Press release No. 422 of 9 September 2021

WIESBADEN – People in Germany travelled more in July and August 2021 than before the coronavirus pandemic began. Mobility exceeded the level of the corresponding months in the pre-crisis year 2019 by an average of 4%. A trend reversal was observed in the summer months for movements over longer distances. For the first time since the outbreak of the pandemic, distances of 30 kilometres or more were covered more often than in the relevant months of 2019 (+1%). This is shown by an ad-hoc evaluation of experimental data carried out by the Federal Statistical Office (Destatis) to represent recent mobility changes during the coronavirus pandemic.

Since the beginning of the pandemic, longer distance mobility had always shown the largest decreases. Particularly marked differences were seen in the spring of 2020. In April 2020, there were only about half as many movements of 30 kilometres or more (-53%) as in April 2019. Movements of 5 to less than 30 kilometres declined by a third (-33%) and movements over shorter distances of less than 5 kilometres by only a seventh (-14%). These differences continued throughout the year and persisted even when the overall mobility level increased in the summer of 2020.

Mobility level in the summer of 2021 similar to 2020, but differences between the distances

From the spring of 2021 onwards, movements of between 5 and 30 kilometres increased compared with the shorter distances, so that the year-on-year mobility decline in this category in March 2021 (-3%) was lower for the first time than the decrease in movements of less than 5 kilometres (-5%). In July and August 2021, increases were also observed in longer distance movements of 30 kilometres or more, which in August even slightly exceeded the pre-crisis level (+1%). Compared with movements of 30 kilometres or more, the increase in the number of movements over distances of 5 to less than 30 kilometres was even more pronounced (+10% on 2019). Shorter distances of less than 5 kilometres, which had been least affected by mobility decreases over the course of the crisis, fell short of the pre-crisis level (-3%).

As a result, overall mobility in the summer of 2021 reached a similar level as in the summer of 2020, although the distances showed opposing trends. In August 2020, longer distance mobility (30 kilometres or more) was 5% lower than in 2019; only movements of between 5 and 30 kilometres (+4%) and those of less than 5 kilometres (+8%) exceeded the pre-crisis level.

Movements over distances of more than 30 kilometres mostly on weekends

The distances covered by movements can be an indicator for different forms of mobility. Due to lower job and education related mobility, the proportion of movements over a distance of 5 to less than 30 kilometres is, for example, lower on weekends than during the week. Measured as a proportion of overall mobility on the respective day, the number of movements of 30 kilometres or more is highest on Sundays (8%), compared with the other days of the week. 48% of the movements in August 2021 as a whole covered a distance of 5 to less than 30 kilometres. Movements of less than 5 kilometres, which include walks and local shopping, accounted for 44% of overall mobility. At 8%, the proportion of movements of 30 kilometres or more was comparatively low.

Methodological notes:
Using anonymised and aggregated mobile network data, movements are identified from position changes if the duration of stay at the start and destination points is at least 30 minutes each.

Adjustments for public holidays are made when the reference values for 2019 are calculated to avoid distortions due to the usually lower mobility on public holidays. The rates of change for all days that are not public holidays are calculated in comparison with the average for the respective weekday of the respective month of 2019. Public holidays are excluded from this calculation of weekday averages. The rates of change for public holidays are calculated in comparison with the corresponding public holiday in 2019, for instance, the Feast of Corpus Christi.

More information:
The Federal Statistical Office has conducted this ad-hoc evaluation of anonymised and aggregated mobile network data to exploit new digital data sources. During the corona pandemic, mobile network data may provide information on how much the population's mobility behaviour has changed compared with 2019, the year before the crisis. This is based on the assumption that a reduction in mobility entails a decrease in social interaction and, consequently, a lower risk of coronavirus infection. The Federal Statistical Office's aim is to present the most up-to-date information possible on mobility in Germany in order to enable a timely evaluation of the corona pandemic situation.

The results are based on data that are being examined by the Federal Statistical Office in particular for their usefulness in providing up-to-date, small area information on the population and its mobility. Further information on this and analyses regarding the mobility at administrative district level can be found on the "EXDAT – Experimental data" pages (www.destatis.de/exdat) of the Federal Statistical Office's website. The range of data offered is updated every day and gradually expanded.

Both the degree of maturity and the quality of these experimental data differ from those of evaluations of official statistics, especially regarding harmonisation, coverage and methodology.