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Millions snap up new Germany-wide public transit ticket

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

#181
post #114

Can this have the potential of having the MoviePass type outcome? Also, wouldn’t this overcrowd public transit?

There was already a 9€ ticket last year, while I wansnt in Germany at that time I didn't read a lot about overcrowding. With a more expensive ticket the effect will probably be even smaller today, though in the long run all trains will probably get more filled up.

> I didn't read a lot about overcrowding

Everybody I know complained about it. The 9€ ticket didn’t cover the ICE trains and instead put more strain on those lines that are already needed by lower- to median income commuters. Regional train lines have rush hours too and during those 9€ Tickets months some wild videos went viral, where things got heated between old and „new“ users

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

#182
post #16

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Well, the problem is, especially in Germany. If someone is a "Beamter" which can't be fired, has low income, there's no motivation to make a good job. It took me 3 months to get a Bescheinigung über Daueraufenthalt" . In theory, yes, transportation as well as communication should be owned by the public and available for free. A state that has 100 billion for buying weapons can afford that too. Buy Germany has deterio…

I won't dispute that there is corruption and that there are still Nazis and right wing forces around - especially if you look in certain german states. But if I am completely honest lots of government agencies and the people working there are entirely complacent with the state of bureaucracy because they don't feel like they can or need to change this sorry state of affairs. I had to wait more than two months to get…

The church does not want you to leave, so they want to make it difficult. The government also has no interest to make that easier.

It has very little to do with bureaucracy. It's about supporting the large churches.

In some regions there is a lot of additional (social) pressure to prevent people from leaving the church.

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

#183
post #111

Earlier quoted context omitted.

And for visitors who may not even speak the primary language, public transit is awful in most places in terms of onboarding jet lagged visitors. Apparently no one does UX trials of people who have zero familiarity with the system and don't speak the language--though at least they maybe accommodate major Western languages. But, in general, it's pretty awful and you at least should do some research in advance.

Every transit system should have a “tourist day pass” that is moderately expensive but allows you to use anything for 24 hours or so.

Yes like in london.

I bought a 24h pass at 8pm, only to find out it's 24h only if you buy it at 00.00, because they all expire at midnight.

They are basically running a legalised tourist scam over there. I can imagine hundreds of thousands of people falling for this.

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

#185

> and help us achieve our climate goals There are 90 million Germans. Even if they all stopped doing all non-work-related travels immediately, it wouldn't push the needle thanks to China and India.

So they should just shrug and do nothing then? Spalter

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

#186
post #111

Earlier quoted context omitted.

And for visitors who may not even speak the primary language, public transit is awful in most places in terms of onboarding jet lagged visitors. Apparently no one does UX trials of people who have zero familiarity with the system and don't speak the language--though at least they maybe accommodate major Western languages. But, in general, it's pretty awful and you at least should do some research in advance.

Every transit system should have a “tourist day pass” that is moderately expensive but allows you to use anything for 24 hours or so.

In Rome, you can now just tap contactless payment cards (/ smartphones, I assume) to readers in buses/ at underground stations. Huge step up from the previous system, which was based on buying paper tickets from newsagents.

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

#187
post #111

The biggest advantage of the new Germany-wide ticket is not the price, but rather that it simplifies things. This is a map of German public transit companies: [0]. I've heard the current fractured system be compared to the Holy Roman Empire. Every little region has its own ticketing system. If you arrive in a new city, you have to figure out how to buy local transit tickets, often with quite complicated rules (e.g.,…

And for visitors who may not even speak the primary language, public transit is awful in most places in terms of onboarding jet lagged visitors. Apparently no one does UX trials of people who have zero familiarity with the system and don't speak the language--though at least they maybe accommodate major Western languages. But, in general, it's pretty awful and you at least should do some research in advance.

I will given Berlin credit here — after checking in to our accommodations (took a taxi from the airport), I poked a ticket machine, quickly saw the Union Jack flag and got the machine into English. Couple minutes later we had our 1 week passes in hand. In general I found the system very approachable, using google maps for route planning.

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

#188
post #135

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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.

Do you mean that the airport is outside of Germany? Or what else is "federal state border"? And what is a S-Bahn ring anyways? I visit Germany often and yet this makes no sense to me. Don't assume it's so simple for everyone.

Germany is federation of 16 or so states

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

#189

> and help us achieve our climate goals There are 90 million Germans. Even if they all stopped doing all non-work-related travels immediately, it wouldn't push the needle thanks to China and India.

So they should just shrug and do nothing then? Spalter

They should reduce importing cheap plastic shit from polluting countries.

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

#190
Nice features here in Hamburg:

Subscription tickets for Hamburg which cost more than 49€ are now automatically reduced to 49€ and are changed to a Deutschlandticket.

Employer subsidized Deutschlandtickets can be reduced upto 50% for the employee.

Kids from low-income families get the Deutschlandticket for free.

Students can upgrade their public transport ticket for monthly 18 Euros...

School children pay 19 Euros monthly for the Deutschlandticket.

:-)

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