Cheering and concern are spreading the day after the decision for a "Germany ticket": "As soon as possible", a Germany-wide ticket for local public transport (ÖPNV) is to be introduced, which the federal and state governments agreed on Wednesday: 49 It should cost EUR a month and be available primarily digitally.
If you prefer a plastic card, you can get that too, and the subscription can be canceled on a monthly basis.
Federal Transport Minister Volker Wissing (FDP) wants to set the hurdles as low as possible.
He praised the Deutschlandticket itself as the "greatest reform" in public transport, "unique in Europe".
The transport companies, on the other hand, are concerned about their financial resources,
Corinna Budras
Business correspondent in Berlin.
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Helmut Buender
Business correspondent in Düsseldorf.
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In any case, the Deutschlandticket will initially be much less complicated and cheaper for commuters, at least in most regions.
The monthly ticket in Frankfurt currently costs 79 euros, commuters from the Taunus pay almost 150 euros for the Main metropolis.
In Hamburg, a monthly subscription costs around 94 euros, and the entire network is available for around 215 euros.
It gets even more expensive if you want to travel to regions that are in two different fare networks, such as from Cologne to Düsseldorf.
Previously, knowledgeable public transport users had to select price level 5 and pay a subscription price of EUR 241.70.
However, there were also concerns, especially among the transport companies concerned, who are now worried about their economic independence.
The Association of German Transport Companies (VDV) has already made it clear that the deadline of January 1st, brought into play by the Federal Minister of Transport Wissing, cannot be kept because crucial questions have remained unanswered.
What is meant by this is above all the financial resources, which the federal and state governments agreed on Wednesday to absorb the expected loss of income.
"The biggest tariff revolution in Germany"
In the opinion of the transport company, four billion euros a year from the federal and state governments and an increase in regionalization funds by 3 percent per year are not enough to cover the gap: "The risk of a higher loss and the necessary start-up investments are in the entrepreneurial risk of the company postponed, that's not possible," criticized VDV general manager Oliver Wolff.
The losses caused by the pandemic and the high start-up losses were completely ignored.
The high flexibility of the subscription, which is based on the many digital models from Netflix & Co., also met with criticism: "The monthly cancellation option also leads to considerable income risks, which increase the need for compensation," complained Wolff.
In fact, there are still some open questions.
The competitors of Deutsche Bahn insist that they too can sell the Germany ticket.
“Every transport company should have this option.
To do this, fair commission rates that are uniform for everyone must be set,” said Tobias Heinemann, President of the Mofair association and head of the railway company Transdev, the FAZ enabled them to extend their lead even further with targeted offers.
"This position would be massively cemented by preferential treatment in sales," says Heinemann.
When selling the 9-euro ticket, independent ticket sellers got nothing.
As the Cartel Office confirmed on request,
there were a number of competition complaints.
"If there is to be a permanent regulation now, I think it would be appropriate that sales no longer only run via apps from transport providers such as DB Navigator.
Other sales channels must also be possible and easily accessible," said Cartel Office President Andreas Mundt of the FAZ. It should also be taken into account that the ticket "will have direct consequences for other transport companies and carriers.
You should talk to the affected companies about this and look for solutions”.
Long-distance bus companies such as Flixbus in particular had already complained about a loss in sales when the 9-euro ticket was introduced.
that sales are no longer limited to apps from transport providers such as DB Navigator.
Other sales channels must also be possible and easily accessible," said Cartel Office President Andreas Mundt of the FAZ. It should also be taken into account that the ticket "will have direct consequences for other transport companies and carriers.
You should talk to the affected companies about this and look for solutions”.
Long-distance bus companies such as Flixbus in particular had already complained about a loss in sales when the 9-euro ticket was introduced.
that sales are no longer limited to apps from transport providers such as DB Navigator.
Other sales channels must also be possible and easily accessible," said Cartel Office President Andreas Mundt of the FAZ. It should also be taken into account that the ticket "will have direct consequences for other transport companies and carriers.
You should talk to the affected companies about this and look for solutions”.
Long-distance bus companies such as Flixbus in particular had already complained about a loss in sales when the 9-euro ticket was introduced.
You should talk to the affected companies about this and look for solutions”.
Long-distance bus companies such as Flixbus in particular had already complained about a loss in sales when the 9-euro ticket was introduced.
You should talk to the affected companies about this and look for solutions”.
Long-distance bus companies such as Flixbus in particular had already complained about a loss in sales when the 9-euro ticket was introduced.
Others, on the other hand, can hardly wait for the start of the Deutschlandticket.
Even before the still unknown start date, the Hamburger Verkehrsverbund (HVV) is already accepting pre-orders for the planned 49-euro Germany ticket - with immediate effect.
The first debit will only be made when the subscription actually starts, "at the earliest on January 1, 2023," said the HVV on Thursday.
"The biggest tariff and sales revolution in Germany starts with the Deutschlandticket, we get a simple, clear offer without association borders," said HVV Managing Director Anna-Theresa Korbutt.
If you already have a subscription, you don't have to do anything.
The same applies here as with the 9-euro ticket: the price of all existing season tickets will be automatically reduced to the new price.