Berlin’s Senator for Transport Bettina Jarasch has doubts that the planned free ticket for public transport subscribers can be introduced in Berlin from June. “We’re still in talks, but it’s proving difficult. That’s why I’m now skeptical that it will succeed,” said Jarasch after the Senate session on Tuesday.
Jarasch had planned to let existing and new Berlin public transport subscribers travel free of charge as part of the three-month campaign period of the nationwide nine-euro ticket. However, no decision has yet been made on the project. The ticket was originally intended as a joint solution with the state of Brandenburg, but could not be implemented across states.
The fact that the ticket is now also threatening to fail in Berlin is due to a dispute within the Verkehrsverbund Berlin-Brandenburg (VBB) according to information from the Tagesspiegel. There, the supervisory board must decide on the necessary tariff change. According to reports, however, several representatives of districts and transport companies from Brandenburg should prevent approval of the offer – although they would not be affected.
Jarasch warned of the consequences of the ticket failing. “What we actually need is a massive increase in passengers who permanently switch to public transport. That won’t happen if this phase simply ends after three months.” If the federal government “throws the money into your lap”, something lasting should grow out of it. So the action is not sustainable, said Jarasch.
[If you want to have all the latest news live on your cell phone, we recommend our app, which you can download here for Apple and Android devices.]The nine-euro tickets, which are valid from June 1, are to be available in Berlin from next Monday , May 23, to be sold. However, the ticket has not yet been decided by the federal and state governments. The decision on this should be made this week, but there is still a dispute between the federal and state governments about the financing of the campaign. Jarasch still estimates that the offer will be introduced. “I assume the ticket will come,” she said.
