Grüne on transport

The Greens want to modernize rail lines, bridges, roads and grids more quickly. A new state task force would ensure that planning, permitting and construction take no more than half as long as they do now.

Bridges, roads and rail lines should be renewed faster. The Greens want a new task force in the state for this. Planning and permits should take only half as long. Broken bridges should be replaced especially fast.

According to the platform, the model is the task force for renewable energy, which it says sped up permits for wind turbines. Replacement structures, especially dilapidated bridges rebuilt in the same location, would get a fast-track procedure. For projects of overriding public interest, planning and permitting would take only a third of the current time. The task force would also deal with training and recruiting the workers needed. The platform calls the overall effort an infrastructure booster.

The Greens want to use the Bundesrat to ensure gas stations may raise their prices only once a day. At EV charging stations, prices are to be displayed openly and card payment made possible.

Gas prices change many times a day. The Greens want gas stations to raise prices only once a day. At charging stations for electric cars, the price should be easy to see. People should be able to pay by card there.

The model is the rule in Austria. In the party's view, consumers should no longer be misled by bait offers. For payment by debit or credit card at every charging station, the party wants to start another Bundesrat initiative. The platform also names affordable charging power, including for ad hoc charging, and accessible charging infrastructure as goals.

The Greens want to expand public transit in line with the state's ÖPNV-Strategie 2030 (public transit strategy), especially in rural areas, and keep fares affordable. Mobility is to be reliable, accessible and climate-friendly everywhere.

The Greens want more buses and trains. This is especially true for villages and small towns. Tickets should stay affordable. Footpaths and bike paths should be safe and free of barriers.

Rural areas are to be better connected, with more frequent service even at off-peak times. The platform justifies the expansion with climate protection, less car traffic and social participation. Local transport planning is to take into account the needs of children, young people, people with disabilities and older people. Safe, child-friendly and accessible footpaths and bike paths as well as rental bikes and scooters are planned.

The Greens want to give priority to maintaining and modernizing existing bridges and roads over new construction or widening. New road projects are to be ranked by transparent criteria including a climate check.

The Greens want to fix old roads and bridges first. New roads come only after that. For new roads, there should be a check on how they harm the climate. Broken bridges should be renewed quickly.

As ranking criteria, the platform lists structural condition, climate impact, landscape and species protection, protection of residents and the cost-benefit ratio. Dilapidated bridges are to be modernized quickly by bundling tenders and speeding up planning. This is also meant to make infrastructure more resilient to extreme weather. Along roads, habitats are to be reconnected and verges planted in a near-natural way.

The Greens want to keep reducing noise and air pollutants from traffic and justify this with health protection. Aircraft noise, especially from Zurich Airport, is also to decrease.

Noise and dirty air make people sick. The Greens want to keep lowering both. Nobody should suffer from harmful traffic noise. Noise from airplanes should also go down.

As guidelines for the coming years, the platform names clean air and traffic noise below levels harmful to health. It notes that EU air quality standards are now met across the state and that noise action plans have reduced exposure. On aircraft noise, the party highlights the burden Zurich Airport places on German municipalities along the High Rhine.

The Greens want to help the state's regional transit associations become leaner and more efficient. Fares and technical systems are to be simplified and made uniform statewide. Low-cost offers such as the youth ticket are to stay.

The state has many transit associations. These are groups of bus and train companies. The Greens want them to work in a simpler way. Ticket prices should follow the same rules everywhere. Cheap tickets for young people should stay.

The state would actively support mergers or closer cooperation between associations where that makes sense and help weaker regions become better integrated. The goal is associations whose services remain affordable for municipal budgets. The platform points to the BW-Tarif, the Deutschlandticket and the "D-Ticket JugendBW" as earlier steps against confusing fares. The offer for seniors to swap their driver's license for a Deutschlandticket valid for one year is also to continue.

The Greens want to double public transit ridership by 2030 compared with 2011. To get there, the rail network and train fleet are to be modernized and local transit made more reliable. A "future timetable 2040" is meant to deliver frequent service.

The Greens want more people to use buses and trains. By 2030 there should be twice as many riders as in 2011. There should be new trains. Buses and trains should be more on time. They should also run more often.

The platform relies on digitally linked modes of transport and more eco-friendly, accessible services. Funding for the purchase of electric buses is to continue and grow. For greater reliability, the state would implement its Transport Contract 2.0, along with guaranteed connections statewide, real-time passenger information and better handling of disruptions. Key Regiobus routes are to get more space for bicycles. The party would also examine turning first class on low-demand regional routes into quiet compartments open to everyone.

The Greens call Stuttgart 21 a costly mistake but accept the result of the referendum. They want to make the rail hub more capable through additional construction and give the Gäubahn line a permanent direct link to the main station.

Stuttgart is getting a new underground train station. The Greens think the project costs too much. But they want to make it better. The old tracks should stay until the new station works well. Trains from the south should go straight to the main station.

