Munich: Bicycles are fully in trend - more cars are used less

Vehicles in Munich are increasingly becoming standstill vehicles: This is the result of an analysis by the Mobility Department of the Bavarian capital Munich over the past four years. The development seen in the first half of 2023 continued in the second half of the year, the department stated.

"The trend is shifting away from car traffic towards buses, trains, and bicycles," said the department.

Interestingly, despite the population in Munich growing by about three percent between 2019 and 2023 and the number of registered motor vehicles (MV) rising by about five percent, the MV traffic volume according to the figures from around 120 MV detectors in the city area decreased by around six percent in 2023 compared to 2019. The decline was more pronounced inside (14 percent) and outside (seven percent) the Middle Ring than on the ring itself (three percent).

Bicycle traffic increases significantly

In contrast, bicycle traffic shows a significant increase when comparing the two years, experts note. On average, at the available permanent bicycle counting stations, which are representatively distributed throughout the Munich urban area, there is an increase of around 17 percent. From January to August, the increase compared to 2019 – with similar weather conditions – was even over 25 percent. Although the weather in November and December 2023 was significantly more rainy and snowy than in 2019, bicycle traffic in these two months increased by about six percent.