Pentecost balance for the 9-euro ticket: 400 overcrowded trains, 700 problem cases and thousands of overtime
Created: 06/07/2022, 11:10 am
By: Ines Baur
If you go on a trip, you can experience something.
9-euro ticket, sunshine and public holidays cause stress (test) at the train.
© Gottfried Czepluch / imago
Sunshine, wanderlust and the 9-euro ticket gave Deutsche Bahn, its staff and passengers unforgettable Pentecost days.
Munich - The Pentecost weekend was a stress (test) for the staff of Deutsche Bahn and the passengers.
The first days of vacation with a 9-euro ticket caused overcrowded trains and significantly more reports than usual about congestion, disruptions or problems from and with passengers.
At least that's what the railway union and the staff representatives of the railways said to the editorial network Germany (RND).
"As expected, the 9-euro campaign triggered a great rush on regional trains, which led to significantly more cases of congestion nationwide," said Vice-Chairman of the General Works Council DB Regio, Ralf Damde, on Monday evening after talks with railway works councils whole Germany.
Whitsun balance of the 9-euro ticket: Praise to the passengers
The passengers received express praise from the railway works council.
Appeals for consideration and patience were mostly taken seriously, Damde said.
And that despite the fact that there was potential for conflict.
Because despite the many additional vehicles used, there was no way around turning passengers away, the Vice Chairman continued.
"Everywhere in Germany the platforms and the trains were full, in several cases overcrowded trains had to be cleared - but fortunately no stations."
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9 euro ticket on public holidays - aggression if the bike wasn't allowed
Because of the heavily overcrowded trains, many passengers could not take their bicycles into the carriage.
"There was aggression, for example when a bicycle had to stay outside or people no longer got on the train, but it remained verbal," says Damde.
In total, there were around 700 reports of overloads, problems with passengers or disruptions to the operations center every day.
According to the RND, that was significantly more than on an average weekend and than on the Pentecost weekend before Corona.
After the Pentecost weekend: "Bahn employees walk on their gums"
Not only the passengers were cooperative, but also the staff.
The staff carried out the additional tasks with great commitment, says Damde, while at the same time raising concerns.
“It is possible in exceptional cases, but not permanently.
Many railway employees are already walking on their gums.”
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9-euro ticket - passenger association sees its criticism confirmed
The Pro Bahn passenger association sees itself confirmed in its initial criticism.
“During peak travel times, demand on the main routes was so high that trains could not depart.
And some railway companies - such as Metronom in northern Germany - have excluded bicycle transport because they could not handle the rush," said Karl-Peter Naumann from the Pro Bahn passenger association on Monday of the German Press Agency (dpa).
The chaos was foreseeable and the result of a political offer without having the necessary rail traffic capacities.
Use “the public ones” for a whole month for nine euros
With the 9-euro ticket, passengers can use local public transport throughout Germany for one month.
The ticket is available for June, July and August.
The background is, among other things, to support commuters with regard to the increased fuel prices and to persuade new users to permanently switch to the train.
