Procedure descriptions

Apply for funding for regional bus routes

The Ministry of Transport subsidises the establishment of regional bus routes.
Funding is provided for transport services in the operation of road-based local public transport (ÖPNV) lines with motor vehicles (within the meaning of the PBefG and BO Kraft) that supplement local rail passenger transport (SPNV):

  • to connect medium-sized centres, sub-centres, commercial airports, tourist destinations of national importance and national parks without a current regular connection to regional rail passenger transport, usually to a neighbouring medium-sized/major centre or, if closer, to another suitable access point of regional rail passenger transport or
  • to close spatial gaps in the regional rail network between regional centres, medium-sized centres and airports.

Responsible department

The Ministry of Transport is the examining, decision-making and authorising authority.

Ministry of Transport Baden-Württemberg
Dorotheenstraße 8
70173 Stuttgart
Telephone: 0711 89686-9010
Fax: 0711 89686-9020
E-mail: bwregiobus@vm.bwl.de

Details

Prerequisite

To achieve the funding purpose, existing lines and new road-based public transport lines must fulfil the following requirements as regional bus lines:

  • proven expected deficit of the planned regional bus line
  • fast connection function between regional centres, medium-sized centres, sub-centres, airports or tourist destinations of national importance
  • adequate access to the high-demand locations in between, provided that the connecting function is not significantly impaired as a result.
  • regional network effect
  • supply-orientated timetable design, generally every one hour
  • Operating times in line with the state's 2025 regional rail transport target concept for regional rail transport on all days of the week
  • standardised routes/routing on all days of the week
  • passenger-friendly transfer times from/to regional rail transport in the sense of an integrated synchronised timetable
  • systematic connection security
  • Minimum requirements with regard to the vehicles used
  • Integration into the Baden-Württemberg tariff or the Deutschlandticket analogue to SPNV lines

Procedure

Application and authorisation

Applicants and funding recipients are

  • the municipal public transport authorities pursuant to § 6 ÖPNVG and
  • municipal associations that assume the function of public transport authorities.

Applications for funding must be submitted to the Ministry of Transport between 1 February and 31 May of the current year. Applications can be submitted up to 23 months before a possible start of operations.

If the application is assessed favourably, the Ministry of Transport usually grants funding in the year in which the application is submitted.

 

Payment of the grant

The responsible body pays out the funding in annual instalments as requested by the funding recipient.
Advance payments amounting to 90 per cent of the fixed annual funding amount are granted.

 

Final statement

At the end of the funding period, the funding recipient prepares a final statement for the funded line.
The final statement consists, among other things, of a confirmation of the kilometres travelled on the Regiobus line and evidence of the expenses incurred for marketing activities. On this basis, the funding organisation issues a final notification.

Deadlines

Application deadline: 1 February to 31 May of each year.

Deadline for submitting the final statement: 9 months after the end of the approved funding period

Required documents

The funding application is submitted using the application form provided.
Further application documents must be attached to this form.
A detailed list of the documents that must be submitted can be found in the technical guidelines for the "Regiobuslinie" funding programme.

Costs

No costs are charged for processing the applications.

Processing time

As a rule, 4 - 5 months after the application deadline on 31 May of each year.

Miscellaneous

none

Legal basis

Landeshaushaltsordnung (LHO)

Release note

machine generated, based on the German release by: Verkehrsministerium Baden-Württemberg, 20.05.2025