Berlin Expands Bus Services Amid Improved Staffing

Berlin's public transport authority, BVG, is set to increase its bus service offerings, marking the first expansion in years. This positive development stems from a stabilized personnel situation, which has led to an adequate number of drivers for buses, subways, and trams. BVG CEO Henrik Falk announced several improvements, including extending the M77 bus route by nearly five kilometers to Hermannstraße station. Additionally, the X33 line will operate longer hours in the evenings and run at more frequent intervals during the day. For residents in Charlottenburg, the previously discontinued line 310 will resume service, connecting Wilmersdorfer Str./Charlottenburg station to Blissestraße/Uhlandstraße station. Falk stated that this expansion demonstrates the company's progress toward improvement. He confirmed that the BVG no longer faces a bottleneck in staffing, particularly for drivers. This contrasts sharply with 2022, when a driver shortage forced BVG to curtail services on over 30 bus lines. Further reductions were announced in November 2023, impacting the overall bus service by six percent starting December 2023. The subway system has also seen improved reliability, reaching approximately 98 percent in the first half of the year, with a target of 99 percent. This reliability had previously suffered due to an aging fleet, with less than 90 percent of planned subway services running at times.

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For the first time in years, there is an expansion of services in bus transport.