The ticket for 9 euros expires on August 31. What was mainly intended to reduce the financial burden on citizens, also made an important contribution to the climate balance in the transport sector. At least that is the conclusion of the final balance of the carriers.
1.8 million less CO2 emissions
According to an estimate by the Association of German Transport Companies (VDV), approximately 1.8 million tons of CO2 have been saved during the validity of the 9-euro ticket. That is almost as much as a speed limit of 130 km/h would save on the German autobahns in a year. According to the VDV, there were approximately one billion journeys per month during the campaign period.
The association is therefore strongly in favor of a uniform succession plan. There are some proposals in this regard, but there is absolutely no agreement in sight. “If we are serious about traffic transition and climate change, then we must act now DV director Oliver Wolff says.
One in ten leave the car at home
In total, some 52 million tickets were sold during the entire period. In addition, there are more than ten million subscribers who have automatically received the 9 euro ticket as part of their subscription. Together with Deutsche Bahn, the VDV asked 6,000 people for the ticket every week. It is the largest study on this subject. Every tenth passenger indicates that they have made at least one trip by public transport for which they would have used the car without a ticket.
In total, every fifth ticket of 9 euros was bought by customers who normally do not use public transport. However, the ticket was mainly used in urban areas, while the response rate in rural areas was only half as high. The reason for this is obvious: although cities usually have a well-developed public transport network, people on land usually have to take care of this. The result is cumbersome connections, long travel times, too few frequencies and stops located too far away.
17 percent of users indicate that they have switched from another mode of transport. However, it was not just about switching from the car, but also from other means of transport such as the bicycle. 81 percent of all buyers indicated that they liked the offer. The main reason was the price, but also the ease of use.
The Follow-up question is completely open
So, although the 9 euro ticket can be described as a success, the demand for a successor model remains open. However, one thing is clear: if there is a successor to the ticket, it will become more expensive. There are some proposals that cost between 29 and 69 euros per month. There are several financing proposals and one thing in particular: dispute. While the federated states are more responsible for the federal government, the latter mainly sees the federated states as responsible.
However, it takes much more than a cheap ticket. There is a significant investment backlog in public transport, which is also reflected in people’s low satisfaction with the offer. In the medium term, this needs to be improved above all to support and stimulate the turnaround in traffic.