The 49-euro monthly ticket, which is valid throughout Germany, has been decided and according to previous plans it should start in April. Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania’s Minister of Transport warns to hurry.
Schwerin (dpa/mv) – Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania’s Transport Minister Reinhard Meyer is calling for the Germany ticket to be introduced quickly in spring 2023. “The ticket is revolutionizing the previous tariff structures nationwide. Expectations are high throughout Germany,” said the SPD politician on Thursday in Schwerin. The start on April 1 targeted by the countries must remain the goal.
Due to the uniform price for journeys throughout Germany, Meyer spoke of a fundamental paradigm shift in local public transport. Country-specific variants would also be examined: “For example, we are examining a variant according to which selected customer groups with a rather low income – such as trainees and senior citizens – would pay a discounted price for the Germany ticket”.
The Minister of Transport sees the federal government as having an obligation when it comes to compensating for loss of income in transport companies. A clear financing commitment beyond 2023 is needed. “Transport companies must not be left with the costs. The transport companies need to be able to plan,” said Meyer.
The SPD politician sees the introduction of a state-wide on-call bus system planned for 2024 as a useful addition to improve the connection to rural areas. “It is our goal that every dial-a-bus is connected to local rail passenger transport or a regular-interval bus service.”
