Public transportation: New digital ticket aims to simplify bus and train travel
For occasional drivers, the Germany ticket is often too expensive. All users of buses and trains are set to benefit from a nationwide digital ticket.
A new digital ticket system for public transportation in Germany is being proposed, as individual states seek to introduce it nationwide as an addition to the existing Deutschlandticket. The concept involves using smartphones to record the start and end of journeys, automatically calculating the cheapest fare. However, the idea faces strong opposition from Bavaria's Transport Minister, Christian Bernreiter (CSU), who argues that the country lacks the funds for further perks and that the Deutschlandticket already offers a substantial benefit.
The proposal comes from North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) and Hamburg, who presented a draft for the upcoming Transport Ministers' conference in Bavaria's Hohenschwangau. They also plan to establish a working group to create a concept for the new system. NRW Minister Oliver Krischer (Green) explains that their goal is to make occasional travelers as convenient and affordable as frequent commuters with the Deutschlandticket.
If implemented nationwide, the system could provide hassle-free travel for occasional users across Germany. However, critics point out that the initiative would require significant financial investment and could disrupt the successful model of the Deutschlandticket, which has become popular due to its flat-rate structure. The German transport industry association, VDV, strongly opposes the proposal, arguing that it would incur additional costs and undermine the existing ticket system.
Written by urgent.news from Handelsblatt's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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