State is considering its own solution
The clock is ticking: the 9-euro ticket expires at the end of August. Despite many suggestions, there is still no successor to the popular saver ticket. A German federal state is now pushing ahead – and could, if necessary, get it going on its own. The Greens have also presented a concept for a successor.
Uncomplicated, inexpensive and valid nationwide: The 9-euro ticket showed what modern public transport can look like. The ticket for local and regional transport has been sold more than 21 million times. Despite the great success, a follow-up regulation is a long time coming. If the 9-euro ticket does not receive an official successor, Lower Saxony has a plan B in its pocket.
Lower Saxony proposes North German model as successor to 9-euro ticket
According to Lower Saxony’s Ministry of Transport a North German model is conceivable. “If a nationwide ticket cannot be implemented, alternatively, the get something going in five northern German federal states“The ministry said. However, the Ministry of Transport did not reveal what that could mean in concrete terms (source: dpa via Saxon newspaper).
According to the ministry in Hanover, a North German solution would only be the second choice anyway. Much more should the federal government put the states in a position to offer a cheap and nationwide ticket after the expiry of the 9-euro ticket. “It cannot be that the federal government initiates the ticket, leaves implementation to the states, celebrates its success and then does not want to take responsibility for a connection solution,” said Lower Saxony’s Transport Minister Bernd Althusmann (CDU).
What you need to know about the 9-euro ticket:
Chancellor makes it clear: 9-euro ticket will not be continued
A concept by the Verkehrsclub Deutschland (VCD) goes in a very similar direction to the proposal from the Lower Saxony Ministry of Transport. The so-called Länder-PlusTicket divides the federal territory into 8 areas of validity, including overlaps. With a price of 75 euros per area of validity, the Länder-PlusTicket would be significantly more expensive than the current 9-euro ticket.
Both Chancellor Scholz and Federal Transport Minister Wissing have made it clear that 9-euro ticket will not be continued in its current form. The Greens want two successors.
