Abstract
The economic and political reunification of Germany in 1990 unleashed a transportation revolution in Eastern Germany. After forty years of public transport dominance under socialism, auto ownership and use skyrocketed with the transition to capitalism. In only three years, ridership on public transport fell by almost 50%, and auto registrations per 1,000 population rose by almost 60%. The main reason for the sudden shift in modal split is the large increase in real per-capita incomes of Eastern Germans. Their purchasing power rose dramatically thanks to massive financial aid from Western Germany and access to hard currency for the first time. In addition, the relative cost of auto use has fallen sharply since reunification because public transport fares rose ten-fold, while gasoline prices and auto prices fell. The massive shift from public transport to the auto has caused severe problems of pollution, safety, equity, and congestion in Eastern German cities, partly because of the suddenness of the modal shift. Urban transport policy in Eastern Germany should adopt some of the strategies used for years in Western Germany to tame the automobile, while at the same time allowing high levels of auto ownership. Such strategies include auto-free zones, traffic calming, extensive bicycle pathways, vehicle emission standards, and parking restrictions. Finally, large investments will have to be made in Eastern Germany's dilapidated roadway and public transport infrastructure.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Banister D, Berechman J & De Rus G (1992) Competitive regimes within the European bus industry: theory and practice.Transportation Research 26A: 167–178.
Deutsche Shell Aktiengesellschaft (1991) Motorisierung nach der Vereinigung.Aktuelle Wirtschaftsanalysen 22: 9–24.
The Economist (1992) Helmut Kohl's hour of need. Vol. 325, No. 7783, October 31: 47–48.
Foerschner G & Schoeppe E (1992) Erste Ergebnisse des erweiterten Systems repraesentativer Verkehrsbefragungen SrV-Plus 1991.Strassenverkehrstechnik 2: 84–91.
Foerschner G (1992)Mobilitaet und Verkehrsmittelwahl in unterschiedlichen Stadtgroessengruppen der neuen Bundeslaender. Dresden, Germany: Technische Universitaet Dresden.
Foerschner G (1990) Entwicklung der Verkehrsmittelwahl in Staedten der DDR im Lichte des Systems repraesentativer Verkehrsbefragungen (SrV) 1972 bis 1987.Die Strasse 30: 323–326.
German Bundesbank (1993) Ausgewaehlte Wirtschaftszahlen fuer Osteutschland.Monatsbericht, February, Section IX, Part 10.
German Information Center (1992) Langsame Erholung in den neuen Bundeslaendern.Deutschland Nachrichten October 23: 1–5. New York: German Press and Information Service.
German Ministry of Transport (1991)Verkehr in Zahlen: 1991. Bonn, Germany: Bundesverkehrsministerium.
German Ministry of Transport (1992a)Verkehr in Zahlen: 1992. Bonn, Germany: Bundesverkehrsministerium.
German Ministry of Transport (1992b)Finanzierung des OEPNV in den neuen Bundeslaendern. Bonn, Germany: Bundesverkehrsministerium.
German Ministry of Transport (1992c)Finanzielle Leistungen fuer den OEPNV. Bonn, Germany: Bundesverkehrsministerium.
German Press and Information Service (1992)Tatsachen ueber Deutschland. Frankfurt am Main: Societaetsverlag.
Gomez-Ibanez J & Meyer J (1990) Privatizing and deregulating local bus services: lessons from Britain.Journal of the American Planning Association 56: 9–21.
Ifo Institut (1992a)Verkehrskonjunktur 1992: Abgeschwaechtes Wachstum im Westen, beginnende Erholung im Osten. Muenchen: Ifo Institut fuer Wirtschaftsforschung.
Ifo Institut (1992b)Aufkommens-, Verteilungs- und Wirkungsanalyse der Finanzierung fuer den OEPNV. Muenchen: Ifo Institut fuer Wirtschaftsforschung.
Mann H, Mueck R, Schubert M, Hautzinger H & Hamacher R (1991)Personenverkehrsprognose 2010 fuer Deutschland. Muenchen: Interplan Consult GmbH; and Heilbronn: Institut fuer angewandte Verkehrs- und Tourismusforschung e.V.
Pucher J (1990a) Capitalism, socialism, and urban transportationJournal of the American Planning Association 56: 278–296.
Pucher J (1990b) East-west transportation spectrum.Transportation Quarterly 44: 441–465.
Pucher J & Clorer S (1992) Taming the automobile in Germany.Transportation Quarterly 46: 383–396.
Pucher J (1993) Transport revolution in Eastern Europe.Transportation Quarterly 47: 97–114.
Saitz H (1988) Erfurt City and traffic: an example of transport policy and planning in the German Democratic Republic.Transport Reviews 8: 1–17.
Schmidt H (1992)Unfallentwicklung in Deutschland. Dresden: Institut fuer Verkehrssicherheit, Hochschule fuer Verkehrswesen.
Thomas K, Ackermann K, Foerschner G, Schoeppe E & Coers H (1989) Die Entwicklung des staedtischen Personenverkehrs in der DDR.Wissenschaftliche Zeitschrift der Technischen Universitaet Dresden 38: 199–204.
Verband Deutscher Verkehrsunternehmen (1993)VDV Statistik. Cologne, Germany: Verband Deutscher Verkehrsunternehmen.
Voigt W (1991) Die Verkehrs situation in den neuen Bundeslaendern: Probleme und Aufgaben. In: Koller S (ed)Urban Development Policy — Transport Development Policy (27–35). Budapest, Hungary: Scientific Association for Transport.
Voigt W (1988) Town traffic in the German Democratic Republic.Transport Reviews 8: 183–195.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Pucher, J. Modal shift in Eastern Germany. Transportation 21, 1–22 (1994). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01119632
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01119632