Autonomous buses

Take the A01 bus line from Monheim Mitte to the Altstadt and back

In a modern and forward-looking city like Monheim am Rhein, autonomous buses are part of the deal. Monheim am Rhein is the first city in Europe to use such a system, a fleet that’s in regular service, with such consistency.

A01 line from Monheim Mitte to Altstadt (historic town center)

Since 2020, the five almost autonomous electric buses have formed their own line (A01), which runs between the bus station in Monheim Mitte and the old part of town. Up to eleven passengers can ride in the buses and get on and off at four stops along the circular route.

Journey times and ticket prices

Buses run daily every 10 minutes, from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. Passengers must have a normal public transport ticket for the journeys. Tickets can be bought in advance from the Monheim ticket service point of BSM (the town’s public transport provider) near the bus station, on the move via the BSM app, or in cash on the bus.

City tour with the autonomous buses

How about a special kind of city tour? The round trip from the Monheim Mitte district to the old part of town takes you past many of the town’s sights – and even takes you through the archway of the Rogue’s Tower and into the pedestrian zone of the old part of town. Only buses are allowed to do so!

You can find the timetable for the autonomous buses here (German).

Modern technology

The futuristic-looking buses are equipped with modern technology. They follow a predefined route and take their passengers through the city at a speed of between 20 and 30 kilometers per hour. The smart buses are fitted with a variety of sensors that can detect dangers early on and stop the bus at fixed stops and in dangerous situations. In an emergency, however, a ride-along supervisor, known as an operator, can also intervene at any time.

Scientific study on mobility behavior

The operation of this autonomous fleet is being scientifically studied. The main objective of the study is to determine how well this bus service is accepted by the general public as well as its impact on mobility behavior. Besides the data recorded on an ongoing basis, operational and planning data from various sources will also be analyzed.