Munich: construction sites, lack of money and lack of staff at MVG – Munich

Only with a hefty cash injection at the end of November did the Munich city council prevent a reduction in local public transport services. Because the Munich transport company (MVG) had declared that it was missing 24.6 million euros, which is why, among other things, clocks should be thinned out and routes shortened. The deficit is now being financed from the city budget.

Local transport in Munich is a subsidy business, the declining passenger numbers during the corona pandemic have exacerbated the situation again because there is a lack of fare income. Nevertheless, Stadtwerke München (SWM) and its subsidiary MVG have also invested in 2022 and are planning further expansion. The most important developments at a glance:

How did the MVG passenger numbers develop in 2022 compared to 2020 and 2021?

MVG cannot yet give a number for 2022. In their opinion, an extrapolation would not be meaningful enough. On the one hand, this is due to the pandemic-related restrictions in the first few months of the year and, on the other hand, to the nine-euro ticket in the summer months, which has significantly boosted demand.

For autumn, however, it is becoming apparent that demand will be 80 to 90 percent of the number of passengers before the pandemic, depending on the line, time of day and day of the week. In 2021, 364 million passengers used the buses, trams and subways, in 2020 it was 383 million. In 2019, the year before Corona, there were still 615 million.

Tram line 29 had to be temporarily suspended due to a lack of staff. How many employees are actually missing? And what is MVG doing to recruit enough staff?

MVG is currently experiencing staff shortages in the tram workshop. “We have been taking countermeasures in this area for months with increased recruitment,” says a spokesman. Specifically, 28 new employees have already signed their contracts who will start work in the next few weeks or have recently done so. Eleven positions are currently vacant.

But there are still staff shortages in the bus service. “In addition to various recruitment campaigns, we are investing heavily in our own training for new bus drivers,” said the spokesman. A new bus driving school has been set up for this purpose in the recently opened depot in Moosach.

MVG boss Ingo Wortmann has stated several times that MVG is structurally underfunded. What happens next when the 49-euro ticket arrives? Is there no money then?

In the mobility department of SWM, there is likely to be a shortfall of 70 to 80 million euros. “Of course we cannot predict the effects of the Germany ticket with certainty,” said the spokesman. “Thanks to the adequate financing agreed for 2023, however, we firmly assume that there will be no losses, at least in the coming year.”

How has the fleet developed in 2022? What’s coming in 2023?

Last year, SWM received nine new type C2 underground trains, which are now gradually being put into operation after receiving approval. Nine new trains were also delivered for the tram, but these are still awaiting approval and are therefore not yet in regular service. In both branches of the company, further vehicles of a similar size will also be delivered in 2023.

New buses were not added in 2022. However, two larger deliveries are pending in the coming year: 14 electric buses from Ebusco in the first half of the year and 21 from MAN in the second half (all articulated buses). This will more than double the electric bus fleet. Around 400 of SWM’s own buses are currently in use, plus around 270 from private partners who drive on behalf of MVG.

During the corona pandemic, the ten-minute cycle had to be stopped again until 10 p.m. (“clock 10 to 10”). Will he come back sometime?

In March 2022, MVG resumed the 10-minute tram service. “We cannot yet give a date for the Metrobus lines due to the shortage of drivers,” says the MVG spokesman.

What happened in 2022 in terms of expansion? What’s next?

A lot has happened in the past year. The expansion of the Sendlinger Tor underground station has taken a very decisive step with the commissioning of the converted transfer connections from the U1/U2 to the U3/U6 and is now on the home straight, according to the MVG. The target for completion is autumn 2023.

The U5 Süd underground stations (Michaelibad to Therese-Giehse-Allee) have been given a completely new design concept as part of a refurbishment.

Not visible to the passengers, but a very important step towards expanding the range of tram services, is the commissioning of the interim workshop on Ständlerstraße, which on the one hand creates urgently needed workshop capacities and on the other hand is the prerequisite for starting construction of the second depot on the site can. This, in turn, is the prerequisite for further expansion of the offer.

As a “very important step on the way to a new standard for trams”, the MVG calls the opening of the first newly designed tram stop in Harlaching, which allows completely barrier-free boarding and with a platform length of around 60 meters for the use of significantly longer vehicles is prepared.

The first trams, which are almost 50 meters long, have been running on route 20 since this year. At the moment, up to three of these vehicles, each consisting of two coupled trains, are in daily use, and the number will continue to increase in the coming months.

“An important milestone in the electrification of bus operations was reached with the commissioning of the new depot in Moosach, which has been optimized for e-buses,” MVG announced. In addition, plans for new tram and subway lines are underway. There were several public events and workshops with local residents this year.

The municipal building department started the first preparatory measures for the extension of the U5 to Pasing in 2022, and the preparatory work for the Westtangente tram line between Agnes-Bernauer-Straße and Waldfriedhof will begin in spring 2023.

What restrictions will passengers have to expect in 2023?

Due to the construction work at Sendlinger Tor, there will be temporary closures on the U3 and U6 lines from January 14 to February 13, which is why only one shuttle train will run between Odeonsplatz and Goetheplatz during the construction period.

At the U1 and U2 level, closures are planned from Friday, February 24th, until probably Monday, May 29th. In June and July there will be closures again, this time switches will be renewed in the Sendlinger Tor area.

Some tram lines will also be closed from spring. MVG provides details on its website mvg.de.

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