Passenger counts on local train services in Germany increased by 25% thanks to the €49 eco-friendly ticket.
The plan to expand the use of public transportation in Germany has been hailed as a “huge success”.
Germans liked the concept that the use of inexpensive public transportation helps to reduce pollution. Statistical solid evidence supports Germany’s eco-friendly innovation.
The €49 monthly ticket “Deutschlandticket” generated a 25% increase in passengers on regional services provided by Deutsche Bahn, Germany’s train travel provider, as reported by Euronews.
“D-Ticket” popularity
The “D-Ticket,” introduced in May, enables users to travel the entire Germany on as many buses and local or regional trains as required. It includes the well-known S-Bahn system in Berlin.
Volker Wissing, Germany’s transport minister, referred to the ticket as “really a huge success” in an interview with the German news agency DPA. According to data from Deutsche Bahn, Germans have been using the D-Ticket to travel “significantly longer distances” since May 1.
Routes to the seaside and mountains are proven to be especially popular over the summer. This shows that the program enables consumers to plan more environmentally friendly summer vacations.
The data indicate a positive trend. Local public transportation has experienced approximately one million additional consumers two months after its launch.
The ticket is in high demand. 9.6 million passengers utilized the D-Ticket subscription as of June 20, according to the Association of German Transport Companies.
Can the €49 ticket be sustainable in Germany?
52 million tickets were sold, and an estimated 1.8 million tonnes of CO2 emissions were saved during the €9 per month promotion.
But the cheap pass cost the state too much for it to continue, although it became popular and positively affected the climate. The €49 pass is in doubt as transportation officials warned that it might not be sustainable.
The Deutschland ticket will eventually cost less the more subscribers there are, and it can be sustainable if it’s widely used by Germans regularly. So, people’s efforts for the climate are required, not only from the government’s side.
