ADAC Mobility Index 2025

Mobility has become more affordable and somewhat more sustainable, but reliability in German transport has deteriorated significantly.

This is shown by the latest Mobility Index, which Prognos has compiled for the ADAC for the fourth time. The index examines the extent to which transport in Germany has been developing towards sustainability since 2015. The focus topic of this edition is road safety.

Prices are falling, traffic jams are increasing

The Mobility Index takes into account data up to 2023; complete data for later years is not yet available. It has improved slightly in almost all dimensions compared to the previous year. The only exception is reliability: in 2023, there were more traffic jams and rail transport became less punctual.

The most important results:

• The overall index remains stable at a high level: Since 2015, the Mobility Index has gained 11 points, but improved only minimally in 2023 compared to the previous year.
• Transport demand rose in 2023. The number of journeys made by individuals increased by 5.3 percent, and the distance travelled (passenger kilometres) also grew by 3.4 percent compared to 2022.
• More than half of all journeys were made by car. 26 percent were made on foot and around eleven percent by bicycle.
• Traffic congestion increased again: in 2023, there were 67 kilometres of congestion per kilometre of motorway, compared with 56 kilometres in the previous year.
• Poor infrastructure, intensive construction work and staffing shortages led to an increase in delays, particularly in long-distance rail transport. Punctuality in 2023 was 61 percent for long-distance rail and 85 percent for local rail.
• Although nitrogen oxide emissions were lower than in the previous year, climate protection targets were not met. The reason: CO₂ emissions were still too high.
• In 2023, mobility was cheaper in relation to disposable income than in the comparison year 2015. High fuel prices on the one hand and subsidies for public transport on the other meant that public transport was more affordable than private cars.
• There were also slight improvements in road safety in 2023. Despite significant advances in technical vehicle safety – evident in the decline in serious injuries and fatalities – road safety remains a key challenge, especially for pedestrians and cyclists. New risk factors (including e-scooters, conflicts of use in road space and demographic change) are counteracting the positive developments.
• The availability of mobility in Germany increased only slightly in 2023.

Our approach

The ADAC Mobility Index provides a scientifically sound data basis and shows how sustainable mobility is developing in Germany. The index is based on publicly available data that comprehensively maps mobility in private and public transport. Both short-term and long-term changes are documented, evaluated and their causes analysed using scientific methods.

The sustainability assessment is based on ecological, economic and social aspects, which are combined into five dimensions: traffic safety, climate and environment, availability, reliability and affordability. Each dimension comprises several indicators that together paint a holistic picture of mobility in Germany.

Links and downloads

To the study (PDF, in German)

Further information on the ADAC website (in German)

Project team: Sven Altenburg, Valentin Würth, Marie-Luise Zwicker

Last update: 29 October 2025