The effects of the pandemic on passenger numbers can also be seen in 2021. The decline in the first half of the year was greatest in long-distance bus traffic.
The corona pandemic continues to cause a decrease in the number of passengers on buses and trains. In the first half of 2021, almost 3.5 billion journeys were registered, 18 percent less than in the same period of the previous year, according to the Federal Statistical Office.
In long-distance rail transport, the decrease was 34 percent, in long-distance bus transport even 92 percent. Local public transport with buses and trams, which accounts for 99 percent of scheduled traffic, was 17 percent below the previous year’s figure, but these are preliminary results. Compared to the first half of 2019, the year before the coronavirus outbreak, the total decline is 42 percent.
The main reason for the decline is the first quarter of 2021: While between January and March, 39 percent, significantly fewer people used public transport than in the same period of the previous year, an increase of 20 percent in local transport and 51 percent in long-distance transport was recorded from April to June. The entire first quarter of 2021 was dominated by the pandemic, while a year earlier the virus only had a significant impact on public transport from March. In the second quarter of 2021, more people took buses and trains again than a year earlier.
Jane Stock is a technology author, who has written for 24 Hours World. She writes about the latest in technology news and trends, and is always on the lookout for new and innovative ways to improve his audience’s experience.
