Hardly is that 9-euro ticket is a done deal, the run has already begun in Germany: in the first 24 hours after advance sales began, the Hamburger Verkehrsverbund (HVV) sold around 56,000 of the coveted tickets via the app and online. In Berlin there were almost 35,000 by midnight. When it starts in the other cities and what consumers have to consider – we have an overview.
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35,000 €9 tickets sold in just 12 hours
Although the numbers of the service points have not yet been included, the sale of tickets is also above average, as a spokeswoman for the HVV said. The almost 700,000 Hamburg subscription customers would not have to worry about it. For them, the price of the season ticket is automatically reduced to 9 euros per month.
A spokesman for the Berliner Verkehrsbetriebe said: “By midnight, almost 35,000 people had already bought a 9-euro ticket from the BVG.” Almost three quarters used the BVG apps for this. The start of sales was originally planned for Saturday, but the BVG had brought it forward after the decision of the Federal Council. The 35,000 tickets on Friday were bought within just twelve hours.
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 train spokesman. Sales will start in the DB travel centers “as soon as they open”. Several transport companies and cities such as Hamburg and Berlin have already started selling this weekend. In Wuppertal, those interested could even buy the ticket on Wednesday before the Bundestag and Bundesrat approved it.
How and where can I buy the ticket?
The ticket is to be offered in 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, uniform app, through which the ticket should also be available. It is still unclear when the ticket app will be ready. However, it should be available for download before June 1, according to the VDV. The ticket is only valid on local trains, so EC, IC and ICE are excluded.
Will more expensive single or monthly tickets continue to be offered during this time?
Day and group tickets are often still offered, even if they are more expensive than the 9-euro ticket. They have different carriage regulations, for example for passengers or bicycles. Nevertheless, many transport 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 HVV monthly tickets and all single tickets that cost more than 9 euros will be replaced by the 9-euro monthly ticket. Even with the BVG in Berlin, the normal monthly ticket in the ticket app should not be bookable 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 then only debit 9 euros in each of these months.
Can I buy tickets for all three months at once?
Here, too, it depends on the individual company, but it should generally be possible. If you cannot find the option with your preferred transport 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 shouldn’t have to worry about anything else. “Reductions are automatically made for existing subscriptions, so that only nine euros are incurred per month,” says the Berlin-Brandenburg transport association, for example. The reductions will later be transferred back to the respective customer account.
Is the 9-euro ticket also valid for holders of job, semester or social tickets?
Yes. According to the VDV, your subscriptions and semester tickets are valid nationwide for the three months. They should also be reimbursed for the difference. In many places, however, it is still unclear in what form and, above all, when the refund will be made. According to the VDV, it could take until the winter semester for the university administration to carry out the respective accounts.
Does buying a €9 ticket commit you to a subscription beyond August 31?
no The 9-euro 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-euro ticket?
The advantages of certain subscription models, such as taking your bike with you or 1st class entitlements, remain the same in principle with the 9-euro ticket. However, they will not then apply nationwide, but only in the usual area of application. Here too, however, deviations are possible for individual transport companies.
Do children also need a 9 euro ticket?
According to Deutsche Bahn, 6 to 14-year-olds need their own 9-euro ticket or another ticket; free transport is excluded with the 9-euro ticket. Children under the age of six generally travel free of charge.
Can I add first class to the 9-euro ticket with a surcharge?
No, this is not possible. Depending on the network, however, subscribers have the option of switching to first class for a surcharge.
Can you reserve seats?
no Reservation options are usually only available for long-distance transport. The 9-euro ticket is valid for local transport.
Do you need a separate ticket for the family dog?
The 9 euro ticket is only valid for its holder. Whether dogs have to be paid for in addition depends on the tariff 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)