Passenger transport
| Anticipated market development / % | 2025 | 2026 (Mar forecast) | 2026 (Jul forecast) |
|---|---|---|---|
| German passenger transport (based on pkm) | +0.9 | +1.0 | –1.5 |
As of July 2026. Forecasts for 2026 rounded to half percentage points.
The German passenger transport market was characterized by continued growth in 2025, but still remained below pre-Covid-19 levels. Demand is expected to decline in 2026. This trend is likely to be driven by rapidly rising oil prices, economic developments and the mobility behavior of the population. Commuter transport and business travel are undergoing major long-term changes, and are partially being substituted with mobile working and digital communication.
- Motorized individual transport is likely to decline in 2026 and remain below pre-Covid-19 levels. The segment is being impacted by very high fuel prices and changes in mobility behavior following the Covid-19 pandemic.
- Domestic air transport in Germany stabilized in 2024 and 2025 at half the pre-Covid-19 level. Due to the sharp rise in jet fuel prices since March 2026, a growing number of domestic flight cancellations are expected as the year 2026 progresses.
- Public road passenger transport is expected to see slight growth in 2026. Long-distance bus transport, which is included in this figure, remains about 40 % below pre-Covid-19 levels.
- Rail passenger transport is expected to see slight growth in volume sold in 2026, that shoud be driven by local transport. Among other things, development is expected to be slowed by restrictions due to the high level of construction activity.