That 9-Euro Ticket Deal

 ARD (public TV, Channel One) went and did a big discussion over the 9-Euro monthly train/bus ticket success.

As this program closes out tomorrow....all total across Germany, around 52-million tickets were sold.  

To describe the program.....for June, July and August, you could walk up to a machine on the first of the month, and buy one single ticket for the month....traveling anywhere by bus or train (except the use of high speed Inter-City or ICE trains.  

My description?  It was an interesting ticket, for local or regional travel.  If you lived in a rural area with minimum bus or rail possibilities....most didn't see any advantage to it.  

If you asked me about how many in my village use bus travel to some degree (400 houses roughly), discounting kids....I'd say that one out of three residents in the village will use the bus to reach the city on a weekly basis.  Probably a third of the village is rock-solid anti-public trans, and the ticket didn't matter.

My negative view of the program centers on over-filled trains....particularly for weekend trips.  If you attempted to carry this on, the lateness issue would build up, and chaos would follow in highly populated cities as people felt energized to use public transportation.

Here's the thing though....in urbanized areas (like Frankfurt or Berlin).....I think the program was embraced and probably two-thirds of their populations are eager to see the 9-Euro program continue.

The federal government reaction?  Well....it took billions of Euro to help make the ticket possible.  Presently, I'd say the fed folks are extremely hesitant to take this on.  At the state level?  They are peppy but admit they don't have the cash to make a 9-Euro monthly ticket possible.  Some suggest a 49-Euro to 69-Euro monthly ticket is possible.  The public is more receptive to the 9-Euro deal.....it would appear.  

What'll happen in the end?  My guess is that several states will figure out some 50-Euro deal...that limits you to strictly your town or region (not the entire country) for a full-month.