The €9 ticket was barely decided before the race started in Germany: in the first 24 hours after advance sales began, the Hamburger Verkehrsverbund (HVV) sold around 56,000 of the coveted tickets via app and online. In Berlin there were almost 35,000 at midnight. When does it start in other cities and what should consumers consider – we have an overview.
€35,000 9 tickets sold in just 12 hours
While numbers for service points have not yet been included, ticket sales are also above average, as an HVV spokeswoman said. Hamburg’s nearly 700,000 subscription customers wouldn’t have to worry about that. For them, the season ticket price is automatically reduced to 9 euros per month.
A spokesperson for the Berliner Verkehrsbetriebe said: “By midnight, almost 35,000 people had already purchased a €9 ticket from the BVG.” Nearly three-quarters used BVG apps for this. The start of sales was originally scheduled for Saturday, but BVG had anticipated it after the decision of the Federal Council. Friday’s 35,000 tickets were purchased in just twelve hours.
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All questions and answers about the 9 euro ticket
When can you buy the ticket?
Most transport associations and Deutsche Bahn want to start selling on Monday. On the DB Navigator train app, for example, the ticket will be available “from the early hours of the morning”, said a spokesperson for the train. Sales will begin at DB travel centers “as soon as they open”. Several transport companies and cities like Hamburg and Berlin have already started selling this weekend. In Wuppertal, interested parties can even buy the ticket on Wednesday before the Bundestag and Bundesrat approve.
How and where can I buy the ticket?
The ticket must be offered on the respective apps, ticket machines and customer centers of all transport companies in Germany. The Association of German Transport Companies (VDV) is currently working with the associations and companies on a common and uniform application, through which the ticket must also be available. It’s not yet clear when the ticket app will be ready. However, it should be available for download before June 1, according to the VDV. The ticket is valid on local trains only, therefore EC, IC and ICE are excluded.
Will the most expensive single or monthly tickets continue to be offered during this period?
Daily and group tickets are still often offered, even if they are more expensive than the €9 ticket. They have different transport regulations, for example for passengers or bicycles. However, many shipping companies are trying to remove confusing purchase options from the offer. For Hamburg, for example, one thing is already certain: within the three months of the campaign, all monthly AT tickets and all single tickets costing more than 9 euros will be replaced by the monthly ticket of 9 euros. Even with the BVG in Berlin, the normal monthly ticket in the ticket app must not be booked during the three months. Deutsche Bahn, on the other hand, wants to maintain its usual subscription offers during the campaign period between June and August, but only charges €9 each of those months.
Can I buy tickets for all three months at once?
Here, too, it depends on the individual company, but generally it should be possible. If you don’t find the option with your preferred shipping company, you can switch to other platforms at any time. With Deutsche Bahn, for example, all three special tickets can be purchased immediately.
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What happens if you already have a ticket subscription?
According to Deutsche Bahn and the transport associations, the following applies in principle: If you already have a monthly or annual subscription, you don’t have to worry about anything else. “Reductions are made automatically for existing subscriptions, so only nine euros are incurred per month,” says the Berlin-Brandenburg transport association, for example. Reductions will later be transferred back to the respective customer account.
Is the €9 ticket also valid for holders of employment, semester or social tickets?
Yes. According to the VDV, your subscriptions and semester tickets are valid nationwide for three months. They must also be refunded the difference. In many places, however, it is still unclear in what form and, especially, when the refund will be made. According to the VDV, it can take until the winter semester for the university administration to do the respective accounting.
Does the purchase of a €9 ticket link you to a subscription beyond August 31st?
no The €9 ticket expires at the end of the month and is not automatically renewed. For existing subscriptions, the usual conditions will apply again from September 1st.
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Do subscribers lose certain advantages with the €9 ticket?
The advantages of some subscription models, such as taking your bike with you or 1st class rights, remain the same in principle with the €9 ticket. However, they will not be applied nationwide, but only in the usual application area. Here too, however, deviations are possible for individual transport companies.
Do children also need a €9 ticket?
According to Deutsche Bahn, children aged 6 to 14 need their own €9 ticket or another ticket; taking it with you free of charge is excluded with the 9 euro ticket. Children under the age of six generally travel for free.
Can I add first class to the €9 ticket at an additional cost?
No, this is not possible. Depending on the network, however, subscribers have the option to upgrade to first class at an additional cost.
Can you reserve seats?
no Reservation options are generally only available for long-distance transport. The €9 ticket is valid for local transport.
Do you need a separate ticket for the family dog?
The €9 ticket is only valid for its holder. Additional payment for dogs depends on the rate of the local transport association. One allows you to take your dog with you, while the other requires an additional ticket for your four-legged friend. (dpa/cwa)