Dortmund's women's night taxi: safe way home from July 21st!

Dortmund's women's night taxi: safe way home from July 21st!

A new project is being launched in Dortmund to make the journey home at night safer for women. The “Women’s Night Taxi” is launching and offers an innovative voucher model that enables women to use safe taxi rides at night. This pilot project, which begins on July 21st, is scheduled to run until the end of November 2026 and is supported by the city of Dortmund and the Dortmunder Stadtwerke (DSW21). The aim of the program is to increase women's sense of security and make it easier for them to move around at night, especially when they have to go home after a long evening.

“Women should feel safer at night,” say those responsible for the project. Many women are worried about traveling alone in the dark, especially when traveling to or from train stops. Therefore, the participating women receive free vouchers worth eight euros. These vouchers cover the basic costs of a taxi and a short journey. The voucher can only be redeemed once per trip and is valid from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. Children or other women are also allowed to take along, while men are excluded from this offer.

A step in the right direction

The voucher model, which is based on an application from the CDU in 2020, pursues three main goals: to promote equal participation of men and women, to increase the protection of women from sexualized violence and to increase women's subjective feeling of security. Adult women can collect up to six vouchers per visit at the DSW21 customer centers. It is important to emphasize that purchasing a public transport ticket is not a requirement for using the vouchers.

The city of Dortmund has provided a budget of 200,000 euros for the pilot phase, with 150,000 euros earmarked for taxi vouchers and 50,000 euros for administrative costs. The taxi companies receive the voucher value from DSW21. This means that around 18,750 vouchers can be issued. The project is not only intended to help women, but also to complement the existing public transport infrastructure, as 95% of Dortmund residents have a public transport stop within 500 to 750 meters.

A bigger problem

The need for more security for women in Dortmund is part of a larger problem that affects many cities. In Düsseldorf, for example, the women's advice center there receives many inquiries about sexual assaults on public transport. These attacks range from verbal harassment to more serious crimes. This makes it clear why a project like the women's night taxi is so important. “A greater sense of security for women is a task for society as a whole,” emphasizes Etta Hallenga from the women's advice center.

The introduction of the women's night taxi in Dortmund could send an important signal. With the right support, it will enable women to use the nighttime hours with more confidence and promote their mobility. Future decisions by the Dortmund Council in December will show how this pilot project can be further developed and whether it can offer a permanent solution for improving safety for women in public spaces.

More information can be found at Antenna Unna, dortmund.de and WDR.