The German passenger association Pro Bahn felt confirmed in its criticism. “During peak travel times, demand on the main routes was so high that trains might not depart. And some railway companies – such as Metronom in northern Germany – have excluded bicycle transport because they mightn’t handle the rush,” said Karl-Peter Naumann from the Pro Bahn passenger association on Monday.
The chaos in Germany was foreseeable and the result of a political offer without having the necessary rail traffic capacities. “Not everything that is well meant is also well done,” said Naumann. The good thing regarding the 9-euro ticket is that it has brought local public transport back into the conversation. “But it only works if the capacities are available,” says Naumann.
More problems expected in summer
With the ticket you can use local transport throughout Germany for one month, the ticket is available for June, July and August. It is intended to support commuters, for example, and also help to persuade new users to permanently switch to the train.
Naumann expects further problems in the coming summer months. He therefore advised rail travelers, if possible, not to travel at the weekend, but to switch to days in the middle of the week and to reconsider the destination. “Does it have to be Sylt, Warnemünde or Lake Tegernsee – or aren’t there other beautiful areas where demand is lower?” says Naumann.
Delays also on Monday
There were also delays in many places in Germany on Monday. “As expected, there were and are regional peaks in passenger numbers, especially to tourist destinations,” said a spokesman for Deutsche Bahn. Travelers had reported partly completely overcrowded trains, especially in the direction of the Baltic and North Seas, and some passengers had to get off once more. Bicycles might often not be taken along.
“It is still too early for a detailed assessment,” said the railway spokesman. On the whole, operations were stable nationwide. For Whit Monday, DB passengers once more recommended that passengers obtain information from the transport associations or via the DB Navigator app shortly before starting their journey.
Minister of Transport: “We have to seize the opportunity”
With the 9-euro ticket, passengers have been able to use local transport throughout Germany for a month since Wednesday. Tickets are sold for June, July and August. This is intended to support commuters because of the sharp rise in energy costs. In order to protect the climate, new users should be persuaded to switch to the train on a permanent basis. According to the Association of German Transport Companies, around seven million tickets had been sold by last Tuesday.
Germany’s Transport Minister Volker Wissing (FDP) said that local transport services should be more understandable, more uniform and therefore more customer-friendly in the future. He also advocated practical local transport apps and simpler fares. “We have to seize the opportunity to get more people excited regarding public transport,” says Wissing. “We want to attract new passengers.”
In addition, small-scale organizational structures would have to be broken up. Uniform tariffs and offers across transport associations are also a real added value for customers. “People don’t live in tariff zones. People want to get from A to B.”
