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 |  NASA GmbH

Demand for local public transport significantly exceeds pre-corona levels

Grafik zur Entwicklung der Nachfrage im öffentlichen Nahverkehr

The simplicity of the Deutschland-Ticket and the expansion of services in the state mean that more and more people are using local transport in Saxony-Anhalt. Rail travel in particular is in high demand. Compared to 2019, the last year before the coronavirus pandemic and the nine-euro ticket, travelers covered a total of around 80 percent more kilometers on the state's tracks last year.

“The adjustments we are making are therefore having an effect. However, the Deutschland-Ticket doesn't just bring additional passengers on trains and buses, it also challenges us to constantly expand the service. Be it by increasing frequency or expanding capacity. We have a particular focus on rural areas,” said Dr. Lydia Hüskens, Minister for Infrastructure and Digital Affairs, in Magdeburg today. Many travelers pass through Saxony-Anhalt on their way between northern Germany and Saxony or to and from Berlin by local train. But they are not solely responsible for the increase in passenger numbers. The number of passengers has also increased by 20 to 60 percent in places without transfer stations on the usual “transit routes”, mostly in rural areas.

“Last year in particular, we were able to successfully expand our services with the Elbe-Havel-Stern, the direct connection and capacity expansion of the RE4 from Berlin to Stendal and the additional vehicles in the Saale-Thüringen-Südharz network, which we were able to implement at very short notice,” added the Minister. The passenger figures confirm that the measures taken in recent years are working. The RE20 Magdeburg - Uelzen route has once again seen a large increase in passengers (+69%) since the introduction of the hourly service in December 2023. Together with the S1 Magdeburg - Wittenberge line, which supplements the RE20 between Magdeburg and Stendal and thus guarantees a half-hourly service (Altmärker Y), the increased capacity is having an effect. Compared to 2019, the number of passengers on the two routes from Magdeburg to the north of the state has increased by 152 percent.

Further examples of significantly increased passenger numbers compared to 2019:

  •     RE1 Magdeburg - Berlin; plus 64 percent
  •     RE 9 Halle - Kassel; plus 73 percent
  •     RB40 Burg - Magdeburg - Braunschweig; plus 134 percent
  •     RE11 Magdeburg - Thale; plus 68 percent
  •     S-Bahn from Halle in the direction of Leipzig; plus 65 percent


“We have done our homework. However, we can't allow the lack of a second track on the Stendal - Uelzen line to continue to affect local transport in Saxony-Anhalt due to the construction site detour of long-distance traffic via Stendal. Improvements to services and increases in demand can only be sustainable if the financing of the Deutschland-Ticket, regionalization funds and investments in the network are stable and appropriate in the long term,” concluded the Minister.

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