Nine-Euro Ticket: "A Hasty Measure of Symbolic Value"

While public transport companies puzzle over how to implement the nine-euro ticket decided by the traffic light coalition, renowned transportation researcher Heiner Monheim has expressed harsh criticism of the measure. The implementation is currently being reviewed by the Ministry of Transport. FDP Transport Minister Wissing had rejected an administratively simple free measure as demanded by the Greens.

"This is a quick fix that only has symbolic value. In the long term, not much will change with it. A mass shift of the population to public transportation cannot be achieved this way," the mobility expert explained to the Süddeutsche Zeitung.

Especially in rural areas, the nine-euro ticket cannot create new capacities. Transport associations are wondering how the implementation should be organized and administered. It is a "bureaucratic circus," similar to the 365-euro ticket, which was funded for one year as a pilot project in six cities. This was "ground down in the gears of bureaucracy."

Duality between city and country

Monheim generally referred to the duality between urban areas and rural areas. Responsibilities are clearly regulated for the road network, but not for public transportation. There are 16 local public transport laws, and districts organize student transportation. There is no such thing as village or rural bus networks in Germany. There are huge network and schedule gaps in the bus sector.

"But without the rural areas, there can be no traffic turnaround," Monheim explained.

Instead of "fragmentation," he called for a unified tariff system, which would also include rail. There is still no general subscription for the entire public transport system as in Switzerland. The Bahn Card 100 is a "small but exorbitantly expensive beginning."

"If the federal government wants to do its homework on climate policy, it must develop a Germany-wide tariff in parallel with the Deutschlandtakt, together with the federal states," Monheim demanded.

He currently sees a "window of opportunity" due to the climate crisis; the Deutschlandtakt with a half-hour rhythm must be introduced as quickly as possible. In the long term, the reform of freight rail transport and the reintroduction of Interregio and night trains are essential. In the short term, Monheim considers fiscal measures for control to be sensible.

"The exemption from the kerosene tax for aviation should be withdrawn and the VAT regulation for public transport and the electricity tax regulation for electric public transport finally changed," Monheim advocated.