Berlin to extend €29 travel card and offer a new €9 'social ticket'
The Berlin Senate announced plans to continue sales of the €29 ticket for the Berlin AB area until at least the end of March 2023 and to reduce the cost of the social ticket to just €9.
The state-funded €29 monthly ticket has been available in Berlin since the start of October and was introduced as a successor solution to the €9 ticket which was available nationwide over the summer.
Until Tuesday, the plan had been to keep the €29 ticket offer in place until the end of December, before the new nationwide €49 monthly ticket was due to come in January.
READ ALSO: EXPLAINED: How will Berlin’s new €29 transport ticket work? ✎
However, according to Berlin Mayor Franziska Giffey, the Berlin Senate no longer thinks that the €49 ticket will be ready to go on sale by the beginning of 2023, and has therefore decided to extend the €29 ticket for an initial period of three months.
The Senate also announced that starting from January 2023, there will be a new social ticket in Berlin for €9 a month until at least the end of March. Currently, Berlin's "Sozialticket" costs €27.50 and is available only to those who qualify for the Berlin Pass, such as benefits claimants.
Das #29EuroTicket geht in die Verlängerung: Bis Ende März 2023 soll das vergünstige Angebot im Berliner Stadtgebiet gelten. Damit investiert der Berliner Senat in einen modernen öffentlichen Nahverkehr und sorgt für eine wirksame Entlastung der Berliner:innen. #berlinliefert pic.twitter.com/GxenkwFJlZ
— Senatskanzlei Berlin (@RegBerlin) November 1, 2022
How things will proceed from April 2023 is still open and depends on when the €49 euro nationwide travelcard will be launched.
READ ALSO: EXPLAINED: How will Germany’s new €49 travel ticket work?
According to mobility senator Bettina Jarasch (Greens), one option which is currently on the table is to then "build on the €49 ticket in some places" and offer a discounted version for Berlin. She also put forth her idea of developing a socially graduated public transport fare structure in the region together with the Berlin-Brandenburg Transport Association (VBB).
On Tuesday, the Berlin Senate agreed on a supplementary €2.6 billion budget to help fund this and other relief measures for the capital's residents. The cheaper ticket alone will cost the state of Berlin €500 million in 2022 and 2023.
Comments
See Also
The state-funded €29 monthly ticket has been available in Berlin since the start of October and was introduced as a successor solution to the €9 ticket which was available nationwide over the summer.
Until Tuesday, the plan had been to keep the €29 ticket offer in place until the end of December, before the new nationwide €49 monthly ticket was due to come in January.
READ ALSO: EXPLAINED: How will Berlin’s new €29 transport ticket work? ✎
However, according to Berlin Mayor Franziska Giffey, the Berlin Senate no longer thinks that the €49 ticket will be ready to go on sale by the beginning of 2023, and has therefore decided to extend the €29 ticket for an initial period of three months.
The Senate also announced that starting from January 2023, there will be a new social ticket in Berlin for €9 a month until at least the end of March. Currently, Berlin's "Sozialticket" costs €27.50 and is available only to those who qualify for the Berlin Pass, such as benefits claimants.
Das #29EuroTicket geht in die Verlängerung: Bis Ende März 2023 soll das vergünstige Angebot im Berliner Stadtgebiet gelten. Damit investiert der Berliner Senat in einen modernen öffentlichen Nahverkehr und sorgt für eine wirksame Entlastung der Berliner:innen. #berlinliefert pic.twitter.com/GxenkwFJlZ
— Senatskanzlei Berlin (@RegBerlin) November 1, 2022
How things will proceed from April 2023 is still open and depends on when the €49 euro nationwide travelcard will be launched.
READ ALSO: EXPLAINED: How will Germany’s new €49 travel ticket work?
According to mobility senator Bettina Jarasch (Greens), one option which is currently on the table is to then "build on the €49 ticket in some places" and offer a discounted version for Berlin. She also put forth her idea of developing a socially graduated public transport fare structure in the region together with the Berlin-Brandenburg Transport Association (VBB).
On Tuesday, the Berlin Senate agreed on a supplementary €2.6 billion budget to help fund this and other relief measures for the capital's residents. The cheaper ticket alone will cost the state of Berlin €500 million in 2022 and 2023.
Join the conversation in our comments section below. Share your own views and experience and if you have a question or suggestion for our journalists then email us at [email protected].
Please keep comments civil, constructive and on topic – and make sure to read our terms of use before getting involved.
Please log in here to leave a comment.