Night lines in Bremen: Long waiting times and urgent improvements!

Night lines in Bremen: Long waiting times and urgent improvements!

Bremen is facing challenges in the area of ​​night traffic. The inadequate timing of the night lines results in long waiting times and frustrates many passengers. After 12:30 a.m., for example, you have to wait up to two hours for the next bus on the N10 to Walle and even four hours to Borgfeld. Katharina Rüßbült, spokeswoman for Bremer Straßenbahn AG (BSAG), explains that this low frequency is due to the low passenger potential during the week. If you look at the situation more closely, it becomes clear that the basic offering of the night lines has remained unchanged for decades, which only further fuels the discussion about necessary improvements.

However, changes are planned as part of the traffic development plan (VEP), which serves as a long-term strategy to improve traffic in Bremen. However, the implementation of these improvements depends on financing. The VEP is currently behind schedule, but the first stage should be prepared for the 2025/26 timetable change. One can be particularly excited about stage 6 of the service offensive, which envisages an expansion of night traffic. This includes new lines as well as a 30-minute service on weekends and a continuous service during the week, which would be a welcome relief for many working people.

Night routes and more than just buses

Despite the planned improvements, the night service offering initially remains a basic offering and may not fully cover the needs of shift workers in particular. For example, the north of Bremen is only accessible to passengers from 4:30 a.m. on weekdays, which is inconvenient for many commuters. This could be mitigated by future “on-demand shuttles” in districts such as Grambke and Oberneuland, which are intended to enable flexible and needs-based mobility.

The opposition in Bremen, especially the CDU, criticizes the slow implementation of the VEP and insists on better timing of the night lines. Michael Jonitz, a prominent CDU member, says that low demand cannot be an argument for poor offers, as many other cities have proven that attractive public transport increases demand. It is therefore to be hoped that something will change in the near future and that more parts of the city will be better connected to the night line network.

The traffic development plan in focus

The transport development plan is a comprehensive strategy to ensure Bremen's attractiveness for citizens, business, tourism and science. It was decided on in November 2019 and is divided into several phases: analysis, measures and implementation concept. As part of the first phase, citizen participation took place, in which around 7,700 people from Bremen contributed their ideas and suggestions for transport development. These results flow directly into the VEP's action plan and are intended to ensure that the planning meets the needs of the citizens.

The VEP not only considers public transport, but also walking and cycling as well as individual motorized transport. The aim is to design the traffic measures in such a way that they create a harmonious overall picture and the quality of life in Bremen remains high.

Overall, it remains to be seen how the planned measures in the night line network will be further fleshed out and implemented. The coming months could be decisive for what mobility in Bremen will look like after midnight.