FAQ FAQ General Information Study Abroad in Germany

Public Transport in Germany

harsh.raiAugust 11, 2022

179 3 minutes read

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Public Transport in Germany

Germany has an excellent public transport system that connects smaller towns along the road and successfully covers areas within its major cities. It has a stellar reputation for being trustworthy, cozy, and swift. Even though Germans are notorious for loving their cars, the majority of city dwellers, particularly foreigners, opt to use public transportation daily.

While larger cities provide more public transportation options than smaller towns do, even the tiniest villages have at least a bus system. The official websites for each venue provide detailed information about the schedules, ticket prices, and potential discounts.

Modes of Public Transport in Germany

There are four different public transit options available in the major cities. The Rapid Transit System includes 13 S-Bahn systems and five U-Bahn systems. It operates underground in the city center and above ground in the suburbs. While this is the fastest and most widely used mode of transportation. Straßenbahn (tramlines) and the bus system are further means of enforcing public transportation.

Frequency of Each mode of Public Transport

The mode-wise frequency of public transport in Germany is as follows:

U-Bahn (Subway/Underground)

The Untergrundbahn, usually known as U-Bahn, is the underground rapid transit system found in the majority of German urban centers. They travel underground in the center of the city, rising to the surface as they approach the edges.
However, the lines operate relatively often, every 5 to 15 minutes, and are systematically structured and numbered with a U and the matching number.

S-Bahn (Suburban Commuter Rail)

This railway serves suburban areas and close-by towns in addition to city centers. In larger cities like Berlin, Hamburg, Munich, Frankfurt-Mainz-Wiesbaden, Stuttgart, Cologne-Düsseldorf-Ruhr District, Nuremberg, Dresden, Leipzig-Halle, Mannheim-Heidelberg-Karlsruhe, Magdeburg, and Rostock, express trains that travel from the city center all the way out to the suburbs operate without a hassle.

The S-Bahn standard is very close to the metro system in the biggest cities. Every 20 to 30 minutes, there is service. However, the train makes a number of stops in and near the city center before heading out into the suburbs.

Bus

In Germany, bus stops are identified by a capital H. The number of operating bus networks in a city rises with its size. Berlin operates multiple bus lines at once, and like other major cities, it offers a night bus service. The German Rail system is used in smaller towns instead.

Straßenbahn/Tram Bahn (streetcar/tram)

The majority of cities, particularly those in the east, have this kind of overland transportation. Also in the big cities, it travels underground in the middle, obviating the need to pass through the crowded areas. It even goes by the nickname “the tube.”

Ticket system in German Public Transport

Tickets are available as one-time, daily, weekly, and monthly passes. The S– and U-Bahn stations’ platforms include ticket vending machines, which are thankfully bilingual for foreigners. Tickets can be purchased there. In contrast to trams, where tickets are obtained from machines inside the trains. The buses still need you to hand cash to the driver.

German lawmakers introduced the €9 ticket, a reduced nationwide travel pass, for June, July, and August of this year (2022) to help offset the country’s rising energy and living expenses. You can travel anywhere in Germany using public transport with this €9 ticket. In addition to regional and regional express trains, this also applies to buses, trams, subways, and light rail. This unique ticket also includes a few ferry connections in Hamburg and Berlin.