The 9-euro ticket is developing into a real bestseller: In Berlin, 130,000 tickets are sold within three days, and 50,000 digital tickets are sold within a few hours at the nationwide start. In order to offer space for the many people, Deutsche Bahn wants to use additional trains.
The railway subsidiary DB Regio wants to slightly increase its capacity in regional traffic for the start of the 9-euro monthly ticket in June. “DB Regio is letting over 50 additional trains roll for the expected increase in the number of passengers from June 1st,” the company said. The vehicles could be used to offer 250 additional trips. The extra trains are to be used primarily along tourist routes. According to the company, around 7,000 regional trains run on average every day.
“We are preparing and are literally moving everything we have – trains, buses, service staff,” said DB regional boss Jörg Sandvoß. However, if there is strong demand, the supply could reach its limits. “Above all, taking bicycles with you cannot always be guaranteed, especially since many excursions are decided spontaneously and depend on the weather,” said Sandvoss.
Since Monday, Deutsche Bahn and numerous transport associations have been selling the so-called 9-euro monthly ticket, with which passengers can use local public transport to travel throughout Germany from June. Demand is high: around 50,000 of the special tickets were sold in the early hours of Monday morning via the Group’s digital channels alone. Other transport companies were also very interested.
The Berliner Verkehrsbetriebe (BVG), for example, have already sold around 130,000 nine-euro tickets within three days. “The first few days got off to a good start,” said a BVG spokesman. The company had already started selling the tickets, which are valid from June 1st, on Friday morning. The ticket has also been available online in Hamburg since Friday. In addition to the 130,000 tickets sold in Berlin, there are around 870,000 BVG customers who have a subscription.
Users of the DB Navigator app on an Android cell phone see a note about the 9-euro ticket on the start screen. A free Bahn account is required for the purchase, which can also be created in the app. The banner on the home page has not yet appeared on the iPhone, writes “Chip.de”. However, if customers book a trip in regional transport between June and August, the 9-euro ticket is also available on iOS.
However, even in summer, passengers have to be prepared for numerous construction sites along many routes nationwide. Although they are intended to expand capacities in the long term, they will initially slow down traffic.
