"Limited as the tank discount": Lindner rejects the extension of the 9-euro ticket

In August, local public transport users can buy the 9-euro ticket again, and from September everything will be the same again for buses and trains. At least when it comes to the finance minister. There is no money to extend the offer – at least not from the federal government, says Lindner.

Federal Minister of Finance Christian Lindner speaks out against further financing of the 9-euro ticket or a follow-up offer. “The 9-euro ticket is a temporary measure, just like the tank discount,” said the FDP politician to the newspapers of the Funke media group. “Therefore, neither a continuation of the tank discount nor funds for a follow-up regulation for the 9-euro ticket are planned in the federal budget.”

Lindner criticized that when the 9-euro ticket expires at the end of August, taxpayers would finance a non-cost-covering offer in local public transport. “Even those who cannot use the offer even in rural areas pay with it.” The concept doesn’t convince him. “In any case, the federal government could not pay for it, since the debt brake must be complied with again in 2023.”

The 9-euro ticket is part of the government relief packages that are intended to compensate for the increased energy and fuel prices. In view of the high demand, various proposals for possible connection solutions are currently being discussed. However, the financing is unclear. The local transport associations had proposed a nationwide valid 69-euro ticket as the successor model. Politicians could lower this monthly price for the needy. As an interim solution, the Association of German Transport Companies (VDV) is in favor of extending the 9-euro ticket by two months.

There is also opposition to such considerations from the Union. The parliamentary manager of the Union faction in the Bundestag, Thorsten Frei, told the newspapers of the editorial network Germany that he did not consider a continuation of the 9-euro ticket “a good idea”. From his point of view, it is “much smarter” to invest in the expansion of local transport infrastructure and to buy more wagons.