Taxi vouchers available during night-time in Cologne for assisting women in safely reaching their homes.
In several German cities, including Cologne, Munich, Stuttgart, Mannheim, and Freiburg, night-time taxi voucher programs have been introduced to ensure safer transportation options for women. These initiatives, providing subsidized taxi rides, were launched in response to growing concerns about violence and harassment against women in public spaces after dark.
The roots of these programs can be traced back to Mannheim, where a public safety perception survey revealed that catcalling, gawking, and verbal harassment by groups of men were the most-cited fears among women. This led to increased reluctance among women to use public transport or walk alone, prompting cities to launch subsidized taxi rides as alternatives.
The night-time taxi service, typically valued at around €10, has proven to be highly popular and effective. For instance, Cologne's initial release of 1,500 vouchers was fully redeemed within days of launch, indicating strong demand and acceptance. Munich expanded their voucher supply more than threefold following similar success.
The vouchers, valid until August 15th, 2025, can only be redeemed with Taxi Ruf Köln eG. They are intended for women aged 16 and over, including those with the gender entry 'diverse' or 'female'. Each voucher can be used once per journey, even if multiple women share a taxi.
The Equal Opportunities Committee funded the vouchers with a cash injection of €15,000. Following the success of the pilot project, the subsidy for the voucher increased from €5 to €10 at the start of 2024.
The chairperson of the CDU, Teresa De Bellis-Olinger, expressed her pleasure at the high demand for the vouchers. The initiative in Munich has since become permanent.
Other German cities have also followed suit, with Stuttgart, Mannheim, and Freiburg introducing the service. The project was inspired by other German cities, with night-time taxi vouchers first issued in Munich in 2020.
Unfortunately, the data shows that violence against women in Germany is on the rise. In 2023, reported sex offences against women and girls increased by 6.2 percent, with 52,330 victims. Half of the victims were under the age of 18, and the majority of suspects were German nationals. Additionally, the number of women victims of domestic violence rose by 5.6 percent to 180,715 last year.
These subsidized taxi rides aim to provide a safer means of travel for women at night, helping to alleviate the anxiety that restricts women's nighttime mobility and offering a more secure option compared to walking or using public transportation.
By directly addressing urban women's safety concerns, these programs improve public perceptions of security and support greater freedom of movement after dark by reducing vulnerability to harassment and violence.
- In an effort to enhance the safety and wellness of women, subsidized taxi rides have become a popular solution in several German cities after dark, with initiatives in Cologne, Munich, Stuttgart, Mannheim, and Freiburg, following the lead of Mannheim's public safety survey highlighting concerns about harassment.
- The health-and-wellness sector can benefit from implementing similar strategies for women's health, as these night-time taxi vouchers demonstrate their potential to promote safety, reduce anxiety, and increase freedom of movement, thereby addressing the unique challenges that women face in public spaces.
