It took a long time, but the Deutschlandticket has been available for sale since Monday – but not on the Deutsche Bahn website, at least not without restrictions. At the start of the 49-euro ticket, there was a disruption on the Bahn website. “At the moment, too many users are accessing our booking system at the same time,” said the page where passengers can usually buy the new offer. The company spoke of delays due to high demand.
The new Deutschlandticket entitles you to travel nationwide on local public transport for 49 euros per month. It is available as a monthly subscription. In addition to the train, many other transport companies also sell the ticket.
Disgruntled customers reported their experiences on Twitter. “Amazing! @DB_Bahn and @Wissing (Federal Minister of Transport Volker Wissing, editor’s note) at it’s best. Ticket too expensive and then not even orderable,” writes a user there.
Meanwhile, the social association VdK criticized the start of the ticket that the discounted monthly tickets are only available as mobile phone tickets in many places. “The federal government and the transport associations must keep their word and make the ticket available even without a smartphone,” said VdK President Verena Bentele on Sunday, according to the announcement. “However, many old and poor people in Germany do not own a smartphone.”
According to the agreement between the federal and state governments, the transport companies and associations can offer the Deutschlandticket in three versions: as a mobile phone ticket, a plastic card with an electronic chip and temporarily until the end of the year also as a paper ticket.
Some transport companies, especially in rural areas, do not sell the Deutschlandtickets themselves. Others do not offer chip cards, at least for the time being. However, the demand for physically tangible Germany tickets is high, and not only among seniors. According to figures from the transport company MVG, only half of the Germany tickets in Munich were sold as mobile phone tickets in the first three weeks of April. “We demand a short-term, uncomplicated and barrier-free solution,” explained Bentele.
