Many young people can reach their 18. you can hardly wait for your birthday. Finally of age. Finally driving a car. It is even best to have your own car. So start saving early for your driver’s license and first car of your own – even if it’s in poor rather than right condition. Especially in the countryside, having your own car promises a big plus for personal freedom and mobility. In cities like berlin, however, it is different. After all, the public transport network in the capital is well developed and you can get to any place at any time without having to pay a lot of money or wait for a long time.
In berlin, having your own car therefore plays a less important role. This is also proven by the figures: fewer and fewer young Germans are taking out their driver’s licenses. The proportion is particularly high in large cities like Berlin. There are several reasons for this, including the fact that the better the public transport network is developed, the more likely young people are to want to save money on their driver’s license and car. New smartphone instead of own car? a question that many berliners would answer with "yes.
But that doesn’t mean that owning your own car doesn’t have its advantages, even – or especially – in a city like berlin. Because a car is much more than just a status symbol. depending on the individual situation, it can bring concrete benefits. That’s what it’s all about: finding the solution that’s best for your individual situation. You can benefit from having your own car if you travel long distances every year. Some sample calculations give concrete values for this, for example from 14.000 kilometers per year, owning your own car would be worthwhile. However, it is not possible to make such a general statement. Because the answer to the question whether a car is really worth it for you or not depends on many different factors, for example:
- Purchase price of the vehicle
- Running costs like insurance
- Consumption and annual mileage
- Possible alternatives and their costs
Especially when it comes to alternatives, in berlin they definitely compete with owning a car. But more on that later. So you have to calculate for each individual case whether the investment in a car would be worthwhile for you and under what conditions. And in addition to the financial aspects, other advantages could be decisive for your decision – even if you have to dig a little deeper into your wallet at the end of the day. This includes:
- You are independent of timetables, booking deadlines& co.
- the car is practically at your doorstep and is therefore available at all times.
- This allows you to be spontaneous – for example, for a day trip outside of the city (!) from berlin.
- Riding in your own car is more hygienic than riding on the "public transport" or using alternative means such as rented vehicles. Preferably during the flu season, this is an argument for many people.
- At night, women in particular, but not only, feel safer in their own car than in public.
- Thanks to "park&ride ride" nowadays there are many ways to combine the advantages of your own car with those of public transportation in berlin.
If you’re on the road a lot at unusual times, for example because of shift work, you can often get to your destination faster by car and avoid some traffic jams.
You can also reach your destination more quickly with your own car if you are heading for a destination outside the city center, for example if you live or work in the outskirts of berlin, where the public transport network is less well developed.
If you often travel with (a lot of) luggage, car travel is more pleasant.
The same applies to families with several children, because traveling is more pleasant in a car, especially on longer journeys, when the children can sleep, for example.
And you can’t or aren’t allowed to take pets with you everywhere. The own car therefore offers you with dog& co more flexibility.
Having your own car is convenient, because you don’t have to fight your way to the bus stop in the winter in minus temperatures or stand in the crowded train the whole way – to name just two of many examples. it is therefore a piece of "luxury" in everyday life.
for many people the car is simply a hobby they don’t want to give up; be it driving, collecting oldtimers, screwing around, converting to a camper or any other form of "occupation" with the car.
From fun to comfort to flexibility, there are many good reasons for berliners to own their own cars. It is therefore important that you do not let yourself be influenced by external factors, but ask yourself whether you would like to buy a car and why. Also, for many people it is simply a matter of habit, i.e. if you have a car, you won’t give it back voluntarily.
Another good reason to buy a car is simply that nowadays it is easier than ever to do so. Because now you can easily take out a car loan online and with the right strategy you can find amazingly favorable conditions. So nowadays almost everyone can afford a car, who may have only dreamed of it in the past. nevertheless, it is of course important that you can pay off the loan without any problems. Costs you have to take into account!
the bottom line is that the investment is worthwhile above all for those people who frequently leave berlin or who, for other reasons, are not "optimally" able to travel by public transport or other alternatives – and who use their own car correspondingly often. it makes sense to make a basic decision instead of a combination of different means of transportation, such as your own car and a VBB environmental card, because then you would pay double.
…and what against
So there are good reasons for having your own car, but there are also good reasons for not having your own car. Because this brings not only advantages, but also some disadvantages with it. The costs are in the foreground. Because a car means high acquisition and running costs. Many people therefore make a conscious decision not to own a vehicle in order to save money. In addition, not everyone is willing to take on debt through a loan – or not everyone can afford such a loan.
Another issue that concerns many Berliners is the search for a parking space. Especially those who live close to the city center usually do not have the possibility to rent a parking space or even a garage in front of their door. The search for a parking space can then become a difficult undertaking that costs a lot of time and nerves. If your car is further away from your apartment than the bus or train stop, it is questionable how much of an advantage it is. But again, the answer depends on your individual situation.
in addition, there is another problem in berlin, which exists less in many other (especially rural) areas: crime. Because the capital has the highest theft rate in germany and other incidents such as vandalism are unfortunately not uncommon. if you don’t have a garage where you can safely park your car, you need adequate insurance – and that costs money.
Having your own car can cost you not only money, but also your nerves. Because it’s not only the search for a parking space that can be a nuisance in the capital, but also the driving itself. traffic jams are a daily occurrence on berlin’s roads, especially during rush hour, when most people are driving to or from work. Accordingly, it can happen that you nevertheless reach your destination faster – or at least more relaxed – by public transport. Whether these disadvantages come into play for you and to what extent, is again highly individual.
