Schwerin: City administration rejects rest areas in local transport!

Schwerin: City administration rejects rest areas in local transport!

In Schwerin, a proposal from the city council is causing discussions: the introduction of special rest areas in buses and trams. But the city administration is clearly against this idea. The reason for this is both practical and organizational considerations. As [Schwerin.news](https:// Schwerin.news/2025/07/08/stadtverwaltung-empfiehlt-nicht-ruheräume-in-bussen-und-bahnen/) reports, the administration sees no relevant benefit in relation to the effort that such a rest area would entail.

The application, which provides for the establishment of quiet areas in selected Nahverkehr Schwerin GmbH (NVS) vehicles, aims to avoid annoying loud conversations, music and telephone calls. The main target groups would be sensitive passengers such as seniors, students and commuters. Despite this noble intention, the city administration pointed out that the NVS can design its service offering independently. A binding order could therefore not be guaranteed.

Schwerin in changing mobility

Schwerin has been active in the area of ​​public transport since 1908 and offers a comprehensive network of almost 200 kilometers, which includes over 350 stops. This service provider aims to make the city CO2-neutral by 2035. Information about timetables, stops and offers can be found on the [Nahverkehr Schwerin GmbH] website (https://www.nahverkehr-Schwerin.de/).

The request to create relaxation areas also addresses the trend towards sustainable mobility to some extent. The Umweltbundesamt emphasizes how important well-thought-out transport development planning is. The fusion of all forms of mobility into urban development helps to improve the quality of life of citizens. But how do you meet this requirement if new rules for local transport are to be introduced at the same time?

Practical considerations and challenges

City officials have concerns about the enforceability and oversight of a regulation that may not even reduce desired noise. How many stops in the city make noise when getting on and off is another factor. The administration will begin discussing the application at a future meeting on July 14th, but it remains unclear whether the proposal will be given a chance despite the city administration's negative recommendation.

In order to meet the individual needs of passengers and continue to make the offer attractive, the NVS will be required to develop future-oriented approaches. The idea of ​​designing public transport in such a way that it takes into account the different needs of passengers is important. However, these ambitions must be embedded in a realistic framework in order to sustainably develop mobility in Schwerin.