For 9 euros, passengers can travel across Germany on the regional train. That will soon be over. Transport associations want to raise their prices in the future.
Berlin – The 9-euro ticket campaign in Germany will end in less than two weeks. For three months, travelers could use local public transport for an unbeatable 9 euros a month – nationwide. From September, however, passengers will have to pay the normal fare again.
And that’s not all: In some cases, price increases are already pending again. This was shown by the result of a survey by the German Press Agency (dpa) among large transport associations. In some associations, the increases have already been decided, in other regions the corresponding committee meetings are still pending.
9-euro ticket ends: public transport fares are becoming more expensive
The 9-euro ticket was intended to relieve commuters in the face of rising energy prices and encourage them to use local public transport instead of their cars. The demand was huge. For example, 150,000 tickets were sold in the NVV area in northern Hesse by mid-July.
Voices were raised demanding a permanent 1-euro ticket from the federal government. However, there is no follow-up offer for the time being. Transport companies are also facing a major burden due to the high costs of electricity and diesel. That should now cause the price increases.
| This applies to the 9 euro ticket | |
|---|---|
| From when and for how long is the ticket valid? | Scheduled to be available from June 1st for three months |
| Where is the ticket valid? | Nationwide validity, no regional restrictions |
| Who is the ticket for? | No restrictions on groups of people, subscription holders will receive a refund |
| How much is the ticket? | 9 euros per month |
The 9-euro ticket will end soon: It will soon be more expensive here
At the turn of the year, tariffs in the Stuttgart area should increase by an average of 4.9 percent. “The transport companies are currently facing major financial problems in view of the galloping energy prices,” the transport and tariff association Stuttgart told the news agency. Regardless of a successor to the 9-euro campaign, more money from the federal government is needed to maintain the stock and expand the offer.
In and around Nuremberg it will be 3 percent more in the future. In the Rhein-Main-Verkehrsverbund (RMV) there was already a surcharge of 3.9 percent in July. According to dpa information, the Berlin-Brandenburg transport association is based on an index of fuel, electricity and consumer prices. “The respective tariff index is included in the considerations, but does not serve as an exclusive criterion,” said a spokesman.
Transport associations open to 9-euro tickets: “Real short-term implementation would be feasible”
Many transport associations are open to a follow-up campaign to the 9-euro ticket. At the same time, however, the loss of income would have to be reimbursed by the federal government. “A relatively short-term implementation would be feasible on the basis of the current 9 euro constellation,” according to the transport association Bremen/Lower Saxony.
In the Rhine-Neckar network, on the other hand, a new edition of the discounted ticket is rejected. With the 9-euro ticket, occasional customers in particular have seized the opportunity to travel even cheaper and more frequently, said Managing Director Volkhard Malik. Instead, the VRN wants to make its own tariff simpler and more flexible.
Possible plans are to be finalized in autumn. A federal-state working group will then present proposals for the future and financing of local public transport. The Association of German Transport Companies has already proposed a permanent 69-euro monthly ticket that should be valid nationwide for public transport. (kas/dpa)
