€49 travel ticket prompts big rise in Deutsche Bahn passenger numbers
Following the introduction of the €49 'Deutschlandticket' in Germany on May 1st, the number of passengers using Deutsche Bahn's local transport services has risen by around a quarter, according to DB Regio CEO Evelyn Palla.
In June, the number of passengers on DB's regional services - which includes the S-Bahn - was 25 percent higher than in April, Palla told the RedaktionsNetzwerk Deutschland (RND).
The Deutschlandticket is "already a great success,” she said.
Passengers on DB regional trains had also travelled "significantly longer distances", with excursion routes towards the seaside and mountains being particularly popular during the holiday season.
READ ALSO: Which foreign countries can you visit with Germany’s 49 ticket?
In some regions, "people were travelling as much as in the €9 summer", Palla told RND, referring to the discounted monthly ticket offered last year from June to August.
"However, the just under three months that we have now had the Deutschlandticket are not yet enough to paint an accurate picture," Palla said.
Demand for the ticket is still running high, she said. However, "the fact that the trains were fuller in May and June than in April is also due to public holidays and the holiday season."
READ ALSO: OPINION: Why Germany’s €49 travel ticket is far better than previous €9 ticket
‘Huge success’
Germany's Transport Minister Volker Wissing said that the €49 could signal a lasting increase in the use of buses and trains. The Deutschlandticket is "really a huge success", the FDP politician told German news agency DPA
In less than three months since its introduction, local public transport (ÖPNV) has seen almost one million new customers, he said.
"And we have increased the number of subscribers who are firmly committed to public transport. That means there is not just casual use, but everyday use."
The more subscribers there are, the cheaper the Deutschlandticket can remain permanently, said Wissing. "That's why we have to make sure that as many people as possible use the ticket permanently."
For €49 per month, the Deutschlandticket entitles the holder to travel throughout Germany and some bordering areas of neighbouring countries on all local and regional transport.
Special discounts are offered for students and trainees, employees and people receiving social benefits.
READ ALSO: State by state: Who will get a discount on Germany’s €49 transport ticket?
According to the Association of German Transport Companies (VDV), a good 9.6 million passengers used it as of June 20th.
The VDV predicted that 17 million people will buy a Deutschlandticket in the future.
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In June, the number of passengers on DB's regional services - which includes the S-Bahn - was 25 percent higher than in April, Palla told the RedaktionsNetzwerk Deutschland (RND).
The Deutschlandticket is "already a great success,” she said.
Passengers on DB regional trains had also travelled "significantly longer distances", with excursion routes towards the seaside and mountains being particularly popular during the holiday season.
READ ALSO: Which foreign countries can you visit with Germany’s 49 ticket?
In some regions, "people were travelling as much as in the €9 summer", Palla told RND, referring to the discounted monthly ticket offered last year from June to August.
"However, the just under three months that we have now had the Deutschlandticket are not yet enough to paint an accurate picture," Palla said.
Demand for the ticket is still running high, she said. However, "the fact that the trains were fuller in May and June than in April is also due to public holidays and the holiday season."
READ ALSO: OPINION: Why Germany’s €49 travel ticket is far better than previous €9 ticket
‘Huge success’
Germany's Transport Minister Volker Wissing said that the €49 could signal a lasting increase in the use of buses and trains. The Deutschlandticket is "really a huge success", the FDP politician told German news agency DPA
In less than three months since its introduction, local public transport (ÖPNV) has seen almost one million new customers, he said.
"And we have increased the number of subscribers who are firmly committed to public transport. That means there is not just casual use, but everyday use."
The more subscribers there are, the cheaper the Deutschlandticket can remain permanently, said Wissing. "That's why we have to make sure that as many people as possible use the ticket permanently."
For €49 per month, the Deutschlandticket entitles the holder to travel throughout Germany and some bordering areas of neighbouring countries on all local and regional transport.
Special discounts are offered for students and trainees, employees and people receiving social benefits.
READ ALSO: State by state: Who will get a discount on Germany’s €49 transport ticket?
According to the Association of German Transport Companies (VDV), a good 9.6 million passengers used it as of June 20th.
The VDV predicted that 17 million people will buy a Deutschlandticket in the future.
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