The experiment called the 9-euro ticket is still in full swing, but the pain of separation is already spreading in politics and among the people.

The loud demands for an extension cannot be ignored.

For three weeks, everyone in Germany who at least wants to shell out the money for two cappuccinos can travel across the country on the S-Bahn, U-Bahn, bus and regional trains.

To do this, they do not have to penetrate any complicated tariff zones.

You simply board the (usually overcrowded) trains and get off on Sylt, in Rosenheim or Chemnitz.

9 euros for the whole of Germany in the summer – where can you find something like that?

It's clear: Anyone who was allowed to experience something like this will be reluctant to pay what are sometimes horrendous prices for monthly or annual tickets after the planned end of the discount campaign devised by Transport Minister Volker Wissing (FDP) at the end of August, especially since the experiment at the same time relentlessly reveals how in need of improvement the Local and regional transport in Germany is beyond the large metropolitan areas.

Overcrowded trains are almost the least of the evils.

Long waiting times, a lack of night connections and confusing information enrich the experience of frequent drivers in rural areas.

The financial damage is manageable

At least that's what the 9-euro ticket could make you forget: Even if the deprivation is great, the financial damage is manageable.

It is much more painful to have to spend a lot of money for a miserable offer.

So it makes sense to call for an extension.

Especially since in times of climate change local public transport is wrongly considered innocent because it is forgotten that even empty diesel buses do not have a convincing climate balance sheet.

But obviously it is easy for many to demand another paltry ten billion euros for the seamless extension of the 9-euro ticket - every year, mind you, in addition to the ten billion euros that are also due, which the federal government already transfers to the states every year as constant support for a functioning public transport system.

And this has not yet paid off increased energy and personnel costs or even purchased additional buses and trains to fill the gaps in the network.

That should be clear to all supporters of the 9-euro idea: Whoever makes the taxpayer the main financier of the system in the long run is ultimately laying the ax on a functioning public transport system.

Then the quality will soon not be an issue at all, then a complex and expensive service, the organization of which is by no means trivial, will become junk.

Quality is only important to those who use the buses and trains and make the appropriate money for it.

The charm of a single tariff

Conversely, however, it cannot be a solution to return to the status quo ante; the experiment was too successful for that.

The millions of adventurous new customers who seem unmoved and squeeze themselves into overcrowded wagons should not leave politicians and transport companies indifferent.

People are obviously quite open to public transport if it is affordable and the effort is manageable.

However, it remains to be seen whether they will also rely on buses and trains in the longer term.

In any case, the previous studies are rather sobering with regard to climate protection.

Apparently, hardly anyone does without the car, instead doing extra laps by train for nine euros.

But the charm of a simple, uniform tariff is obvious, now only a monthly amount has to be found that takes the services of the transport company into account.

It is quite possible that a nationwide tariff cannot be enforced, the previous prices in the transport associations are too different for that.

Orienting yourself only to the lowest tariff would not be a convincing solution, but after this discount battle no rail customer will be sold a decent price increase.

But one thing is undisputed: many rail users can certainly be expected to pay a reasonable price for public transport, which needs to be further improved even without a 9-euro ticket.

On the other hand, those who were only allowed to board buses and trains once thanks to the summer ticket should continue to be supported by the state in the future.

Such a concept cannot be developed overnight.

Politicians and transport companies should take more time for this than for the quick shot of the 9-euro ticket, which aimed to relieve the burden in times of crisis.

It was intended as a flash in the pan and should remain so.

The impatient train drivers have to give them the time now.

It might be worth it for them.