The major traffic warning strike announced for Monday has led to a run on alternatives. Both for rental cars and long-distance buses, bookings and search queries increased significantly, as a survey by the German Press Agency among several providers showed. In the case of rental cars, there were also significant price increases in some cases.

The portals billiger-mietwagen.de and Check24 report a significant increase in the search for rental cars. In billiger-mietwagen.de, the largest German cities saw a 120 percent increase in user inquiries compared to the same period a week ago. In Berlin, the increase was even 220 percent, in Frankfurt 180 and in Munich 164 percent. Check24 noted a 39 percent increase in car rental bookings from the time of the strike announcement on Thursday to Friday morning. If you only look at bookings that are picked up from Saturday to Monday - in keeping with the warning strike - there is even an almost fourfold increase.

Demand is also reflected in prices in individual cities. At billiger-mietwagen.de, there was a sharp price increase for vehicles to be picked up on Monday. In Berlin, a compact car cost an average of 83 euros, 90 percent more than a week ago. In Frankfurt, it is 92 euros (plus 73 percent).

In Hamburg, the increase was significantly lower at 27 percent to 58 euros. In Munich, he even stayed away completely. The portal assumes that the more relaxed situation with the rental fleets in Munich and Hamburg will be noticeable here.

Flixbus use more buses

The long-distance bus provider Flixbus also reported a "significant increase in demand" - especially since Thursday afternoon. In recent days, additional buses have already been planned on central routes for the strike day, "in order to meet the increased booking volume and to transport as many travelers as possible to their destination on Monday," said a spokeswoman.

An unprecedented nationwide warning strike has been announced for Monday, affecting long-distance, regional and S-Bahn rail traffic, local public transport, many German airports, waterways and ports as well as motorways. The railway and transport union (EVG) and Verdi are fighting for more income in different collective bargaining rounds.