In the second quarter of this year, the number of passengers in local rail transport increased significantly. The relaxation of the corona measures and the 9-euro ticket introduced in June caused the number of passengers to increase by 74 percent compared to the same period last year, as the Federal Statistical Office reported on Friday based on user data automatically collected by the transport companies. Compared to the first quarter of the year, the number of passengers has grown by 46 percent.
Only companies that use automated passenger counting systems were considered in the special evaluation. In the previous quarter, they transported 59 percent of all passengers in local rail traffic and 48 percent of passengers in tram traffic.
With the nine-euro ticket, people also covered longer distances, the data suggests. The transport performance of the local railways, measured in passenger kilometers, more than doubled (113 percent) within a year. 21 percent more passengers traveled with trams and light rail vehicles than in the previous quarter and 48 percent more than in the same quarter of the previous year. The growth was therefore lower than in rail transport.
Punctuality rate in long-distance transport below 60 percent
However, the long-distance trains at Deutsche Bahn (DB) were again particularly late in July. Only 59.9 percent of trips reached their destination at the scheduled time last month, as the group announced on Friday. The punctuality rate remained below 60 percent for the second time in a row. In the previous month, the worst value since 2010 was reached at 58 percent.
"Continued intensive construction activity throughout the DB network and the very high utilization of the trains and the central rail routes are currently having a strong impact on punctuality," said the railway on Friday. The group counts a long-distance train as punctual as long as it does not arrive at its destination more than six minutes late.
