Wireless Networks in Local Transit: Insights from Bavaria's Perspective

In recent years, several cities in Germany have introduced public Wi-Fi in their public transport systems. Among these cities are Würzburg and Nuremberg, which have seen a significant increase in the use of this service.

Young people in Nuremberg, in particular, have shown a strong demand for public WLAN. They find the service relevant and consider it a long-term customer retention strategy. In contrast, Regensburg does not offer comprehensive public WLAN in its buses, while Munich city council has decided to focus on mobile network expansion instead of public WLAN in public transport.

Würzburg and Nuremberg have made strides in providing Wi-Fi access. Würzburg has 30 buses and 17 trams equipped with Wi-Fi and 17 hotspots, with plans to expand the service due to increasing usage. Nuremberg’s public transport is almost fully covered with Wi-Fi to meet the strong demand, especially among young people.

Augsburg, however, recently discontinued Wi-Fi in buses and trams due to declining use and better mobile network coverage. The decision was justified by the improving network availability and increased data volume offered by mobile providers. Despite this, Bayern-WLAN will continue to be available at several stops in Augsburg.

Bayern-WLAN, a network offering more than 50,000 public hotspots throughout the Free State, is also available at several stops and in 40 buses in Regensburg as part of a 2021 project. However, there are no plans to expand the Bayern-WLAN offer in Regensburg.

In Würzburg, there are no plans to reduce the WLAN service, and the offer of public WLAN in public transport will continue to be expanded. Halle (Saale) is modernising its public transport with digital technologies, but specific Wi-Fi service changes were not detailed.

In conclusion, cities like Würzburg and Nuremberg are leading the way in providing public Wi-Fi in buses and trams, with Würzburg planning to expand its service due to increasing usage. Augsburg, on the other hand, has discontinued its passenger WLAN service due to better mobile network coverage, but Bayern-WLAN will still be available at several stops. Regensburg offers Bayern-WLAN at several stops and in some buses, but there are no plans to expand the service.