Passenger record in Lower Austria: 45.5 million use buses!

Passenger record in Lower Austria: 45.5 million use buses!

Niederösterreich, Österreich - In 2024, the transport infrastructure in Lower Austria recorded a new record with 45.5 million passengers. This represents an increase of over 2 million passengers compared to the previous year and corresponds to an increase of 2.1 million passengers or five percent. State Councilor Udo Landbauer (FPÖ) described this result as outstanding and as an important sign of the attractiveness of public transport in the region. The increase in passenger numbers is particularly due to the improvements in the timetable and an increased focus on the quality of the services offered, as Landbauer emphasized.

A remarkable aspect is the use of the needs-controlled traffic, which include flex and call collection taxis. These were used by 142,055 people, which represents an increase of 60,000 users compared to 2023. Particularly high increases were registered in the regions of Klosterneuburg, Wachau, Waldviertel and the Wiesel buses.

infrastructure and provider

The Lower Austrian Transport Organization. M.B.H. (NÖVOG) is the largest mobility provider in Lower Austria and runs an extensive infrastructure that consists of six lanes, two cable cars, 578 regional bus lines and 16 needs -controlled. These diverse offers are part of the strategy to sustainably improve mobility in the region and at the same time to cover the needs of the population.

The national trend shows that passenger numbers in local public transport (public transport) have increased across Germany since 2022 after they have dropped significantly in previous years through Corona pandemic. The VDV member companies play an essential role in this context and promote 26 million passengers by bus and train every day, replacing 18 million car trips. This development not only contributes to relieving road traffic, but also makes a significant contribution to climate protection.

sustainability and economic effects

Studies show that the sustainable mobility industry in Germany offers an economic benefit of around 118 billion euros annually. Every euro that is invested directly in the mobility industry will be associated with 2.40 euros in additional added value. In 2023, the VDV companies on the rails ran a record number of 82 billion person kilometers and thus contributed to the reduction of 10 million tons of greenhouse gas emissions.

The positive trend of passenger numbers and the associated effects on the economy and the environment show that investments in local public transport are not only important for mobility, but also make a significant contribution to value creation and climate goals. So it remains to be seen how these developments will continue to develop in the coming years.