Nuremberg establishes a model for the future

Local public transport (ÖPNV) does not have a good reputation in Germany. Nevertheless, there are promising models. The Verkehrsverbund Großraum Nürnberg (VGN) is now showing how local transport should be digital, sustainable and at the same time financially fair. A classification.

Public transport: the unattractive alternative?

Would you like to take the bus, tram or S-Bahn to work or organize a weekend trip using local public transport? This is only a serious option for a few people in Germany – and that despite the high petrol costs.

In large cities and conurbations in particular, single journeys can quickly cost three euros – sometimes a little more, sometimes a little less. And the balance for monthly tickets in the cheapest category is often no better. Despite the short distances, 50 euros quickly add up.

Or to put it another way: For many people, it is actually more financially attractive to own a car than to travel the world by public transport.

Egon: The E tariff in the greater Nuremberg area

It is therefore all the more exciting what the Verkehrsverbund Großraum Nürnberg (VGN) is currently doing under the name “Egon“ tests.

This is an e-tariff – i.e. a digital tariff – for the metropolitan region of Nuremberg. And that tariff clearly shows how public transport in Germany could be made much more attractive.

What does Egon do differently?

1. Digital processes

There are a number of special features in this VGN project. First of all, the entire process – from registering in the app to purchasing the tickets – is completely digital. This means that neither letter forms nor printed tickets are required.

Registering for the pilot project only takes a few minutes. In addition to providing personal data, depositing a credit card is the biggest effort. In several tests, it took a maximum of five minutes on the smartphone to be ready to go.

2. Fair pricing

In addition, VGN is fundamentally rethinking its price structure. Instead of a fixed price for a specific zone, as is the case in the vast majority of cities, Egon users only pay for the route they actually drive.

What does that mean? The fare consists of a basic daily price (2 euros from two kilometers) and a route price (0.24 euros per kilometer). The straight line is measured. From the second trip, the basic daily price does not apply, which means that the trips are significantly cheaper.

In addition, VGN offers a discount of 50 percent (!) on the basic price and the service price for monthly expenses of twelve euros or more.

How does a ride with Egon work?

The route calculation is based on the location data of the users. To the digital tariff to use it, you must therefore share your location data.

When boarding, you log in with a swipe. Your ticket for the inspection will appear on your screen immediately. You don’t have to do anything when you get off. The app automatically recognizes when you got out.

In order to plan for a possible change, the logout in our tests only took place about half an hour after the end of the journey. And although skepticism prevailed at the beginning, location tracking has always worked reliably.

The travel costs are automatically debited to the stored credit card. The total monthly turnover and the individual travel costs appear immediately in the app and can be viewed transparently.

Egon: The perfect interim solution for public transport in Germany

When something sounds too good to be true, there’s usually a catch. This also exists in this case – at least in theory. The digital tariff from Nuremberg is particularly suitable for occasional drivers. If you make between five and 15 trips a month, you will definitely save money.

This is especially true if several trips come together in one day. Instead of three single tickets for 2.85 euros each (ie 8.55 euros) we only spent 3.80 euros in a test.

Egon and the VGN actually manage to offer an interesting alternative to the car, because the pricing is fair and the processing is completely digital and uncomplicated.

The 49-euro ticket as a public transport option for commuters

However, anyone who travels to work by public transport every day and also covers longer distances will sometimes reach their limits with Egon. Nevertheless, monthly tickets quickly cost three-digit sums, especially in the outskirts of metropolitan areas.

However, this target group of commuters will be intercepted in the future with the 49-euro ticket, as this way there is a monthly cap for frequent drivers anyway.

Occasional users of public transport can, on the one hand, save money with digital offers like Egon and, on the other hand, do something for the environment by leaving their own car in the garage and the petrol in the tap.

Also interesting: