A recent study by digital industry association Bitkom has found that 98 percent of people in Germany have changed their travel habits in the past year. The climate is the biggest motivator.

Climate crisis sparks travel attitude changes in Germany

Responding to a recent survey, 55 percent of people said that they have changed their travel habits in the past year due to increasing concerns about the climate crisis. A mere 2 percent of those asked said they were using the plane more, while a massive 75 percent said they were flying less.

However, policies on transport brought in by the German government to soften the rising costs of energy have also played a role. 41 percent of people said that the 9-euro ticket and rising petrol and diesel prices were a motivating factor. But the Germans aren't ready to let go of their cars yet, with 22 percent saying they are driving more often. And despite the fact that FFP2 masks are still mandatory on public transport in Germany, 30 percent named fear of catching coronavirus as a reason for why they have changed their travel habits.

The impact of the coronavirus pandemic on the way that people work in Germany has also changed how they travel. For 16 percent of people asked, regularly working from home was the biggest factor when it came to changing travel habits, and for 7 percent, the disappearance of trips for international business played the biggest role.

The survey also found that, when it came to all three crises of recent years - climate, coronavirus and energy - people in Germany are relying more heavily on their bikes. 39 percent of those asked said that they now used their bike more regularly and 22 percent said they use bike sharing services now and again.

Air travel prices rising higher than German inflation rates

The survey comes just as recent data and expert opinion suggest that the years of ultra-cheap European air travel are now drawing to a close. Inflation in Germany hit 10 percent in September, the highest rate since 1951. Meanwhile, according to the Federal Statistical Office, costs of air travel during August in Germany rose by an average of 12,5 percent in comparison to 2021 statistics. In an interview, the boss of Europe’s biggest budget airline, Ryanair, told BBC that the company’s average fare would rise by 25 percent.

Speaking to Focus Online, Antje Monshausen of Tourism Watch pointed to the importance of further developing climate-friendly bus and rail transport in Europe. “If the subsidies used for air travel are redirected to improve and expand rail transport, the transport turnaround is possible without restricting people's mobility needs too much," she said.