Passenger journeys on Germany’s local rail network increased by about 2% in 2025 to 2.8 billion. The distance travelled collectively rose faster, gaining 3% to reach 66 billion passenger-kilometres.

The figures were reported by the Federal Statistical Office, Destatis, on Thursday, October 8. Scheduled local buses also posted a 2% rise to 5.5 billion journeys, although their transport performance remained broadly stable at 39 billion passenger-kilometres.

Tram operators registered 3.9 billion journeys and 17 billion passenger-kilometres, matching the previous year. Compared with 2015, local rail patronage was 10% higher, while bus and tram journey totals were each up 1%.

The preliminary statistics count individual uses of transport rather than unique travellers. Destatis said incomplete automated counting and difficulties tracking use of the nationwide Deutschlandticket could have led to undercounting, particularly on local bus services.