€9 Ticket

Germany’s 9 euro ticket was a program in place from June through August of 2022. It gave travelers unlimited local and regional train transportation for 9 euros per month. Attempting to increase public transport use, this program aimed to combat the high price of gas and reduce personal vehicle travel. The 9 euro ticket was subsidized by the federal government and was estimated to cost about 2.5 billion euros.

The 9 euro ticket intended to decrease car traffic and thus ease financial burdens of Germans in a time of high gas prices due to the Russian war in Ukraine. The program succeeded and train transport significantly increased while vehicle traffic was reduced during the summer months of 2022. Generally, consumer spending decreased as they spent less on gasoline. During these months, reduction in car use cut carbon dioxide emissions by about 1.8 billion tons. Certain cities even reported improvements in air quality during these months. Clearly, subsidizing public transportation has significant positive effects on the environment. With increased rail use, it also became apparent that the existing transportation infrastructure needed improvements. Trains were overcrowded, making it difficult for workers to run timely schedules. Others also criticized the transport industry for not expanding nationwide into areas that currently do not have access to public transportation.

Currently, German politicians are debating enacting a similar program called Deutschlandticket. With this, the monthly ticket would cost 49 euros for nationwide travel via regional and local trains. I believe that this program is a good idea because of the positive impacts it would bring to the environment and consumers. A 49 euro ticket, although not as cheap as a 9 euro ticket, is a significantly cheaper option compared to buying individual tickets. It would also encourage an increase in public transport and a decrease in personal vehicles that emit high amounts of greenhouse yearly. That being said, I do agree with arguments that call for investment in expanded public transportation networks that give access to more remote places.

The CDU/CSU voted against the 49 euro ticket, saying that it is too expensive and it will significantly cost tax payers. Instead of improving public transport, the Christian Democrats believe this ticket would make it worse in certain areas.