Starting next year, Germany will offer a monthly travel pass that allows national travel on most of the public transport network for the equivalent of £1.40 per day.
According to a recent poll on Express.co.uk, readers believe that the UK should follow Germany’s lead and introduce a low-cost unlimited rail pass. The German government is currently offering a national travel pass that allows unlimited use of rail, tram, and bus networks for only €49 (£43) per month. The scheme is designed to help offset the cost of living crisis while also reducing emissions. However, some readers are doubtful about the practicality and cost of such a scheme in the UK.
The German railways are launching a new scheme that will allow residents and tourists to travel nationwide for just £1.40 (€1.62) per day, starting as soon as January 1, 2023. The ticket covers regional train services, trams, most buses and some city ferry services. It does not cover the fastest trains but journeys are possible on slower services.
On November 3, the German Embassy in London announced via Twitter that a digital Deutschlandticket–an unlimited travel pass–would be available next year. However, they later added that “The Association of German Transport Companies has warned that it may not be possible to roll out this ticket from January. Everyone is aiming to have the ticket in place asap.”
This scheme, which will allegedly cost the German government around €2.5 billion (£2.1 billion), has been lauded for its efforts in incentivizing eco-friendly travel at a time of increasing fuel prices.
The success of a similar €9 (£8) monthly ticket scheme during the summer months has led to this decision.
Labour MP Richard Burgon tweeted: “In Germany, you can now get a travel card for local and regional trains for just nine euros per month. Let’s fight for this here!”
The scheme is designed to help people manage the cost of living crisis and cut CO2 emissions. It is available to everyone, regardless of nationality, and does not require pre-booking.
The calendar-month ticket allows you to use most trains, U-Bahn and S-Bahn networks in the city, as well as trams, buses and ferry services on the River Elbe in Hamburg. You can’t use intercity express trains with this ticket, but you can travel across the country on slower regional express trains.
Following the success of the €9 (£8) monthly ticket that allowed national travel during June, July, and August this summer, a similar project is now being offered that provides unlimited use of local and regional German trains for three months.
The cost of this bargain, which came out to about 25p per day, was so low that one quick trip covered the cost of the pass, yet it led to overcrowding on numerous services.
The programme, which the German government reportedly spent roughly €2.5 billion (£ 2.1 billion) on, was designed to aid in efforts to promote environmentally friendly travel and fight rising inflation and fuel prices.
52 million €9 train passes were sold in Germany, saving 1.8 million tonnes of CO2, or 90 million trees, according to the Association of German Transport Companies (VDV).
The cost of the new programme has increased by 444% from the summertime rate, but many people still think it’s a good deal. Last month, Greens co-president Terry Reintke tweeted: “€49 is not €9 but it’s still a good step forward for cheap, climate-friendly, and social mobility.”
Volker Wissing, Germany’s transport minister, stated that “with the nine-euro ticket we showed that simplicity is preferable” following a meeting with his counterparts from the country’s 16 states last month. The new ticket, which could be purchased as a monthly pass or a continuous pass, wouldn’t be printed, he declared.
According to reports, the Federal Government has proposed to supplement state funding for the pass with an annual subsidy of €1.5 billion (£1.3 billion).
In July, East Leeds Labour MP Richard Burgon tweeted in reference to the summer programme: “In Germany, you can now get a travel card for local and regional trains for just nine euros per month…