Germany’s Good Intentions of a 9-Euro Discount Transit Pass May Just Backfire
Photo Credit: Germany expects a surge in train and bus riders with a less than $10 national rail pass this summer. DB AG / Georg Wagner
Skift Take
Germany wants more people to ride trains and buses this summer with a nine-euro pass. But a surge in riders may hit the physical limits of the country's transport infrastructure.
Germany’s new nine euro, or a little less than $10, transport pass this summer is a great deal. Residents and visitors alike can leave their cars, or skip an Uber, to see Berlin’s sights or explore the country’s Baltic coast even as energy prices surge.
Beginning June 1, the transport passes are available for all Deutsche Bahn (DB) regional and S-bahn — the equivalent of American commuter rail — trains across Germany. Long-distance trains, including high-speed ICE trains, are not covered though travelers can buy the nine-euro passes along with tickets for longer rail trips. The monthly passes are available for travel through August 31.
And nine euros is a great deal. A monthly transport pass in Berlin begins at $92, and in Munich at $63. Both offerings are limited to just their respective cities and do not cover transport across the country.
German officials and politicians see the passes as a way to realize climate goals, as well as offer co
