Some lines now have all features of a subway, but there are still tramays in most of the tunnels. Essen has Duo-Buses, but the electric part of the system is closed, due to derailing problems of the trolley poles and problems with the wooden bus track in the tramway tunnel. It is not sure, if the system in Essen will reopen. In recent years the systems in Potsdam, Weimar and Hoyerswerda were closed. There is only little or no service between midnight and 5am, only Berlin has a large overnight bus and tramway network.
Services are poor in many rural areas with only school buses or only one to three buses a day.
However in some rural areas, better service with several journeys a day or even hourly service has been set up by the districts. In a few cities funiculars provide access to quarters on a hill. In Essen there are two lines on former tramway tracks, which are still in use, whereas the buses which ran through an tramway tunnel, run on the surface at the moment. In Mannheim the buses share a track with the tramway. Back to the contents page or my homepage .