Half-time with the 9-euro ticket: What is the conclusion?
Created: 07/18/2022, 20:07
By: Felix Herz
The 9 euro ticket has encouraged many people to use public transport.
(Iconic image) © Christoph Soeder/dpa
The 9-euro ticket has been valid for a month and a half.
Between scary forecasts of overcrowded trains and hopes for empty streets - that's the status.
Munich – Use every regional train and local public transport service as much as you want for 9 euros per month.
That was the promise for the 9-euro ticket at the end of May, shortly before it was launched on June 1st for a total of three months.
A month and a half later is halftime.
How has the 9-euro ticket fared in Bavaria so far?
Conclusion on the 9-euro ticket: Mixed feelings in Bavaria
There was no lack of horror forecasts with mercilessly overcrowded trains and a collapse of local public transport when the 9-euro ticket was launched.
At the same time, people hoped for empty streets and financial relief for travellers, day trippers and commuters.
And as is so often the case, the truth at half-time lies somewhere in the middle.
So there were some overcrowded trains, but the feared chaos did not materialize.
According to the Bavarian state association of the ProBahn passenger association, the problems as a whole are more likely to be due to individual events.
In its conclusion, the Bavarian regional railway speaks of light and shadow.
And the railway company Agilis is happy about the high level of attention that the saver ticket for regional transport has attracted.
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9-euro ticket in Bavaria: Happy about passengers - but with problems
Agilis reports significantly higher passenger numbers.
"Anyone who has bought this offer ticket will also use it," the company says.
One hopes to be able to show people that there are alternatives to the car.
Also, the number of passengers would not decrease in the second month.
There is a “consistently high level” here.
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The Bavarian Regionalbahn is also happy to have more passengers – albeit with one restriction.
Like other railway companies, one is currently struggling with overcrowded trains - a circumstance that "sometimes causes long delays".
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Bavaria: 9-euro ticket a sign to continue?
There are no figures on the Bavaria-wide use of the 9-euro ticket - after all, the saver ticket can be used nationwide.
However, over 200,000 tickets were sold on the Bavarian Regionalbahn alone up to the previous week.
At ProBahn, the previous course of the 9-euro ticket is seen as a clear signal that more people can be convinced of public transport.
The prerequisite is to make use easy and low-threshold.
Above all, it is cheaper than the petrol costs of a commuter driving a car.
With a view to the future, the spokesman for ProBahn says: "It doesn't have to be a gift, but inexpensive."
(fhz)
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