Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

Millions snap up new Germany-wide public transit ticket

apnews.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

141–150 of 435 posts

Re: Millions snap up new Germany-wide public transit ticket

#141

Post by rcme »

patall wrote: post #135
3D30497420 wrote: post #63

Earlier quoted context omitted.

A good example of this complexity is Berlin. Many people have monthly passes for just A and B zones, which comprise the bulk of central Berlin. However, the new airport is just over the border in zone C, which requires an additional ticket. The transit authority knows this and will catch and fine people who neglected or forgot to buy a B to C ticket.

What is complex about the B/C border? That Hönow is B? Because else, it is literary the federal state border. A/B is the S-Bahn-Ring. Sure, three zones are not super simple and where zone C ends is somewhat arbitrary. But aside from that, it's the most logical and simple solution possible.

Generally, I agree, it isn't very complicated to understand. But, it's very easy to forget to buy a C ticket if you're used to hopping on the U-bahn with your monthly AB ticket.

Re: Millions snap up new Germany-wide public transit ticket

#142

Post by ragebol »

konschubert wrote: post #133
bitL wrote: post #132

While in Germany last summer, I used the 9 EUR ticket and regional trains to go from Frankfurt to Bavarian Alps. The trains were packed, one could not move there and it felt more like being in India than in Germany. I am wondering if that's going to be a norm in the future.

No, not going to be the norm. Because a) 49 >> 9 b) the 9 Euro ticket was a one-time novelty

And Frankfurt -> Alps is not regional transport, but inter-city at least. So faster option would have been ICE and going 250km/h. More expensive though, for sure. And a seat reservation for a few euros.

Re: Millions snap up new Germany-wide public transit ticket

#143

Post by konschubert »

tfourb wrote: post #124
Demonto wrote: post #119

Earlier quoted context omitted.

How is your comment connected to publicly owned local transport?

Because public transport is owned by the public (or publicly owned entities) in many places outside the US. In Europe, it is the norm, not the exception, as is the case in many other places that have some sort of socialism/social democratic history.

It's also owned by the public in most places of the US? How do you think the MTA or BART is financed?

Re: Millions snap up new Germany-wide public transit ticket

#144

Post by kelnos »

woodpanel wrote: post #60

As some comments here mention uncomfortable means of buying tickets across German transportation systems: I’ve been working on multiple software projects that tried to solve it and I can tell you that the reason is not sinister but rather that each system is funded locally. Which means it is subsidized locally and the need to cross those boundaries was always a luxury issue (by people like us - the E-Mail caste). Eve…

Is that really true? The only people who need/want to regularly travel across local transit boundaries are tech people? That seems unlikely, especially nowadays.

Re: Millions snap up new Germany-wide public transit ticket

#145

Post by konschubert »

TekMol wrote: post #7

The problem is that in Germany, the city-to-city trains that can be used with this ticket do not have WIFI IIRC. Can anybody confirm this? Traveling time without WIFI is a much higher burden to me than normal traveling time, where I can work on my projects. I actually like working on the train. It is a nice environment. But without that possibility, long train rides are a chore to me. And it will be interesting to se…

A bigger issue than WIFI is the spotty cell coverage.

Re: Millions snap up new Germany-wide public transit ticket

#146

Post by iudqnolq »

kersplody wrote: post #139
milesskorpen wrote: post #117

Earlier quoted context omitted.

GM tells you the route, it doesn't let you pay for it all at once at the end of the trip.

Nor does GM understand ticketing nuances or optimized route costs. (discount cards, demand-based pricing). This is a big problem in cities without integrated fare systems. In many places, 3rd party planner apps are a must.

The solution to that is to get rid of the nuance and optimization opportunities and turn them into a small across-the-board discount. Far fairer.

Google Maps does offer "Buy Ticket" buttons for a number of agencies that have opened up their systems. They're far from universal coverage. But a new Uber for Transit would snap up the APIs Google has worked to open up and then be in the same position.

Re: Millions snap up new Germany-wide public transit ticket

#147

Post by jakub_g »

ChuckNorris89 wrote: post #50
qwytw wrote: post #46

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> The tax burden is already so high It will only get higher if we try to intentionally decrease worker productivity by forcing them to 'serve a year of their life for public services'.

>It will only get higher if we try to intentionally decrease worker productivity by forcing them to 'serve a year of their life for public services'. That's blatantly false. It works in Austria quite well. The healthcare and social service systems would not be able to function without the mandatory and voluntary unpaid 9 months work of the 17 - 19 year olds before they hit off for university. What worker productivity…

Do you have some links / google keywords about the teenagers working in healthcare/social services in Austria?

Re: Millions snap up new Germany-wide public transit ticket

#148

Post by kelnos »

BasedGroyper99 wrote: post #31
thanatos519 wrote: post #5

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Even more: Public transport is a public good which should be funded by fossil fuel taxes and provided to users without cost.

Why is it a public good? It only benefits the individuals who are travelling. If I take the train to visit my sister, I don't see how that is in the public's interest.

Most public goods don't benefit everyone equally; that's never the case, and that's fine.

My house has never been on fire (knock on wood), but I'm perfectly happy that my taxes pay for a fire department. I don't often use the park up the street that's currently undergoing a massive renovation/rebuild, but I'm happy that my taxes are paying for the renovation. I don't drive on every single road in the city, but I'm glad my tax dollars make it possible for people to get around even in places where I don't need to go. I don't have kids (and don't plan to), but I'm happy that the taxes I pay go toward educating the kids who live here.

Many public transit agencies are run at a loss; I'm absolutely fine with my tax dollars making up the difference. From there it's just a matter of degree: is it fully funded by taxes, or still partially funded by fare revenue? I'd be fine with the former, too.

Re: Millions snap up new Germany-wide public transit ticket

#149

Post by kelnos »

BasedGroyper99 wrote: post #85
Hasnep wrote: post #62

Earlier quoted context omitted.

By that logic, why is anything a public good? If I drink water from a public water fountain why is that in the public's interest?

> If I drink water from a public water fountain why is that in the public's interest? If there were no fountain, then many people would get water bottles and that's too big of a hassle. Defining a public good is quite hard, and any definition will most likely other controversial terms like "reasonably" or "foreseeable" in them. However, I think a public good is something that can be shared by many people in reasonabl…

> If there were no fountain, then many people would get water bottles and that's too big of a hassle.

Right, and if there was no public transit, then many more people would need to buy and drive cars, and that's not great for the public's interest either.

Re: Millions snap up new Germany-wide public transit ticket

#150

Post by kelnos »

cromka wrote: post #103
bleep_bloop wrote: post #2

Controversial opinion: Public transport should be publicly owned.

[flagged]

Huh? How is the idea that public transit should be publicly owned Americentric? A stereotypical/caricatured Americentric take on that would be to privatize everything.
Post reply on HN