KfW Survey: Better Public Transport and Bike Paths Encourage Switching - Even in the Countryside

The majority of people in Germany can basically imagine switching more frequently from cars to public transport or bicycles – if the conditions are right, such as attractive fares, according to a survey by the state development bank KfW. Approximately 75 percent of the roughly 4,000 households regularly using cars, who were surveyed, consider it conceivable to switch more often to buses and other means of public transport. About 66 percent think the same way about bicycles. There are differences between urban and rural areas regarding the necessary incentives, but less so in the overall results. In general, there is a significant potential for shifting traffic from cars to public transport and also to bicycles, the KfW analysts conclude. According to KfW, bicycle traffic could also become a key pillar of the mobility transition – away from motorized individual transport (MIV).

"The dominant role of cars is a major challenge for the necessary decarbonization of the transport sector. According to the KBA, at the beginning of the year, around 98 percent of the cars registered in Germany were powered by an internal combustion engine," state the KfW analysts.

Favored Car in Poorly Connected Areas – "Standing Vehicle" in the City

The more rural the region and the poorer the connection to public transport, the more frequently the car is used. In rural areas, both the car ownership per household and the proportion of households that use a car daily is approximately twice as high as in big cities. In big cities, only one-fifth of households use their car daily, while a full 36 percent don't have a car at all. In rural areas, a better connection would lead 71 percent of respondents to use public transport more often. In big cities, however, the cost aspect dominates, the KfW survey reveals. Cheaper fares would motivate around 58 percent of households to switch to buses and trains more often.

No Significant Differences in Bicycle Usage

There were no major differences between urban and rural areas regarding bicycle usage. For more than half of the households, better infrastructure is a prerequisite for increased bicycle use (more than 50% in cities/around 48% in rural communities). Nearly half of the respondents (around 45% in cities/around 42% in rural communities) would use their bikes more frequently if they could be better combined with public transport. According to the survey, purchasing an e-bike could be an incentive for nearly 28 percent of households to switch modes of transport. The bicycle also has significant potential in rural areas, the KfW study states.

Even Electrically, the Car Remains Inefficient by Comparison

The study by the development bank, which finances numerous climate protection measures in the transport sector as well, points out the central role of mobility. The share of transport in German greenhouse gas emissions has risen from 13 percent in 1990 to about 20 percent in 2020, as cited by the development bank. In terms of final energy consumption, the sector accounts for one-third of the total consumption in the Federal Republic.

Considering the share of different modes of transport in overall traffic performance, a dominant role of motorized individual transport (MIV), mainly cars, emerges. Although public transport (both local and long-distance) has gained market share from cars since 2002, even in current numbers, motorized individual transport still accounts for about three-quarters of total traffic performance.