Germany is set to replace its popular €9 monthly local public transportation ticket with a €49 version, a decision that has drawn criticism from charities and social care organisations who claim the increased cost would exclude millions of Germans who are struggling to make ends meet. During the summer, an experiment involving a €9 pass (equivalent to roughly £7.80) was conducted in an effort to encourage people to use public transportation and to help combat growing inflation.
Following a conference between the federal government and the leaders of Germany’s 16 states to decide who would bear the costs of the subsidised ticket and how much it should cost, a decision was made about the new Deutschland Ticket.
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Following months of debate about a replacement for the €9 ticket, which was followed by transportation observers worldwide and gave rise to a number of analytical studies, transportation experts welcomed the announcement, as reported by the Guardian.
Representatives of charities and social care organisations, however, criticised the new ticket as a gift to the middle class, especially those who travel for work, and cautioned that its price would put millions of people out of their price range.
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Climate activists expressed concern that the cost would not be low enough to entice people away from their automobiles and said that due to the poor quality of rural services, many people would find it challenging to use public transport for transit.
Even while she applauded the decision about the ticket, Michaela Engelmeier, the leader of the German Social Association, a lobbying organisation, said she thought many people wouldn’t be able to pay it.
“We are sticking to our position that the €49 ticket will not be affordable for everyone, which is why we’re continuing to push for a €365-a-year ticket,” said Michaela Engelmeier.
Bicyclists said that throughout the discussions, their demands were frequently disregarded. The ADFC, a lobbying organisation that represents cyclists’ interests, aims to eliminate the need for bike fees by allowing bicycles on trains for free as part of the travel ticket price.
The cost of the new ticket, which will be split evenly between the federal government and the states, is anticipated to be over €3 billion in public subsidies. It may debut as early as January.
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