BGerman Transport Minister Volker Wissing (FDP) has shown himself open to a successor plan for the nine-euro ticket in local transport and has announced talks with the federal states about it. Wissing told the newspapers of the Funke media group that he was happy about the many suggestions as to what a connection ticket could look like. “We have to take a close look at the price at which such a ticket could be offered throughout Germany,” he added.
The aim of his ministry is to “eliminate the jungle of tariffs and to make public transport as simple and attractive as possible for citizens,” said the FDP politician. “In the end, of course, it has to fit into the budgets of the federal states and the federal government.”
Association of towns and municipalities for this
The Association of Towns and Municipalities also expressed approval for a nationwide uniform and permanently discounted local transport ticket. The citizens have a “great interest in being able to use buses and trains throughout Germany without the jungle of tariffs,” said General Manager Gerd Landsberg of the Funke media group. This was shown by the experience of the nine-euro ticket. “The example of Austria also shows that a 365-euro ticket meets with a high level of acceptance.”
Once 365 or twelve times 69 euros?
As a follow-up regulation for the 9-euro ticket, which is scheduled to run for three months and expires at the end of August, a 365-euro annual ticket is being debated, among other things. CSU boss Markus Söder spoke out in favor of such a ticket at the weekend, which should apply to all local public transport throughout Germany. The consumer centers had recently proposed a 29-euro monthly ticket, i.e. on a similar scale to Söder.
The Association of German Transport Companies (VDV) initially spoke out in the FAZ for a permanent 69-euro monthly ticket that should be valid nationwide for public transport. This move drew more criticism than enthusiasm.
district council skeptical
The districts, however, reject a follow-up regulation for the nine-euro ticket. District President Reinhard Sager told the Funke media group that he did not believe in “suggestions to extend the nine-euro ticket and also successor models such as a 365-euro annual ticket”.
With the nine-euro ticket, “a lot of state money was burned that could have been invested more effectively in timing and equipment”. He also called for more money to expand local transport.
