In 2023, private car travel remained the most commonly used mode of transportation in Germany. According to the Federal Statistical Office (Destatis) and the Environmental Economic Accounts, households collectively covered 472.2 billion kilometers with passenger cars. On a per-person basis, this translates to an average of 15.5 kilometers per day, encompassing everyday trips such as commuting to work, shopping, and leisure travel, including vacations.
Compared to 2022, the total distance traveled with passenger cars increased slightly by 1.2%, up from 466.6 billion kilometers. While this represents a modest rise, the figure remains below pre-pandemic levels. In 2019, private households had driven 535.2 billion kilometers, indicating that car travel has not fully recovered to levels seen before COVID-19.
When considering all types of motor vehicles, including motorcycles and light commercial vehicles, private households drove approximately 496.9 billion kilometers in 2023. This demonstrates that travel by private households is roughly two and a half times higher than that of the entire economy, which recorded 188.0 billion kilometers across all sectors using motor vehicles.
In the wider economy, total motor vehicle travel also increased slightly by 0.9% compared to 2022, rising from 186.3 billion kilometers. However, this total still fell short of pre-pandemic levels, which stood at 201.0 billion kilometers in 2019. Notably, the decline in travel across all motor vehicles was 6.5% lower than the decrease observed specifically for private passenger cars, highlighting the sustained reliance of households on personal vehicles.
Methodology and Data Considerations
The Environmental Economic Accounts measure travel distances based on a domestic concept, meaning they account for travel by residents and companies based in Germany, even if the travel occurs abroad. This includes trips taken with passenger cars or other motor vehicles outside of Germany, such as cross-border trips.
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