Since January 2013, the long-distance transportation market in Germany has been deregulated due to the amendment of the Passenger Transport Act (Personenbeförderungsgesetz). This means that, in the future, long-distance buses may operate on routes where they were previously not allowed, to protect the interest of the railways. Following the opening up of the market in 2013, more and more long-distance bus companies have penetrated the market and a major price war has ensued. The Deutsche Bahn AG had initially underestimated the competition, and is now trying to regain passengers through elaborate mar-keting ploys.
The aim of this thesis is to compare two very different modes of transport, namely railbound long-distance transport and long-distance bus transport. Various criteria that affect the subjective trip perception of an average passenger are listed. To complete the comparison, domestic air transport is also briefly discussed, as this is also a mode of long-distance transport.
The comparison yields a differentiated view of the modes of transport and various positive and negative features can be highlighted. Nevertheless, a recommendation for or against a party is not possible in this work, as it is highly dependent on the personal preferences of the passenger. But the fact is that the various providers do not share the same competitive conditions. Till this situation is not regulated by law, a fair comparison cannot take place in any case.
Table of Contents
1 Introduction and structure of work
1.1 Problem
1.2 Objectives and structure of the work
2 Definitions of passenger transportation in Germany
2.1 Public urban passenger transport
2.2 Public long-distance passenger transport
3 Presentation of fundamentals
3.1 Historical development of the long-distance bus transportation
3.2 Development of the legal framework
3.3 Current market situation
3.4 Environmental aspects
4 Selected provider of long-distance transportation
4.1 Long-distance railway companies
4.2 Long-distance bus companies
4.2.1 MeinFernbus Flixbus
4.2.2 Postbus
4.3 Airlines
4.3.1 Germanwings
4.3.2 Air Berlin
4.4 Interim conclusion
5 Comparison of suppliers based on their offer
5.1 Comparison of used modes of transport
5.1.1 Operated trains of DB Fernverkehr AG
5.1.2 Operated long-distance buses
5.1.3 Operated airplanes
5.2 Comparison of offers
5.2.1 Route network
5.2.2 Schedule and Travel time
5.2.3 Fares
5.2.4 Transaction, rebooking and cancellation fees
5.2.5 Sales channels
5.3 Comparison of service
5.3.1 Comfort
5.3.2 Additional offers
5.3.3 Passenger information
5.3.4 Passenger rights
6 SWOT Analysis
6.1 Definition
6.2 Implementation of SWOT Analysis
6.3 Comparison to air transport
7 Benchmark Analysis
7.1 Definition
7.2 A Benchmark approach
8 Comparison to other countries
8.1 United Kingdom
8.2 Sweden
8.3 France
9 Conclusion and outlook
Objectives and Scope
This thesis examines the competitive dynamics of the German long-distance transportation market following the deregulation of the Passenger Transport Act in 2013, with a specific focus on comparing rail-bound transport, long-distance bus services, and domestic air travel.
- Analysis of the historical and legal framework of the German long-distance transport market.
- Direct comparison of service parameters including route network, schedule, travel time, and pricing.
- Performance of a SWOT analysis to identify competitive strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and risks.
- Implementation of benchmark analysis to evaluate operational performance.
- Investigation into the impact of service criteria such as comfort, catering, and passenger rights.
Excerpt from the Book
3.1 Historical development of the long-distance bus transportation
The history of long-distance bus transportation in Germany goes as far back as 1 June 1905, when the first power post line (Kraftpostlinie) in Germany was established by the postal administration of the Kingdom of Bavaria between Bad Tolz and Lenggries. In addition to people, postal items were also transported on buses at this time.
After the Second World War, long-distance buses in Germany became an important medium of passenger transportation and a dense network of routes was set up. In addition to the Federal Post Office with its Postbus (i.e. postal travel service that was operational from 1965), the German Bundesbahn and the German Reichsbahn also offered buses on several routes. With the advancement of motorized individual transport and the regionalization in the 1980s, the demand for long-distance buses decreased significantly. After the postal reform in 1995, only the Postbuses remained operational.
Summary of Chapters
1 Introduction and structure of work: Outlines the problem of the 2013 market deregulation and the thesis objectives.
2 Definitions of passenger transportation in Germany: Provides an overview of the structural categorization of public transportation in Germany.
3 Presentation of fundamentals: Explains the historical development and the changing legal framework for long-distance bus services.
4 Selected provider of long-distance transportation: Introduces the primary operators in rail, bus, and air travel selected for comparison.
5 Comparison of suppliers based on their offer: Evaluates providers based on technical aspects, route networks, schedules, pricing, and service quality.
6 SWOT Analysis: Uses the SWOT framework to contrast the competitive position of rail and bus transportation.
7 Benchmark Analysis: Introduces benchmarking as a management tool to optimize performance by learning from market leaders.
8 Comparison to other countries: Analyzes the experiences of deregulation in the United Kingdom, Sweden, and France.
9 Conclusion and outlook: Summarizes findings and discusses future challenges for the transport sector in Germany.
Keywords
Long-distance transportation, Germany, Deregulation, Passenger Transport Act, Deutsche Bahn, Long-distance buses, SWOT analysis, Benchmarking, Market competition, Rail travel, Air transport, Price comparison, Service quality, Infrastructure costs, Mobility.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this thesis?
The work provides a competitive analysis of the German long-distance transportation market, focusing specifically on the shift in competition between rail-bound transport and newly deregulated long-distance bus services.
What are the primary modes of transport analyzed?
The analysis focuses on rail-bound transport (Deutsche Bahn), long-distance bus providers (like MeinFernbus Flixbus and Postbus), and supplements the findings with data on domestic air transport (Germanwings and Air Berlin).
What is the main objective of the research?
The primary aim is to offer an objective, comparative overview of these transport modes using defined criteria such as price, travel time, and service quality, and to analyze their competitive status through SWOT and benchmark analyses.
Which methodology is applied?
The thesis utilizes a comparative research approach based on defined parameters (e.g., fares, comfort, network coverage) and applies strategic planning tools, specifically SWOT analysis and benchmarking, to evaluate the providers.
What topics are covered in the main section?
The main section covers the definitions of transportation, technical characteristics of vehicles, comparative analysis of route networks and schedules, financial structures including transaction and cancellation fees, and a thorough service comparison regarding comfort and passenger rights.
Which keywords describe the study?
Key terms include long-distance transportation, deregulation, competition, rail versus bus, SWOT analysis, and benchmarking within the context of the German mobility market.
How is the environmental impact handled?
The work discusses environmental aspects by presenting data on greenhouse gas emissions, nitrogen oxides, and fine dust, while highlighting the limitations of current empirical data for long-distance bus transport.
What conclusions does the author draw regarding fair competition?
The author concludes that fair competition is difficult because operators do not currently share the same competitive conditions—specifically regarding infrastructure costs and legal regulations—which suggests a need for policy-level adjustments.
- Quote paper
- Dominik Breitkreutz (Author), 2015, A Competitive Analysis between Long-distance Bus and Long-distance Rail Transportation after Deregulation of the Long-haul Transportation Market in Germany, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/301752
