Erfurt (dpa/th) - According to the Association of Central German Bus Companies, bus trips are also becoming increasingly interesting for younger people. "The clientele is changing. Bus trips are no longer the typical 60+ offer," said the association's managing director, Tilman Wagenknecht, on Tuesday in Erfurt. In addition to organized holiday trips, individual travel concepts are increasingly in demand, for example for private groups of friends, sports clubs or company trips.
After the restrictions during the corona pandemic, bus travel is promising, but not without risk due to the necessary advance planning - if only because of the imponderables in the development of fuel costs. Added to this is the ongoing problem of a lack of bus drivers.
The chairman of the association, Mario König, also sees opportunities through increased climate awareness, especially among younger people. "Some of them already prefer the bus to the plane." In addition, the long-distance buses, which still connect cities, have changed the image of the bus. The offer can be expanded, for example, for ski vacationers or mountain bikers, said König. Ultimately, anyone can rent a bus if needed.
The association regretted that there were still restrictions for long-distance buses - ultimately they were reserved for long distances with stops only after a minimum distance of 50 kilometers on the motorways. "At the moment, for example, we can't drive a long-distance bus to the Harz Mountains," says Wagenknecht.
Industry representatives from Thuringia, Saxony and Brandenburg will meet in Gera on Thursday and Friday for the Central German Bus Day. It should also be about the planned Germany ticket and the bus infrastructure.