The plan includes a so-called local transit triangle with links from the Panoramabahn to Feuerbach and from Feuerbach to Bad Cannstatt; the Panoramabahn line is to be preserved. Full digitalization of the hub in three stages is meant to raise capacity and reliability. The platform demands a solid commissioning plan from Deutsche Bahn. The above-ground tracks are to stay usable until the underground station has proven itself. The Panoramabahn and the main S-Bahn trunk line must not be closed at the same time.

The Greens want to bring as many disused rail lines as possible back into service. Where there are no tracks, the Regiobus network is to grow together with municipalities so that places without a connection get hourly service.

Some rail lines have been closed for years. The Greens want to use many of them again. More Regiobus lines should run too. These are fast buses to the nearest train station. They should run every hour, from early to late.

The state's reactivation strategy is to be developed further. Project sponsors would get help with planning and construction, and later operation would be secured. Current funding for Regiobus lines is to stay as it is. In the longer run, the state is to take over responsibility for Regiobus services, as it already has for regional rail.

The Greens want to expand the Mobilitätspass (mobility pass) and support its local rollout. It lets cities and counties charge a levy whose revenue goes into more bus and train service and cheaper fares.

Cities and counties may charge a fee for buses and trains. This is called the Mobilitätspass. The money pays for better local transit. The Greens want more places to use it. Each place should be able to pick a fitting version.

The Mobilitätspass was created by the Green-led state government as a funding tool. In the platform's view, it secures service even when public budgets are tight and helps rural areas in particular. The revenue can also pay for reduced-fare tickets for low-income riders. Because cities and counties differ, the tool is to be refined together with them so that several versions are available.

The Greens want to expand regional rail across the state together with municipalities. Single-track lines are to be electrified and upgraded, and new connections created. The party wants to hold the federal government to its share of the funding.

The Greens want more train service in rural areas. Old lines should get electric wires. There should be new links, also to France. Where wires cost too much, battery trains should run. The federal government should help pay.

The platform names the Neckar-Alb regional light rail, the Donau-Iller S-Bahn, the Breisgau S-Bahn and the Freiburg–Colmar line. Electric trains are to run soon between Müllheim and Mulhouse and between Offenburg and Strasbourg. Battery trains would replace diesel vehicles where overhead lines do not pay off. The state's share of funding for regional rail projects is to be reliably secured. From the federal government, the platform demands more regionalization funds and money for the Deutschlandtakt (nationwide synchronized timetable), plus upgrades to the Gäubahn, the northern approach and the Mannheim hub. To counter the skills shortage, railway-related training and degree programs would get more support.

The Greens want to deliver a mobility guarantee by 2030: at least one service every 30 minutes in rural areas and every 15 minutes in urban areas. The state would give financial support to the responsible transit authorities for running this minimum service.

The Greens want a guarantee for buses and trains. In rural areas, something should run every 30 minutes. In big cities, every 15 minutes. The state gives money for this. Volunteer-run buses should also get more help.

The service can consist of regular routes or flexible on-demand rides. The platform cites Switzerland and Vorarlberg as models, where people can get around all day by bus, shuttle or train. Volunteer-run community buses (Bürgerbusse) and similar services are meant to fill gaps in the network. The state would give such initiatives more support with start-up, funding, vehicle purchases and recruiting new drivers.

The Greens want to make Baden-Württemberg the leading large German state for autonomous driving in public transit. Self-driving on-demand shuttles are to link places that have neither rail nor regular bus service.

The Greens want to use small buses without drivers. People can call them when needed. They should link places without trains or buses. This also helps when drivers are missing. The technology should come from Baden-Württemberg.

The platform envisions hundreds of such vehicles running in on-demand service in the future. They are meant to help fulfill the mobility guarantee. The party also sees them as an answer to the shortage of drivers. In addition, they are to bring innovations from the state into everyday use.

The Greens want scheduled and commuter boat service on Lake Constance to become part of public transit. It should be usable with a uniform fare and run more often.

Boats run on regular routes on Lake Constance. The Greens want them to count as public transit. Then a ticket like the Deutschlandticket works there. It may cost a little extra. The boats should run more often.

Trips to Switzerland and Austria are included. A ticket such as the Deutschlandticket would be valid, possibly with a surcharge. More frequent service is meant to make the boats easier to use in daily life. Climate-friendly vessels are to be used.

The Greens want to fund mobility hubs that bring together buses, trains, sharing services and charging points. Digital information services and open data are meant to make switching between modes of transport easier.

The Greens want places where changing is easy. There you find buses, trains, rental bikes and chargers. Apps should show what is free right now. For example parking spots or shared cars. The state collects data for this.

