespread adoption of e-bikes across the country during the COVID-19 period.
Another key factor was the introduction of the Deutschlandticket (Germany Ticket), which promoted sustainable mobility by offering affordable access to local public transport.
Results pose challenge for next government
State Secretary Hartmut Hoeppner said the findings represent a “homework” assignment for the next federal government, which must align future policies with evolving daily mobility habits.
His remarks follow calls from the Christian Democratic Union/Christian Social Union alliance to end the Deutschlandticket, citing concerns about financial viability beyond 2025.
Hoeppner added that while daily mobility remains a mix of various transport modes, the government must continue monitoring all of them to meet public needs.
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