From BZ/dpa
Berlin gets a local transport ticket for 29 euros a month. Many questions about this are still open. Some can already be answered.
► When is the 29 euro ticket available?
It is announced for the period from October 1st to December 31st.
► Is the October 1 launch safe?
no But the Governing Mayor Franziska Giffey (SPD) has promised that this will work: “BVG and S-Bahn have told us that if we get the Go from you on September 15th, then we can do it.” The supervisory board of the Verkehrsverbund Berlin-Brandenburg (VBB) approved the project on September 1st. However, Giffey also admitted that BVG and S-Bahn still had to organize “a little something”. The BVG has already pointed out on its website: “The beginning of October has not yet been secured.”
► Why is there a limited ticket at all?
The nationwide 9-euro ticket, which was available from June to August, was a great success from the point of view of the Berlin Senate, also and especially in Berlin. The Senate has therefore campaigned for a follow-up ticket. Because this will probably only be available nationwide from January, the Senate has proposed a regional interim solution for the time until then. Giffey argues that the cheaper ticket relieves people in Berlin of rising energy costs and inflation.
► Why isn’t there just a 9-euro ticket?
Because there is no money in the household for it. The costs for a 9-euro ticket would be significantly higher and would also have to be paid for with Berlin state funds. From the point of view of the Senate, it was already difficult enough to get the 29-euro ticket through.
► What can be saved with the 29-euro ticket?
The price of the new ticket is more than three times higher than the 9 euro ticket. That’s a significant difference. However, the VBB environmental card in a subscription for the AB area otherwise costs 63.42 euros per month. In this case, you can save 34.42 euros per month, which totals 103.26 euros over the three planned months.
► Can the 29-euro ticket be bought for individual months like the 9-euro ticket used to be?
No, you can’t. If you want to use it, you have to take out a subscription.
► What do BVG customers who already have a subscription ticket have to do?
The BVG says: nothing. For example, anyone who has already subscribed to a VBB environmental card with monthly or annual debits, a corresponding company ticket or 10 a.m. tickets can continue to use the respective ticket variant.
► And how does the difference work?
According to the BVG, subscribers with monthly payments are automatically debited the lower amount. The compensation for those with annual payment is expected to take place at the BVG immediately after the campaign period. The VBB could not provide any information on this.
► Does the subscription end automatically after three months?
No, it’s not that simple. A termination is likely to be necessary. According to the BVG, there should be a special termination rule at the end of December. If not canceled, the subscription will be renewed at the usual non-discounted prices. However, it should also be possible to switch to the new nationwide successor ticket, which is expected to start in early 2023.
Franziska Giffey (SPD) and Transport Senator Bettina Jarasch (Greens) on Thursday at their joint press conference in front of the Red City Hall Photo: Ralf Lutter
► Is there also a reduced price for those who previously used a social ticket for 27.50 euros?
No, that couldn’t be enforced. “In the end we did what was possible with the VBB and Brandenburg together, that’s the 29-euro ticket,” said Traffic Senator Bettina Jarasch (Greens). From the circle of the left there is a demand to talk about it again.
► Where is the 29 euro ticket available?
The BVG recommends completing the subscription online. This will be possible on the website of the transport company.
► Is the 29-euro ticket also available from machines?
no As is usual in the case of subscriptions, this should not be available at the machine either.
► Where is the ticket valid?
This has been discussed for a long time. In the end it came down to the fact that it can only be used in the AB area, i.e. only within Berlin.
► Didn’t the Berliners want a joint ticket with Brandenburg?
Yet. Berlin’s governing mayor and transport senator Jarasch have emphasized several times that they would have preferred a joint ticket for both countries.
► Then why doesn’t it exist?
The Brandenburg side was not enthusiastic about it. Because the public transport offer in Berlin is much better than in the neighboring country. Berliners therefore benefit significantly more from a local transport ticket. From Brandenburg’s point of view, a limited ticket that has to be paid for solely from the state budgets did not appear attractive enough.
► How much does the ticket cost the taxpayer?
The Budget Committee of the Berlin House of Representatives has approved 105 million euros for this. The sum must be taken into account in the supplementary budget. The state parliament still has to vote on this. There is no money from the federal government for the 29-euro ticket.
