Berlin (dpa) – At least ten million people used the new Deutschlandticket in July and August – but the industry association VDV says this is still a long way from drawing on the full potential of the nationwide ticket. The VDV (association of German transport companies) anticipates that more users of other public transport season tickets will switch to the 49 euro monthly ticket in the coming months.
In any case, the Deutschlandticket has motivated thousands of people to uses buses and trains who did not use public transport before, according to a recent survey. According to the VDV’s nationwide market research, eight percent of ticket buyers stated that they had not used public transport before, while 42 percent of respondents previously held a public transport pass. 47 percent did travel by bus and train before the Deutschlandticket was introduced, but without a subscription. About five percent of all journeys using the Deutschlandticket would have been made by car if the ticket had not been available, according to market research.
But market research also shows clearly that the ticket is more popular in cities than in the countryside – i.e. where public transport services are generally more extensive. 20 to 30 percent of respondents in the metropolises and large cities hold a Deutschlandticket, whereas only 6 percent do in small towns and rural areas. “This shows once again that an inexpensive public transport ticket is not enough on its own to persuade people to buy it and switch to bus and rail. The only way to achieve this is by ensuring that local transportation offerings are sufficiently attractive,” said VDV President Wortmann.
Discussion about this post