Passenger transport
In passenger transport our target is to maintain our strong market position in the rail and bus transport market in Germany over the long term, while benefiting from market opportunities in Europe.
Throughout Europe, regional and local transport contracts are being increasingly put out to tender. Through DB Arriva we have operations in the bus and/or rail transport business in 14 European countries. This constitutes a good position for further growth. The liberalization of the European passenger transport markets is still, however, prog-ressing at different speeds across Europe.
Outside Europe a new market for rail operation and maintenance projects is developing, for which international operators are increasingly being sought. This is the task of DB International Operations.
Germany’s passenger transport market shows stable development
| Passenger transport market in Germany (% based on volume sold) | Growth rate | Market share | ||
2018 | 2017 | 2018 | 2017 | |
Motorized individual transport | +0.0 | –1.5 1) | 84.0 | 84.3 |
Rail passenger transport | +3.0 | +1.4 | 8.9 | 8.5 |
DB Group | +3.5 | +2.6 | 7.7 | 7.3 |
Non-Group railways | +0.5 | +5.4 | 1.2 | 1.2 |
Public road passenger transport | +0.0 | +2.0 | 6.3 | 6.3 |
DB Group | –3.4 | –7.7 | 0.6 | 0.6 |
Air transport (domestic) | –1.0 | +0.9 | 0.9 | 0.9 |
Total market | +0.2 | +1.3 | – | – |
Figures for 2017 and 2018 are based on information and estimates available as of February 2019. Market shares for each mode of transport have been rounded.
1) Reduction due to a methodological adaptation of the German Institute for Economic Research.
The passenger transport market in Germany showed stable development in 2018:
- Motorized individual transport remains slightly below the level of the previous year.
- Rail passenger transport posted marked growth.
- Public road passenger transport stagnated.
- Air transport decreased slightly.
This was largely due to developments in the prevailing socio-economic conditions, which – though less dynamic – were still positive, as well as to special factors:
- Employment figures and disposable income showed solid growth, but at the same time the cost of fuel rose strongly and inflation increased slightly.
- The price level of flights decreased slightly while rail and long-distance bus prices showed a moderate increase, with car journeys becoming noticeably more expensive.
- Adverse weather caused heavy infrastructure damage and significant transport restrictions.
Marked increases in bus and rail travel in Europe
| European passenger transport market (% based on volume sold) | Growth rate | |
2018 | 2017 | |
Rail passenger transport | +2.0 | +4.0 |
DB Group | +1.9 | +4.6 |
Figures for 2017 and 2018 are based on information and estimates available as of February 2019. Growth rates for each mode of transport have been rounded up or down to the nearest half percentage point.
The European passenger transport environment showed positive developments in 2018:
- European rail passenger transport grew significantly by about 2.0%.
- Long-distance bus transport in Europe showed moderate growth, driven largely by the expanded offer of FlixBus.
Employment and real disposable incomes rose moderately in many European states, while annual average fuel prices increased considerably.
Steps toward market liberalization often stimulated European bus and rail transport:
- The French Senate decreed a rail reform, which includes progressively opening the national passenger transport market to competition. DB Arriva signed a strategic partnership with the French regions on the development of passenger rail transport.
- The Finnish Ministry of Transport and the state-owned railway VR Group signed an agreement on opening the national rail market. In the first stage, vehicle and property companies were hived off and placed under the direct control of the Ministry of Transport.
- Norway awarded its first tendered transport contract in October 2018 to the British company Go Ahead, thus opening the railway market to competition.