The so-called “Deutschlandticket” is valid from May 1st. This means that all local and regional public transport in Germany can be used for a monthly flat rate of 49 euros. The federal government launched the offer as a successor to the nine-euro ticket from summer 2022.
At that time, the German Environmental Aid criticized the nine-euro ticket as a “placebo offer” with regard to rural areas. What’s the use of a cheap fare if the bus doesn’t come often?
Between the summer of 2022 and May 2023, the bus and train infrastructure outside the cities is unlikely to have changed significantly. In this respect, the results of a survey by the “Mirror“ commissioned by the opinion research institute Civey.
Little demand for 49 euro ticket in the countryside
Broken down by population density, it becomes clear here: The fewer people live in an area, the higher the rejection of the 49-euro ticket. Or to put it another way: In the country, you see little point in the offer.
“Are you planning to use the nationwide valid 49-euro monthly ticket for local and regional public transport?” – that was the question. 81 percent of the participants from areas with a very low population density answered “no” or “rather no”. Only twelve percent answered in the affirmative, seven percent were undecided.
In areas with a very high population density, i.e. in cities, the opposite picture emerges. 51 percent answered here negatively, while 39 percent stated that they wanted to buy the 49-euro ticket.
A total of 22 percent want to use the 49-euro ticket
Overall, according to the “Spiegel”, 22 percent of those surveyed said they wanted to use the 49-euro ticket. That may sound like little. However, Evelyn Palla, CEO for regional transport at Deutsche Bahn, expects a total of 17 million users, as the “picture on sundaysaid. This calculation includes six million new customers and eleven million passengers with an existing public transport subscription who are switching to a 49-euro ticket that can be canceled monthly.
Will the 49-euro ticket have an impact on everyday mobility?
According to the “Spiegel”, over 40 percent of those surveyed plan to only use the 49-euro ticket between one and seven months a year. In this respect, it is questionable whether mobility in Germany will change significantly. A study by the German Institute for Economic Research (DIW) also raises doubts about its effectiveness. The nine-euro ticket from 2022 was evaluated in the study.
It had “hardly any impact on everyday mobility,” says study co-author Dennis Gaus. People have not switched to public transport to a large extent on their way to work. Instead, the nine-euro ticket was used more for long distances of more than 30 kilometers, i.e. for excursions. Gaus therefore considers it questionable whether the 49-euro ticket will lead to a widespread switch to buses and trains. (tsp)
