Increased frequency on the Kochel-Walchensee line should encourage bathers to take the bus

Created: 06/16/2022, 09:00

By: Andreas Steppan

Bus line 9608 is very popular. On the weekends it now runs every half hour from Kochel to Walchensee.

© Hias Krinner

Using public transport for trips to the Walchensee area is currently not only particularly cheap thanks to the 9-euro ticket, but has also become more attractive thanks to more buses at the weekend.

Kochel am See – There is now a bus every half hour on the weekends from Kochler train station in the direction of Walchensee – previously this connection only ran every 60 minutes.

Concrete data on how this offer, which has been in effect since June 4, was used on the first two weekends, is not yet available.

Those responsible at the RVO on site in Tegernsee Weilheim could not be reached for more detailed information due to vacation.

Kochel's Mayor Thomas Holz does not have any figures either - but first impressions and what he hears from conversations.

"In any case, we notice how busy the train station is, because apparently many use the 9-euro ticket".

And the bus is also “well received”.

Buses in Bad Tölz-Wolfratshausen: Supply creates demand

For Matthias Schmid, head of the public transport department in the district office, the focus is on the long-term effect.

"We can't go there with the expectation that there will be more buses from June 4th and then the buses will be full by July 4th," he says.

The basic idea is actually different.

In the past, it was often argued: "Nobody drives there so far, so we won't need another bus in the future", now we act according to the principle: "Supply creates demand".

“First we put a bus on the road so that over time people will see: the offer is attractive, that would also be something for me.” Schmid is talking about the “chicken and egg principle” here: what came first?

It is clear that this transition will take time.

"We need staying power, the decision-makers shouldn't get impatient."

The frequency increase to Walchensee is just one of many building blocks.

The measure is part of the implementation of the local transport plan unanimously approved by the district council.

Line 9606 is an "important tourist line".

A report recommended the measure to use more buses there with "priority 1".

The district council therefore agreed that the district would commission the RVO to increase the frequency and pay the operating costs – they amounted to 65,000 euros this year.

The income from ticket sales remains with the RVO.

Kochel-Walchensee line: Last year there were booster buses

According to Schmid, the aim of such measures is to “make the changeover easier and to encourage commuters and guests to leave their cars at home”.

It is undisputed that there are significant traffic problems, especially in the southern district.

"The question is: do we want to keep complaining about it, or do we want to try out possible solutions?" says Schmid.

But will anyone actually switch from the car to the bus now, who is planning a beach day at Walchensee?

“The family of four that goes to the baths fully packed probably doesn’t,” admits Schmid.

When it comes to potential passengers, he tends to think of hikers who only have a rucksack with them - "Kesselberg Passhöhe" and the Herzogstandbahn are also among the stops - or those who only want to swim in Walchensee equipped with their towels.

"The hope is of course that word of the offer will get around as quickly as possible," says Schmid.

Mayor Holz, on the other hand, is fully convinced that many passengers will use the bus to Walchensee.

Last year, the RVO had to use reinforced buses on this route so that everyone who wanted to ride could get a seat.

"If the offer is attractive, I'm sure that day tourists will also be willing to pay the ticket price for it," he says.

"On the other hand, you save on fuel costs, and it's significantly less stressful than by car." Therefore, increasing the bus frequency is "a very important offer" and can certainly help to reduce traffic overall.

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If you use public transport from Munich to Walchensee, you need three tickets

On line 9608, however, you can also see what is still lacking: If you want to travel from Munich to Walchensee by public transport, you need three different tickets: one for the MVV, for example to take the subway to the main station;

one for the DB train to Kochel;

and one for the RVO bus.

"Because every fare is made up of a base amount and a mileage-related component, the customer pays the base amount three times in this case," explains Schmid.

That makes things expensive - and it's uncomfortable anyway.

The solution here would be to integrate the southern district into the MVV.

As reported, the MVV is currently in a study examining the network expansion by a total of ten districts, including the southern district of Bad Tölz-Wolfratshausen (the northern part is already part of it).

The results should be available shortly.

In the Tölz district council, a decision will then be made this year as to whether the southern district will join the MVV from autumn 2023, said Schmid.

If so, you could, for example, easily purchase a uniform, cheaper ticket from Munich to Walchensee online.

In a way, the 9-euro ticket is currently a foretaste of a uniform fare zone.

"Germany has been a real laboratory for just three months," says Schmid.

It turns out that “a lower price leads to more passengers.” It is then important to draw the right conclusions from it.

For Schmid, this is the crucial question: "To what extent is society prepared to subsidize public transport?"

By the way: Everything from the region is now also available in our regular Bad Tölz newsletter.

You can find more current news from the region around Bad Tölz at Merkur.de/Bad Tölz.