The MobiData BW platform is to supply statewide data, for instance on free park-and-ride spaces, bike parking and sharing vehicles. The EFA-BW timetable service and the bwegt app are to grow into information services covering all modes. Municipalities, transit associations, operators and private providers would get help tapping mobility data and using it in applications. The platform cites routing apps for accessibility needs and smart traffic management as examples. Carpooling is to be strengthened further through the "Mitfahren-BW" portal.

The Greens want to support municipalities in turning town centers into traffic-calmed, greener spaces. Car traffic is to slow down, parking areas are to be unsealed, and parking is to be priced to cover its costs.

The Greens want calmer town centers. Cars should drive more slowly there. Parking lots should become green spaces. Parking should cost what it costs the town. There should be more room to walk, sit and play.

Municipalities that want to set up superblocks or car-free old towns would get money and expert help. Parking fees are to strengthen buses, trains, cycling and walking and improve public space; parking is to shift more into garages and neighborhood parking structures. In the next term, more inner-city parking areas are to be unsealed, also as protection against heat and heavy rain. Municipal climate mobility plans are to be anchored statewide. On the expansion of Zurich Airport, the party wants to prevent added burdens on communities in southern Baden.

The Greens stick to "Vision Zero," the goal of no more traffic deaths. They want to get there through lower speeds, safe crossings, school streets and more decision-making leeway for municipalities.

The Greens want no one to die in traffic. Cars should drive more slowly. There should be safe crossings. Streets near schools should be free of cars. Towns should be able to set speed limits more easily.

The platform cites Helsinki as a model. Prevention work with the "Team Vision Zero" and road safety conferences is to continue. Procedures for setting up school streets and school zones are to become simpler, and the state program "MOVERS – Aktiv zur Schule" will go on. Speed limits outside built-up areas are to be easier to order. Intersections are to be redesigned and crossings better lit; municipalities are encouraged to act against dangerous illegal parking and to continue pedestrian audits.

The Greens want to complete a roughly 8,000-kilometer bike network and at least 20 cycle highways by 2030. Cyclists are to get their own paths wherever possible, and fast S-pedelecs are to be allowed on more routes.

The Greens want more and better bike paths. By 2030 a network of 8,000 kilometers should be done. There should also be 20 fast bike routes for commuters. Roads outside towns should get separate bike paths. Fast e-bikes should be allowed there too.

The basis is the 2025–2030 implementation program for the state's RadSTRATEGIE. After 2030 the network is to become denser, with planning starting early. Municipalities are to take on more responsibility for the build-out and receive money and expert help. Outside towns, separate bike paths are to be built along federal, state and county roads. Cycle highways and adjacent bike and farm roads outside towns are to be open to S-pedelecs as a rule, and inside towns on sufficiently wide paths after review. A roundtable on mountain biking in forests is planned.

The Greens want to keep expanding the charging network for electric vehicles, including trucks. The state is to become a hub for climate-neutral, digital vehicles and thereby secure jobs in the auto industry.

The Greens want more chargers for electric cars. Electric trucks should be able to charge fast too. The power grid should be strong enough for this. The state should build the best clean cars. This should keep jobs safe.

The plan includes charging points in residential neighborhoods, a fast-charging network for electric trucks and enough grid capacity. The platform sees the battery-electric truck as the key technology for road freight, with hydrogen as a supplement in special use cases. The state is to invest in depots and build a basic public charging network for trucks. Logistics hubs linking several modes of transport are meant to enable clean deliveries in cities.

The Greens want more freight moved by rail and inland ship. To that end they call for upgraded rail infrastructure, rapid expansion of the Rhine Valley Railway, more transfer terminals and modernized locks on the Neckar.

The Greens want more goods moved by train and ship. Trucks would then drive only the short distances. This needs better tracks. The rail line in the Rhine Valley should be expanded fast. The locks on the Neckar river should also be modernized.

In combined transport, long distances are to be covered by rail and water, with local distribution by road. For rail, the platform names digital train control and the digital automatic coupler as necessary steps. The Rhine Valley Railway expansion is to spare residents through noise protection beyond the legal minimum. The network of transfer terminals is to be kept and enlarged. On the Neckar locks, the party presses for expansion, modernization and reliable maintenance.

The Greens want to rebuild rail lines to France, strengthen local transit with Switzerland and make tickets valid across the border. This is meant to promote climate-neutral mobility and the shared economic area on the Upper Rhine.

The Greens want more trains across the border. Old rail lines to France should run again. The Deutschlandticket should be valid as far as Strasbourg, Colmar and Mulhouse. Young people should get cheap tickets for trips to the neighboring country.

The platform names rebuilding the Freiburg–Colmar and Rastatt–Haguenau lines, for which the federal government and the EU are to help find solutions. It also lists expanding the trinational Basel regional S-Bahn, reactivating the Kandertal railway and the BODANRAIL 2045 project at Lake Constance. The BW ticket and the Deutschlandticket are to be valid on more Swiss routes and for the first time in France, with French tickets recognized on the Upper Rhine in return. Discounted cross-border local transit tickets are planned for young people.