Germany's summer special, an inflation-beating €9 monthly ticket that covers local and regional transport throughout Germany expires at the end of August, but a consensus is forming that something is needed to replace it, because it appears to be an effective tool in the struggle against climate change.
As millions have bought and used the ticket, traffic and pollution levels have shown noticeable drops, but the incentive to keep using public transit may lessen if high prices return. However, politicians are clear that subsidizing a ticket that cheap indefinitely is not possible.
One alternative that is being widely discussed is a heavily discounted ticket that would be subsidized by the Federal government, although regional transit is a responsibility of Germany's individual states.
Austria is now in its second year of a similar 'klimaticket,' which costs monthly or annual users €1 a day to cover all local and near-region travel. Unlike the €9 ticket, it is not valid nationwide. There is a €1095 a year ticket for that. The cost is subsidized as part of reducing greenhouse gases and carbon emissions.
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