Voluntary transport in local public transport - apply for a lump sum for support
Do you offer a fully public transport service?
Is the transport service organised locally and run on a voluntary basis?
If so, you can receive a grant from the state to cover the costs, subject to certain conditions.
The amount of funding is EUR 2,000 per year per applicant organisation.
Applications can be submitted for the current year and the following year. The application period is from 1 March to 30 April each year. The application covers two funding years.
Responsible authority
Ministry of Transport Baden-Württemberg
Department of Public Mobility Expansion Strategy, Municipal Public Transport
Contact
Details
Prerequisite
- Eligible costs are those associated with public and voluntary transport services.
- No funding is provided for the purchase and operating costs of the vehicles.
- Funding is provided for transport services with citizen buses (with a route licence) or citizen call cars (licence-free services)
- The timetables are coordinated with the local transport association.
- The timetables for line-based transport services are published in the electronic timetable information system of the local transport association responsible or in the EFA-BW.
- For flexible transport services, a description of the service as provided in the application form is sufficient.
- The tickets of the local transport association may have to be recognised for an additional charge.
Procedure
The application form and all other information and documents can be found on the website of the Baden-Württemberg Ministry of Transport.
You can submit applications electronically at: buergerbus@nvbw.de
When submitting electronically, please scan the application form with your signature and other documents.
Nahverkehrsgesellschaft Baden-Württemberg mbH (NVBW),
Competence centre for new forms of public transport
Rosensteinstraße 37B
70191 Stuttgart
The NVBW will review your application and issue a review report.
The Ministry of Transport will send you the authorisation in the form of a notification by post.
If you declare a waiver of appeal with your application, payments will be made automatically on 30 September of each funding year.
Deadlines
- Application: in the period from 1 March to 30 April
- Payment: on 30 September of each funding year
A call for funds is not required. - For the interim proof of use, the following must be submitted by 30 June at the latest in the second funding year:
1. Numerical proof of the use of funds for the first funding year
2. Key figures for the first funding year (e.g. number of vehicles used, number of drivers, number of stops)
3. Proof of timetable publication - For the final proof of use, the following must be submitted by 30 June at the latest in the year following the end of the funding year:
1. Numerical proof of the use of funds for the second funding year
2. Key figures for the second funding year (e.g. number of vehicles used, number of drivers, number of stops)
3. Report on the entire funding period (both funding years)
Required documents
You must submit the following with each application
- Application form with the declaration on the use of the grant funds
- Proof of publication of the timetables
You must submit the following once with your first application:
- Proof of the voluntary nature of the transport service
- Certificate of authorisation or information on exemption from authorisation from the competent licensing authority
- for associations:
- Minutes of the founding meeting and
- Statutes of the association
- Declaration on the recognition of the standard local network tariff
Costs
none
Processing time
- Review of the application documents: usually 2 months after the application deadline
- subsequent preparation and dispatch of the grant notification: usually 4-6 weeks
- subsequent disbursement of funds: usually by 30 September of each funding year
Miscellaneous
If you have any questions, please contact the NVBW competence centre: buergerbus@nvbw.de
Legal basis
Förderrichtlinie "Gemeinschaftsverkehre"
Release note
machine generated, based on the German release by: Verkehrsministerium Baden-Württemberg, 20.10.2025