Does Germany's popular €9-a-month rail pass mask a bigger problem?

Anyone who has visited Berlin’s central train station in the sweltering summer months knows what to expect: flocks of tourists navigating the station’s spiralling MC Escher-inspired escalators. 

Berliners hoping to escape the city’s oppressive humidity crowd the platforms. Sweat pools on brows and seeps through shirts. Total strangers unite to partake in the German national pastime of grumbling at a 10-minute train delay.

Yet this summer, the mood is somehow different. Designed to offer relief from rising inflation and encourage sustainable travel, Germany has introduced a country-wide €9 rail ticket. 

From June to August, travellers can enjoy unlimited use of local and regional trains for just €9 a month.

For Diane, who was making the 120-kilometre journey from Berlin to the Mecklenburg lake district, the €9 ticket paid for itself in one trip.

“Although I’d likely still be taking this trip anyway, [the reduced price] does make a difference when planning travel,” she told Euronews.

Diane’s already taken advantage of the €9 ticket a handful of times and says she will get further use out of it through the summer. 

The deal is hard to pass up, even for occasional public transit users. 

Germany’s association of public transit companies announced that 16 million tickets were sold in their first week of availability. Roughly 10 million Germans with monthly local rail passes also automatically saw the cost of their tickets slashed.

Deutsche Bahn (DB), Germany’s national rail provider, confirmed the programme’s popularity. 

“Based on government goals, the €9 ticket has had a successful start. It’s provided financial relief for many commuters, and weekday ridership is up 10% over pre-pandemic numbers,” a DB spokesperson told Euronews.

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