- A Germany-wide 9-euro ticket for local public transport has caused a huge loss of passengers on long-distance buses.
- In a member survey, all long-distance bus companies reported a drop in passenger numbers for the month of June.
- Bus companies are serious.
The industry association of private bus companies (BDOs) said, “In more than 70 per cent of the companies, the losses were more than 60 per cent.”
The federal association of German bus companies generally welcomes the increasing number of passengers in public transport. The loss to bus companies is “neither intended nor desired by politicians,” the association said. This is why a “potential successor to the 9-euro ticket” required a political adjustment to the rules and the involvement of the mid-sized coach industry.
“The purpose of a tax-financed local public transport ticket cannot be to hunt passengers from one another to an already eco-friendly mode of transport,” explained Christian Leonard, general manager of the BDO. “The common political action should be to reduce personal traffic with cars so that ultimately traffic change and climate protection can be successfully pursued.”
The 9-euro ticket is part of a government relief package aimed at making up for the increased energy and fuel prices. In view of the high demand, various proposals for possible connection solutions are currently being discussed. However, the financing is unclear.