Advantages of not having your own car
But it is not necessarily the disadvantages that speak against owning a car. You can also benefit from numerous advantages by leasing this bike – despite all the good arguments in favor of owning your own vehicle. In fact, it is often not so much reason as a deeper conviction that is at the forefront of people’s minds. After all, there are three lifestyles that often go hand in hand with voluntarily giving up one’s own car:
1.Living cheap(er)
Spending as little money as possible is a must for some people, but for many Berliners it is a voluntary decision. Because financial independence is in vogue, young people in particular are trying to put aside as much money as possible in order to retire as early as possible or at least to be able to "downshift". As is well known, it is above all the young generations Y and Z who now place less value on material and more on immaterial things. So they would rather have more free time than more money. And the money you have, you would rather spend on experiences or travel than on a car. It is therefore the cost of owning a car that often acts as a disincentive. In addition, there is a growing number of alternatives that nevertheless offer many of the advantages of owning a car, such as flexibility. It is therefore a trend that could continue, especially among young people.
2. Minimalist(er) life
Some of them go even further. they don’t just want to live cheaply, they want to live minimally. This can go as far as living out of a suitcase, virtually without a fixed abode and also without their own car. Minimalist living is only rarely a decision made out of necessity, because finances are not enough. Finally, there are subsidies such as housing allowances& co as well as the possibility of cheap accommodation like a shared room. In terms of cost of living, berlin in particular is still considered affordable compared to other major cities. Living a minimalist lifestyle is therefore more of a liberation from external constraints – the extreme manifestation of the first, low-cost lifestyle, so to speak. Minimalism often serves as a silent protest against society, its development and its values. The people in question want to focus on what is really important in life. As a rule, a car does not play a role here. Especially berlin as a melting pot for dropouts, creative, lateral thinkers& co attracts many people who live minimalist lives. upward trend.
3. Sustainable(er) living
Sustainability is also playing an increasingly important role for many berliners. A trend that can also be observed throughout Germany and especially in the younger generations. People are therefore paying more attention to an environmentally and climate-friendly lifestyle. This ranges from small measures such as energy-saving light bulbs or buying regional foods to larger decisions such as not owning a car. After all, cars are among the biggest climate polluters of all. This applies to sports cars, suvs and even electric cars. So there is a lack of opportunities, at least at the moment, to travel sustainably with your own vehicle. Accordingly, alternatives such as bicycles and e-scooters are becoming increasingly popular.
Possible alternatives that exist (only) in berlin
The fact that there is no shortage of such alternatives in berlin reinforces the trend away from owning a car. Because in the capital, there are numerous ways to be mobile even without your own car – and thus to benefit from advantages such as savings, sustainability or flexibility. In fact, no one needs their own car to get from A to B these days.
Public transport continues to play a key role in this respect in berlin as well. The buses and trains can take you to almost any place in the city and the surrounding area, without traffic jams, the hassle of looking for a parking space& co. Instead, you can relax and look out the window, take a nap, read a book or find some other meaningful activity to do. If you want to travel to more distant destinations, you can switch to long-distance transport, be it by train, plane or, relatively recently, by bus. berlin in particular has numerous bus connections to other german cities, and at an astonishingly low price.
Furthermore, there is a wide range of individual transportation options that give you maximum flexibility to get to your destination. Car sharing is a promising concept for the future that is already enjoying a high level of acceptance in Berlin. Because this way you can enjoy numerous advantages of (owning) a car without having to bear the fixed costs. you only pay for what you really use. However, those who drive thousands of kilometers per year by car sharing may end up paying for it. It is therefore important to calculate correctly if you are interested in this alternative. The situation is similar for the classic rental car. Carpooling is also worth mentioning here, but it is more an alternative for exceptional situations than for everyday trips. Moreover, these options are only slightly more environmentally friendly than owning your own car.
Instead, there are other ways to get around sustainably and cheaply. Especially in berlin, the hub of innovative startups, there is no shortage of ideas in this regard: citizen buses, ruf-taxis as well as e-bikes, bicycles, e-scooters, e-scooters or even cargo bikes for rent are concepts that have already been tested in berlin – and have sometimes achieved great successes. In addition, more and more Berliners are turning to their own alternatives, such as e-bikes or standard bicycles, to get around the city.
A glimpse into the mobility of the future
Experts are certain that such alternatives will continue to gain in popularity in the future and that the private car will therefore become the exception rather than the rule in large cities like Berlin. Nevertheless, a countermovement can also be observed, i.e. an increasing number of city dwellers who are again consciously opting for their own car because the alternatives are not (yet) convincing. So there is still a lot of potential for development in this area. However, there is no shortage of ideas and startups, which is why we can expect numerous innovations in the field of mobility in the coming years.
Especially in berlin, such innovative concepts are being tried out and a certain openness towards new mobility concepts is worthwhile for everyone. Finally, your decision for or against your own car is not final, but you can always buy or sell it if the situation has changed. Keep your eye on the ball and keep deciding which is the best decision for you – that’s the motto. A car-free city may still seem a long way off, but this self-declared goal of berlin could one day be quite realistic. But at least everyone would benefit if there were fewer cars on the road; the environment, other road users, yourself.
It is therefore a good recommendation for every citizen of the capital to consider the option of doing without their own car. After all, it brings numerous advantages, as you now know. Nevertheless, this renunciation should not mean too much of a cut in your quality of life, because you might have to commute an hour longer to work from now on or for similar reasons. Then the decision for your own car can still be better.
In this case, however, it is important to choose the "right" car for the big city, namely one that is as small as possible. Then it fits into any parking space and you are more environmentally and climate friendly at the same time. Besides, you save a lot of money, i.e. such a small car can be paid for or financed by (almost) everyone.