The federal and state governments are struggling to find a successor to the 9-euro tickets for local transport. A ticket for 49 euros per month is a possible option. However, no decisions have been made yet. Funding issues were not resolved. It is an open question whether there will be an agreement on Wednesday and Thursday during consultations between the transport ministers of the federal states and Federal Minister Volker Wissing (FDP) in Bremerhaven.
The chair of the state department heads, Bremen’s Senator Maike Schaefer (Greens), told the German Press Agency that the majority of the states had spoken out in advance in a working group for a possible 49-euro ticket. It was also discussed when and how such a ticket could be made viable.
The conference will also deal with an urgently needed increase in regionalization funds and federal co-financing for the high energy prices. “An inexpensive ticket that is valid throughout Germany has no financial relief effect for people or for the traffic turnaround and thus for the climate if the federal states have to close routes and cancel services in the future due to a lack of funds,” said Schaefer.
Goal: High proportion of new customers
A key issues paper by a working group on the conference states that the ticket should be available at the start for the price of 49 euros as an annual subscription. This starting price leads to a high proportion of new customers and has a high climate impact. The ticket should be valid nationwide. The paper was available to the German Press Agency, first the “Rheinische Post” and the portal “The Pioneer” reported about it. According to dpa information, there is still no agreement at the top level on a 49-euro ticket or another model.
On Wednesday morning, Wissing was asked on NDR whether there would be a 49-euro ticket. “That’s my plan, but there is still no agreement between the federal and state governments, neither about the time nor about some details of the ticket,” said the Federal Minister of Transport. When asked if he could explain the price of 49 euros to be correct, Wissing replied: “I can confirm that this is my wish and I think it can be financed.”
The 9-euro ticket, which has been bought millions of times, made it possible to travel by bus and train nationwide for one month in June, July and August.
Increase in regionalization funds planned
The federal states generally want more money from the federal government to finance local transport because of increased energy costs. In mid-September they had decided not to decide on a successor until the federal government responded to their demands with an offer. The federal states want an increase in the so-called regionalization funds by 1.5 billion euros starting this year. With this money from the federal government, the states order rail and bus services from the transport providers. In addition, the federal government is to increase the funds in 2022 and 2023 by 1.65 billion euros each due to the rise in energy prices.
Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) and the heads of government of the federal states could not agree on financial issues last week. The traffic light coalition had agreed to give an extra 1.5 billion euros a year for a permanent nationwide local transport ticket if the federal states contribute at least the same amount. The goal is a price between 49 and 69 euros per month. Normally, regionalization funds of 9.4 billion euros come from Berlin this year, plus another billion from another pot.
Environmental aid calls for a follow-up ticket for 29 euros
Associations called on the conference of transport ministers to find a solution. “The federal and state governments have promised people a follow-up ticket and now they must finally keep their promise,” demanded Dirk Flege, Managing Director of the Pro-Rail Alliance.
“People want a cheap climate ticket that is valid nationwide, and the three-month 9-euro ticket has proven that,” said Jürgen Resch, the federal director of the German Environmental Aid. Like the environmental organization Greenpeace before, he demanded a follow-up ticket for 29 euros. The railway and transport union (EVG) called for more staff and new trains in the “Redaktionsnetzwerk Deutschland” (Wednesday).
Bavaria: More money from the federal government needed
For approval of a 49-euro ticket for local transport, Bavaria makes an increase in regionalization funds by the federal government a condition. “However, all countries emphasize like a mantra: Without additional regionalization funds for the maintenance and expansion of traffic, there will be no successor ticket. A discussion about a ticket only makes sense in a package with a significant increase in financial resources for maintaining the offer,” said Transport Minister Christian Bernreiter on Wednesday of the German Press Agency.
Specifically, it is initially about 1.5 billion euros in additional regionalization funds plus 1.65 billion euros to cushion the rise in energy and fuel prices. The federal states had unanimously demanded this from the federal government, said the CSU politician. Unfortunately, Berlin continues to block the expansion of local public transport and thus risks having to cancel trains and buses in the future. “It’s almost a mockery to commit to the expansion of public transport without providing the necessary regionalization funds. The federal government is allowing the states to starve at the outstretched arm.”
