Due to rising energy prices, Germany wants to reduce the cost of local public transport – for three months. But the plan is controversial.
It's almost time: a summer of cheap travel is about to begin. From June 1st, local public transport throughout Germany will only cost nine euros a month for three months. This applies to all types of city and regional transport.
For comparison: the passengers pay 27 euros for the ticket in the three months. That's about half as much as the cheapest monthly ticket for the Berlin city center rings.
Dubbed “9 for 90,” the ticket comes in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine, which has pushed up already high energy prices even further. It is part of a larger financial relief package and aims to reduce gas mileage and encourage carbon neutral travel on public transport.
“Everyone who uses public transport (PT) makes a big contribution, to make our country independent of the Russian energy supply and to move forward on the way to climate neutrality,” said Transport Minister Volker Wissing after a meeting with the transport ministers of the federal states earlier this month.
The federal government around Volker Wissing wants to finance the ticket with billions
The federal government's draft law provides that 2.5 billion euros are available to finance the three-month program. The Bundestag and Bundesrat are to vote on the measure before the end of this month. She is expected to be adopted.
Through the city – and across the country
“In the longer term, this could tempt more people to use public transport instead of their cars,” Jon Worth, an advocate for the train, told DW. “And it will work for tourists too, because anyone can buy this ticket.
While the subsidized ticket is primarily intended for commuters to get around without their gas-guzzling car, it could also go much further If you have time and are not deterred by multiple changes, you can travel all over Germany and even some places across the border for nine euros.
“Even if the ticket is an attractive offer, people will not be persuaded to switch to public transport more often because of the low price, especially for a limited time,” Huberta Sasse, spokeswoman for the German Tourism Association (DTV), told DW. “For a long time now, the DTV has been calling for a rapid and consistent expansion of the rail network and public transport infrastructure, better connections and more frequent public transport frequencies. This is the only way to really make the switch.”
Meet demand – but only in of the city?
13 million commuters use the regional trains of Deutsche Bahn in Germany every day. They regularly complain about crowded and delayed trains, poor service and canceled routes. The company attributes some of the failures to track work, which would improve conditions in the long term.
“With the new and newly designed trains, we are increasing capacity, comfort and improving passenger information. This continuous modernization is a constant boost in attractiveness for rail and public transport – also for the period of the 9-euro ticket,” says DB spokeswoman Maria Menz DW in a statement.
It is unclear how the 9-euro ticket will affect demand. In a recent survey for ARD, 44 percent of those surveyed stated that they definitely or probably wanted to use the ticket. In the city it is 60 percent, in the countryside less than 40 percent.
Watch the video 06:24
City, country, waiting – mobility in the provinces
Many suspect the ticket will have little impact in rural areas, where residents are more car-reliant and have far less public transport available compared to cities. The spokesman for the German District Association, Reinhard Sager, criticizes the federal government's plan as a political move that can only be implemented with great effort and would not bring about any lasting change. It would be better to invest the billions in improving infrastructure and services, he told the dpa news agency.
The local transport companies welcome the political attention, but complain about the administrative burden. They must develop new platforms for selling the special ticket, and compensate passengers with existing monthly tickets for the difference during the three-month period.
The biggest unknown at the moment is what will happen after August. In its coalition agreement, the federal government has declared its willingness to increase its financial support for local transport. That was before inflation and war caused energy prices to skyrocket. Neither the Ministry of Transport nor the Ministry of Finance, both of which are run by the FDP, have made any firm financial commitments beyond the 9-euro ticket.
“We are concerned that the ticket prices will go through the roof after the nice special offer because the costs for energy and fuel are rising drastically,” said Winfried Hermann, Minister of Transport in Baden-Württemberg, at the ministerial conference earlier this month.
Watch the video 10:03
How much Russia does German cars have?
Despite the imponderables and the details that still need to be clarified, many rail and climate protectionists are confident that inexpensive travel this summer will be enough to get more Convincing people to leave their car behind.
“Many of those involved are currently organizing everything within their means so that these three months run as sensibly as possible and, above all, the passengers, who are using public transport for the first time don't experience any deterrence,” Peter Cornelius, head of the Berlin office of Pro Bahn, a passenger association, told DW.
It starts on May 20. Then passengers can already buy their ticket for a cheap travel summer.
This text has been adapted from English.