From: 05/22/2022 19:07
Is 2.5 billion euros enough for the federal states to finance the ticket of nine euros and provide enough buses and trains? “Yes,” says Federal Transport Minister Wissing. at the Berlin report he defended the ticket against criticism.
Federal Transport Minister Volker Wissing defended the introduction of the nine-euro ticket against critical voices. In the “Berlin Report”, Wissing explained that the ticket was “fully financed” to provide enough buses and trains.
“We put on the table everything that countries need, namely full compensation for ticket cancellations during this period,” said Wissing. “Let’s talk about what the federal states want in terms of more money in the fall. It’s about funding public transport for the next few years. This has nothing to do with the nine-euro pass.”
“The nine-euro ticket is fully funded,” Transport Minister Volker Wissing said.
Berlin Report, May 22, 2022
Lower real cost
Wissing went on to explain that the €2.5 billion made available is a quarter of the ticket revenue that federal states expect for 2022: “But the months of June, July and August are not the strongest months. table.”
According to their calculations, the actual costs will be well below €2.5 billion. However, as he wanted “good funding”, he worked to achieve this sum.
In fact, countries would receive an additional €1.2 billion in pandemic costs. “They also benefit from the exemption of energy taxes. This also goes well with the transport companies”, continued the minister.
Wissing wants to trust countries
Wissing referred to the federal states for fears that trains could be overcrowded and that passengers would be late for work because they would have to wait for subsequent trains. At the Federal Council, they said they would order additional buses and trains.
He even suggested that validity should always be limited to a transport association. It was the states that said the ticket was valid nationwide. “And that’s what I’m counting on and relying on. So I said if countries want and have the confidence to do it, then I don’t want to get in the way,” Wissing said.
The ticket is valid from June to August
After the Bundestag, the Bundesrat also gave the green light on Friday to the greatly reduced monthly ticket, which aims to relieve consumers of costs that are rising over the next three months. The measure also aims to convince more people of greener bus and train travel.
Ticket must be available from June to August. It allows the national use of all local public transport, such as regular buses, metro and regional trains for nine euros each per calendar month.