SPD on transport

The SPD wants long-term funding for the Deutschlandticket (nationwide transit pass) and to keep its current price. People up to age 28 are to get a ticket for 28 euros. In the long run, children and young people are to ride public transit for free.

The SPD wants to keep the Deutschlandticket. It should not get more expensive. Young people up to age 28 should get a ticket for 28 euros. Later, children and young people should ride buses and trains for free.

The platform argues that a single ticket makes fares clear and lowers the barrier to using local transit. The youth ticket is meant to supplement the Deutschlandticket and make trips to school, training and work cheaper. The SPD names free transit for young people as its main long-term goal.

The SPD wants every town and village in Thuringia to be connected to public transit every day. An integrated timetable, a statewide transit association and flexible on-demand services are meant to offer an alternative to the car.

The SPD wants a bus or train to run in every town every day. Timetables should fit together well. There should be one shared ticket system for all of Thuringia. In rural areas there should also be on-call buses and taxis.

The integrated timetable is to be expanded quickly in all parts of the state, supplemented by mobility hubs for switching between modes of transport. The platform names density, coordinated timing and availability as guiding principles; service is not just to follow current demand but to create new demand. Whether on-call buses, shared taxis or ride-sharing are used is to be decided locally. Commuters are to be supported with job tickets, commuter parking and park-and-ride. Municipalities are to get help buying buses and trams and building charging infrastructure; state and municipal official cars are to have alternative drives where possible.

The SPD wants to put disused rail lines back into service and quickly electrify main and branch lines. All regions of Thuringia are to be connected by rail, with commuter-rail frequency as the goal.

The SPD wants to use old rail lines again. More lines should get electric power for trains. Every region should have a rail connection. Trains should run as often as a commuter train.

Together with Deutsche Bahn and private transport companies, strategies for connecting all regions are to be developed. Where needed, for example between Leinefelde and Gotha, the SPD is pushing for a second track. The party wants Thuringia to stop ranking last in rail electrification. Where there is no rail, bus lines of statewide importance are to fill gaps in the network. On routes such as the Saalebahn, local tickets are to be valid on long-distance trains to increase frequency for commuters.

The SPD wants to invest heavily in bike paths and give pedestrians more space. A speed limit of 30 km/h is to be the general rule in built-up areas. Municipalities are to receive a dedicated lump sum for bike path investments.

The SPD wants to build more bike paths. Walking should also become easier. In towns, cars should usually drive no faster than 30 km/h. Towns should get money for bike paths.

New bike paths and bike highways, bike lanes in towns and secure parking are planned. A statewide master plan for the bike path network is to be drawn up, and municipal cycling plans are to be updated. For pedestrians, the platform calls for more traffic-calmed zones, more crossings and longer green phases where needed. Local transit plans are to receive funding only if they adequately consider walking and accessibility. Road construction is to plan civil engineering work together with bike and pedestrian paths.