Overview
- The ADAC released its 2026 “Mobil in Mittelgroßstädten” Monitor on Tuesday, reporting the national satisfaction index fell from 21 in 2021 to 17 after surveying about 11,600 people in 29 mid‑sized cities.
- Satisfaction varies sharply by mode: pedestrians and public‑transport users rate mobility most positively, cyclists are moderately satisfied, and car drivers are broadly unhappy with an index of −9.
- City rankings show Münster still first and Oberhausen last, Mönchengladbach made the biggest gains, and Magdeburg and Halle slid down the table largely because of major construction work and bridge closures that disrupted traffic.
- Respondents most often cited poor construction‑site management, deteriorating roads and bridges, costly parking and reckless E‑scooter behaviour as the reasons for declining scores, and local officials say tight budgets and project coordination problems slow remedies.
- The ADAC urges long‑term, multimodal planning, tighter coordination of renovation projects, protected cycling infrastructure, clearer E‑scooter rules and targeted funding for bridges and buses, and observers should watch municipal budgets and big building projects for signs of real improvement.