Berlin: The 29-Euro Ticket is coming - and receiving criticism from Bavaria

The much-discussed 29-euro ticket for buses and trains in Berlin will come into effect on July 1st. This was announced by Transport Senator Manja Schreiner (CDU) on Tuesday after a Senate meeting. The presale for the ticket, which will only be available by subscription for the AB area, will begin next Tuesday, Schreiner said during a Senate visit to the underground control center of the Berliner Verkehrsbetriebe (BVG) in Lichtenberg.  

Goal: More Berliners Should Use Public Transport

Economy Senator Franziska Giffey (SPD) added that the ticket is intended to help keep life in Berlin affordable. It should also enable mobility for those for whom the nationwide valid 49-euro ticket is too expensive and who cannot use either a job ticket or a social ticket. Berlin is a pioneer in this—both nationally and Europe-wide. The discounted ticket is also a contribution towards climate neutrality, which Berlin aims to achieve before 2045. The goal is for more Berliners to use public transport in the future.

Long Discussions Before the Introduction of the 29-Euro Ticket

There had been long discussions about the introduction of the 29-euro ticket, which is to run in parallel with the nationwide valid 49-euro ticket. The Berlin SPD had campaigned for this before the repeat of the 2023 House of Representatives election. Recently, there had also been skeptical voices from the CDU due to the budget situation - but both coalition parties have now come to an agreement.

Transport Senator Schreiner had another piece of news to announce: The Senate has also cleared the way for the initial steps in the possible expansion of the U8 subway line into Märkisches Viertel. The extension had been promised to the people there for 40 years, said the CDU politician. The transport administration and BVG have now reached an agreement on financing the initial planning phases. This includes, for example, examining whether the subway is indeed the most sensible mode of transport there compared to others, and a cost-benefit analysis.

Only if positive results are obtained will the next planning steps be undertaken—nothing has been decided yet. Other lines that Schwarz-Rot (Black-Red) is considering for extension are the U3 and the U7. Berlin’s Governing Mayor Kai Wegner (CDU) pointed out that the expansion of the network is an explicit goal of the Senate. Especially with regard to the outer districts, there is still room for improvement.

Artificial Intelligence and Autonomous Driving: BVG Looks to the Future

At the same time, BVG is already looking further into the future: Artificial intelligence and autonomous driving are key concepts in this regard. BVG has signed a so-called Memorandum of Understanding with Volkswagen subsidiary Moia for a pilot project to test the use of self-driving minibuses starting in 2025. These Volkswagen vehicles are equipped with cameras, radar, and so-called LIDAR, laser-based sensors, which enable them to perceive the surrounding traffic situation. 

A similar project was launched last fall in Hamburg, where the vehicles travel at speeds of up to 50 km/h in certain neighborhoods. They are not intended as a replacement for buses and trains, but rather as a supplement: They are meant to make the decision for public transport easier by bridging the gap in the service offering to the nearest subway or suburban train station. During the test phase, however, the vehicles are not yet completely autonomous and are manned by two safety drivers who keep an eye on the traffic situation. 

Berlin is growing, and so are people's demands on public transportation. Therefore, the Senate and BVG want to develop a joint mobility strategy called "Berlin 2035." AI could potentially be used in various aspects of BVG's operations: As one example, Giffey, who is also the BVG Supervisory Board Chairwoman, mentioned load and route optimization.