Mobility in rural areas: Looking for solutions for seniors and commuters!

Mobility in rural areas: Looking for solutions for seniors and commuters!

On November 6, 2025, an open get-together of the CDU community association Röbel/Müritz took place in the Hotel Restaurant Seestern, where the topic of “mobility in rural areas” was intensively discussed. Dierk Kroeger, chairman of the community association, presented the challenges and perspectives of the local transport infrastructure, especially the difficulties that affect older people and people with limited mobility. The guests included Björn Simon, the transport policy spokesman for the CDU/CSU parliamentary group, and Dr. Stephan Bunge, the chairman of the MVVG supervisory board and Bundestag candidate for 2025. State parliament member Thomas Diener and state parliament candidate Matthias Kagel also actively addressed the issues.

During the discussion it quickly became clear that the situation in local public transport is tense for many citizens. Older people in particular face bottlenecks and uncertainties when it comes to their mobility. Offers such as the “ILSE” on-call bus and the “ELLI” neighborhood bus play a particularly central role. These buses are important for doctor's visits, shopping and maintaining social contacts. The participants agreed on the need to secure the existing infrastructure and better network it, also in view of the limited public resources.

The challenges of rural mobility

The topic of rural mobility is not new, but it remains explosive. According to an analysis by bpb.de, over 60% of all routes in rural areas are covered by cars or other motor vehicles, which results in high CO2 emissions. Local public transport, on the other hand, is often not an attractive alternative due to slow frequency and limited service times. These deficits particularly disadvantage seniors and people with low incomes.

In addition, daily journeys are longer in rural regions; according to bpb.de, residents in village areas travel an average of 43 kilometers per day. This further increases migration from rural areas due to perceived disadvantages.

New solutions for old problems

Federal Transport Minister Patrick Schnieder has currently presented a research project that presents guidelines for sustainable mobility in rural areas. This guide contains various practical examples that include solutions such as plus bus lines, car and bicycle sharing and citizen buses. BMV emphasizes the importance of a transport policy that takes into account both urban and rural needs.

The recommended combination of strong regular services, flexible offers and a well-developed network of cycle paths could sustainably improve the situation in rural areas. Those responsible agree that innovative mobility concepts, including autonomous buses and car sharing solutions, must open up new perspectives in order to solve mobility problems and enable more people to participate equally in social life.

In the best local tradition, the Conversation outlines a necessity – mobility is the lifeblood of rural areas. As became clear again at the event in Röbel/Müritz, coordination between different modes of transport and the creation of more attractive offers are essential. If the villages are doing well, we are all doing well!