Berlin, May 15, 2026 – The draft of Berlin’s Public Transport Plan (NVP) 2026-2028, presented by the Senate Department for Mobility, marks a significant step backward for the city’s mobility transition. This is the strong assertion made by BUND Berlin in its submitted statement on the draft, which closes its public consultation period on May 18, 2026.
A Retreat from Progress: What the Draft Plan Reveals
The environmental organization highlights that the proposed plan not only reverses previously agreed-upon positive developments in public transport expansion but also cuts back on planned frequency increases in the existing U-Bahn network and new tram line constructions. This is particularly concerning for areas like Spandau, which are offered no clear prospects for replacing their overburdened bus lines with more efficient tram routes in the foreseeable future.
Adding to the concern, BUND Berlin expresses regret that, unlike in previous years, the Senate Department for Mobility did not involve stakeholders in the preparation of the NVP 2026-2028 draft. This lack of engagement raises questions about the transparency and inclusivity of the planning process.
The Core Objectives and Their Undermining
BUND Berlin’s statement is fundamentally guided by the three main objectives stipulated in the Public Transport Plan itself, which are crucial for achieving Berlin’s climate and environmental goals:
- Ensuring mobility for all with Berlin’s public transport.
- Increasing the share of public transport in the modal split.
- Improving the sustainability of public transport design.
The organization emphasizes that the modal split in Berlin, especially for commuter traffic, must shift decisively away from individual motorized transport and towards sustainable alternatives. Public transport plays a pivotal role in this transition.
This necessary shift in the modal split can only be achieved through a consistent mobility transition. This requires measures that are quickly implementable, comparatively cost-effective, and effective for many people in their daily lives. A sustainable transport policy must therefore clearly focus on expanding the environmental network and reducing car traffic.
Political Priorities Under Scrutiny
Gabi Jung, Managing Director of BUND Berlin, critically assesses the current political direction: “From BUND Berlin’s perspective, it is crucial to use public funds specifically where they can have a quick, social, and sustainable impact. This cannot be achieved with the current focus of CDU Transport Senator Ute Bonde on a few very expensive U-Bahn new construction projects or questionable magnetic levitation train fantasies.”
Jung further argues that public transport should not be viewed in isolation but as part of a comprehensive environmental network. The Public Transport Plan should therefore be more strongly oriented towards the rapid expansion of effective services, particularly trams, and a better integration with pedestrian and cycling traffic. She states, “The policy of Ute Bonde and the CDU faction aims at the exact opposite. Cycling infrastructure on main roads is to disappear, and well-advanced tram projects are being buried. It would be better if the Public Transport Plan 2026-2028 were not adopted in its current form.”
Key Demands from BUND Berlin
In its comprehensive statement, BUND Berlin outlines several key demands:
- Tram expansion as a priority solution for urgent improvements and extensions in public transport services.
- Double articulated buses are not a suitable alternative to tram expansion.
- A clear departure from expensive, unrealistic, and ineffective U-Bahn new construction projects.
- Reinstatement of the “qualifiedly terminated” tram projects along Leipziger Straße and in Gropiusstadt as important, future-oriented extensions of the tram network.
- Avoidance of service cuts and frequency reductions.
- Acceleration of trams and buses through consistent priority signaling, firmly anchored in the Public Transport Plan.
- Concentration on measures that are quickly implementable and have a broad impact for many public transport users.
The full statement from BUND Berlin on the draft Public Transport Plan 2026-2028 is available for review on their website.
The Broader Implications for Berlin’s Future
The debate surrounding Berlin’s Public Transport Plan is not merely about routes and timetables; it is a fundamental discussion about the city’s vision for its future. Will Berlin prioritize genuinely sustainable, accessible, and equitable mobility for all its citizens, or will it succumb to costly, long-term projects that may not address immediate needs or effectively contribute to climate goals?
The BUND Berlin’s critique underscores a tension between ambitious, yet potentially misdirected, infrastructure projects and the pragmatic need for efficient, environmentally friendly, and socially just transport solutions. The choice made in the coming weeks will have lasting consequences for Berliners and the city’s environmental commitments.
As the public consultation period draws to a close, the pressure mounts on the Senate Department for Mobility to reconsider its draft and integrate the critical feedback from organizations like BUND Berlin. The future of Berlin’s mobility transition, and indeed its environmental health, hangs in the balance.
Source: https://www.bund-berlin.de/service/presse/detail/news/rueckschritt-fuer-die-mobilitaetswende-entwurf-des-berliner-nahverkehrsplans-2026-2028/
