100 years of bus transport in Bonn

Bonn: 100 years ago, bus service began in Bonn to better connect the surrounding area with the city. The founding of the Bonn Transport Company in 1925 laid the foundation for a steadily growing network that now consists of around 50 bus routes. Much has happened since the first service on August 3, 1925, to the modern public transport system.

Bonn's local public transport system began in 1891 with the "Päädsbahn" (Paediatric Railway). A few years later, in 1902, the first electric tram ran through Bonn. At that time, Bonn also operated two steam locomotive lines, such as the "Feuriger Elias" (Fiery Elias) to Cologne, and the steam train to Mehlem. What didn't exist at that time were buses connecting the Bonn area to the city.

Public transport connections to Altenahr, Meckenheim, Mondorf, Alfter, and up to Venusberg, among others, were lacking. For this reason, on June 1, 1925, the city of Bonn, together with the districts of Ahrweiler, Sieg, and Altenkirchen, as well as the city of Bad Godesberg and the Rhein-Sieg Eisenbahn AG (RSE), founded the Bonn Transport Company (BVG).

Major investments and the first maiden voyage

The starting capital at the time was 200,000 Reichsmarks. Within a few months, the infrastructure for a bus operation was established. An administration was required, depots and workshops were built in Friesdorf, drivers had to be hired and trained, and suitable vehicles had to be purchased.

The first buses from the manufacturer Büssing/Uerdingen came in two versions. The three-axle, six-wheeled vehicles had 40 seats and were used as long-distance buses or coaches. The smaller, four-wheeled, two-axle version still had 25 seats and was used as a regular-service bus.

These vehicles toured Bonn and the surrounding area at top speeds of up to 50 kilometers per hour. Initially, there were nine buses, and the first bus of the Bonn Transport Company set off on its maiden voyage on August 3, 1925. From Bonn, the journey went via Meckenheim to Altenahr. Just one year later, the fleet was expanded to 26 vehicles. The two convertible buses, equipped with leather soft tops for inclement weather, were popular for excursions.

The Bonn Transport Company becomes municipal

On April 1, 1932, the Bonn Transport Company (BVG) became 100 percent owned by the city and was renamed the Bonn Transport Company – City of Bonn. The company further expanded its bus travel operations to subsidize scheduled routes. In the following years, the Bonn Transport Company offered various day and multi-day trips within Germany and to neighboring countries, such as Belgium and Flanders.

The first lines

Let's travel back to 1936. At that time, the BVG (Bavarian Public Transport) offered eight lines serving Bonn and the surrounding area. These included long-distance routes to Remagen, Sinzig, Bad Neuenahr, Fritzdorf, and Heimerzheim, as well as inner-city routes to Ippendorf, Venusberg, and the Mondorf ferry. The buses departed from the then Rheinuferbahnhof (long-distance lines) and Friedensplatz, which was then the hub of Bonn's public transport system.

Furthermore, from May to October, there were half-day and full-day trips to the Siebengebirge, the Eifel and Westerwald, as well as the Bergisches Land and Sauerland regions. Tours also included the Ahr, Agger, Lahn, and Moselle rivers. Multi-day trips to Belgium, southern Germany, Franconia, Saarland, and the Berlin Olympics were also offered. BVG advice centers were located in Bonn and Bad Neuenahr where trips could be booked. A multi-day trip cost 98 Reichsmarks at the time.

In its first ten years of operation, the transport company recorded almost one million passengers and traveled 935,000 kilometers. Over the years, bus service in Bonn has been gradually expanded, at least within the city, as long-distance and coach routes were gradually discontinued. We now transport our passengers on a total of 50 bus routes and ten night bus routes, and all of this began almost exactly 100 years ago.

Historical Association SWB eV