Now it really starts.

Deutsche Bahn has sold 7 million 9-euro tickets so far.

The three-month rail adventure begins this Wednesday, which, by the way, coincides with the summer school holidays in most federal states.

The warnings of overcrowded trains, annoyed travelers and high-spirited encounters are getting louder.

The cheap local transport ticket will pose challenges for even experienced ICE drivers.

Kevin Hanschke

volunteer.

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If you still want to have a bit of travel or commuting fun, you should heed a few rules of conduct for traveling on local trains.

It starts with plenty of provisions for the journey, including enough water bottles, and ends with the practical folding chair for the involuntary stay at the smallest train stations in Germany.

If you're a packing artist or don't use the toilet, you have a further advantage over your fellow passengers.

On-board restaurant – which on-board restaurant?

The Federal Republic is large, the local train tends to be slow.

So you should pack plenty of food.

The hoarding of food, at least to some extent, becomes a duty here, because most regional and local trains do not offer a dining car, let alone board service.

There is also no water dispenser.

So being self-sufficient is the order of the day.

The train picnic is set to make a comeback this summer.

If you don't want to debate climate change and plastic waste with your fellow passengers, the sandwiches should not be wrapped in aluminum foil, but should be packed in light food containers such as Tupperware.

Don't make the rookie mistake.

Don't rely on the snack carts on the double-decker regional trains.

Their candy and coffee machines are mostly looted because Deutsche Bahn rarely refills them.

And if there is still something to get, the disappointment is often great: the chocolate bar is past its prime and an indefinable slop of coffee flows into the cup.

Better grab the thermos flask and spoil yourself with your own filter coffee.

In the wrong place at the wrong time

You should avoid the German metropolises during the rush hour on weekdays.

Unless you want to put your life in danger.

A rush hour is expected between 7am and 9am and between 5pm and 7pm in the afternoon.

Many passengers will not only use the special offer of the transport associations for summer trips, but actually for cheap commuting.

Especially now that the home office is ending in many companies and employees are supposed to go back to the office.

In view of the high energy prices, the switch from the car to the local train was once the original goal - and not the "destruction of Sylt" based on 9 euros.

Many passenger associations expect the number of passengers in the big cities to be twice as high.

The fight for a seat, a handhold and a bit of space in the subway, suburban train and tram will lead to bizarre scenes from everyday life.

One can only hope that the majority of commuters will retain their human dignity in the process.