Public transport pressure on Scholz and Wissing is growing - but a new nine-euro ticket is not in sight
Created: 08/28/2022, 06:16
By: Andreas Schmid
Olaf Scholz with the CEO of Deutsche Bahn, Richard Lutz.
The chancellor is facing a debate about the 9-euro ticket, in which his cabinet has so far been slowing down.
© IMAGO/Eventpress MP (archive photo)
The 9-euro ticket expires at the end of August.
There are demands for a discounted bus and train ticket – but the federal government is putting the brakes on it.
Berlin – Olaf Scholz is actually a fan of "one of the best ideas we had".
The 9-euro ticket is "a great thing," said the chancellor at a public dialogue in Magdeburg.
This is because the ticket is “very cheap”.
In addition, the ticket is "much simpler" than the complicated fare system of different transport associations, some of which are "far too small".
However, Scholz and his cabinet around FDP Transport Minister Volker Wissing do not want to extend the reduced ticket.
For cost reasons, as Scholz explained.
The price is so cheap that "everyone suspects that we won't be able to keep it up in the long run." And so the 9-euro ticket expires as planned at the end of August.
There is now pressure from the Greens and Scholz's party colleagues from the Berlin SPD.
Berlin wants to extend the 9-euro ticket: "Something has to come from the federal government"
The state of Berlin is working on a connection solution for the 9-euro ticket.
From October 1st there will be reduced tickets for local public transport in the capital.
How much the new local ticket will cost is still open.
Berlin's SPD mayor Franziska Giffey is toying with the idea of leaving the price at nine euros, at least in the main traffic zones.
However, there are still many questions to be answered.
An interim solution is planned for the 3.6 million residents of the capital.
Giffey spoke of a "temporary solution" for the months of October, November and December.
Then it's the federal government's turn.
This is also emphasized by Berlin's Senator for Transport, Bettina Jarasch (Greens).
Before a state-owned ticket is developed, there must first be a follow-up regulation for the 9-euro ticket from the federal government, which will expire in a few days, she said in the RBB evening show.
"Something has to come from the federal government."
Inexpensive public transport ticket: Greens present regional and federal concept
What should come from the federal government is clear to Jarasch's party.
Green party leader Omid Nouripour said on RTL on Thursday that he expects the federal government to speak “very quickly” about further relief in general.
However, this expressly applies "also to the nine-euro ticket".
The Greens are currently developing a concept for cheap local transport.
In the future there will be two new monthly tickets: a regional ticket for 29 euros and a federal ticket for 49 euros.
The Association of German Transport Companies proposes a nationwide ticket for 69 euros from September 1st.
Scholz promises 9-euro ticket successor: Chancellor wants to “develop something there”
Scholz, on the other hand, speaks of a connection ticket.
"We have decided that we will develop something that will come soon."
The Chancellor did not comment more specifically.
Minister of Transport Wissing is "on it".
However, it was precisely that Wissing that put a damper on hopes that the 9-euro ticket would continue on Friday.
A seamless transition from September 1 seems impossible.
At a press conference in Berlin, the Federal Transport Minister, who is responsible for buses and trains, indicated that it would be weeks, possibly even months, before a new nationwide ticket would be available.
He wants to stick to his "timetable".
The ticket should first be "evaluated" before concrete decisions are made.
First results are expected in October.
There are already calls for “public transport for everyone”.
Participants in a demonstration by the "9-Euro-Ticket-Forever!" alliance on Friday in downtown Hamburg.
© Marcus Brandt/dpa
9-euro ticket: the federal and state governments are arguing about funding
One thing is clear: the 9-euro ticket is a success and people use it.
A lot even.
It has been sold 38 million times in the past few weeks.
When Germany's leading politicians speak of a "great idea" (Scholz), the "right decision" (Finance Minister Christian Lindner) or a "huge success" (Transport Minister Wissing), the question remains: Why should the ticket expire in a few days?
The issue is the money.
"There are no funds available in the financial planning for a continuation of the 9-euro ticket," emphasized Lindner.
The Greens want to finance a cheap public transport ticket by eliminating the company car privilege.
The FDP rejects this.
Wissing also often emphasizes the financial aspect.
He also thinks nothing of the fact that responsibility for financing is now being shifted.
Public transport is a state matter.
That's true in terms of pricing.
The chairwoman of the conference of transport ministers, Maike Schaefer (Greens), sees the federal government responsible for financing local public transport under the regionalization law.
The countries see it that way too.
The Free State of Bavaria, for example, wants to keep the 9-euro ticket – but only if the federal government pays.
A small legal digression: The Regionalization Act regulates rail transport in Germany.
It says in paragraph 1: "Ensuring that the population is adequately served with local public transport services is a public service task.
The bodies that perform this task
are determined by state
law.” However, the paragraph on financing also states: “The states are entitled to an amount for local public transport from the federal tax revenue in accordance with the following regulations for each year.
In this way, the federal government is making a financial contribution to this federal state task
.” The federal and state governments are also arguing about legal aspects.
9-euro ticket: Länder demand billions in funding – Wissing “disappointed”
For the federal states, the additional financial burden of a discounted ticket does not seem manageable overall, especially in view of rising energy costs.
With this concern in mind, the transport ministers of the federal states logged into the digital conference of transport ministers on Friday.
They demanded "promptly" significantly more money for public transport.
They see the federal government as having an obligation to finance a successor to the 9-euro ticket.
Specifically, it needs: 3.15 billion euros more funds this year and next, then 1.5 billion euros more annually.
Wissing described the conference of transport ministers as "disappointing", and the upset in the federal states is likely to be similar.
A few days before the 9-euro ticket expires, the demands of both players are far apart.
The 9-euro ticket is becoming a problem: Germans are expecting higher ticket prices on buses and trains from September 1st.
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