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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

#261

As an American I am increasingly jealous of European countries and their public transport (among other things cough health care cough gun control). It feels like the only way we will ever get there as a country is one state at a time, and even then you see projects like California's high-speed rail that's massively over-budget and overdue. At least the blue states seem to _get_ it, meanwhile those who live in red or…

And here I am wondering how I-5 in CA or I-75 in Atlanta having more lanes in one direction than most states have going in both directions even in their busiest of areas is blue states getting it or red states not getting it. Also, tying in gun control or enforced Medicare-for-all is a good way of convincing people who are on the edge of public transit to not support you politically if they are a package deal, which…

This is a little bit hyperbole. I-5 through LA county is mostly 4-ish lanes and even chokes down to 2 lanes wide in boyle heights by downtown LA. Its just as wide much of podunk I-75 that serves Toledo, Ohio, with a population of 270k that declines by the year. If anything given the population density, the freeways in socal are underbuilt compared to cities out east from there who seem to have just as sprawling interchanges and number of lanes despite what is sometimes an order of magnitude difference in population.

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

#262

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It may be the case that I cause a lot less externalities, but I don't think that affects the definition of a public good. If I visited my friend by using a motorcycle, I'd cause less externalities too, but I don't think motorcycles are public goods. Same with scooters, e-bikes and normal bikes.

> but I don't think that affects the definition of a public good You happen to be misconstruing the two definitions of "public good": > a commodity or service that is provided without profit to all members of a society, either by the government or a private individual or organization. > the benefit or well-being of the public. As such, something can be a "public good" without being "a benefit". [0] https://www.google…

I don't think I'm misconstruing these two definitions, because I didn't talk about the definitions you just brought up. I also think it is quite clear that I'm talking about what the government should or shouldn't provide, not what some specific government currently is providing.

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

#263

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Google Maps does this for you. And nearly every local provider tends to have apps with end to end directions these days.

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

Because its not the interface on your phone to do that. On iPhone at least, you have apple wallet and transit agency cards often interface through those means. That's a much better system as you can access it when your phone is dead, unlike something that might be bounded behind google maps.

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

#264
post #256

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.,…

You are so right! I was just in Munich and had some of the most confusing experience in any public transport system I’ve ever used. And I’ve seen many! It was so shocking. The UIs of the ticket machines are horrendously slow and confusing. Stop names are always in German even when switching languages. This, of course, doesn’t align with Google Maps half the time, as my GM is set to English.

What stop names are translated?

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

#265

We need Uber for Public Transit. Enter you destination and it tells you which bus to get on in real time, when to transfer and deducts payment automatically at the end of your trip. The Uber experience on transit would make lots never riders and occasional riders use transit more often. The mental load is a lot of some people at the end of the day, driving is just easier.

NYC/SF let you just tap your phone to get on transit. Apple Maps does a great job of trip planning using real time information about the status of trains. It is super smooth and easy. Easier than Uber even.

Same in LA county. The same tap card will work across all agencies afaik.

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

#266
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.

Berlin is one of the 16 federal states of the Federal Republic of Germany.

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

#268

As an American I am increasingly jealous of European countries and their public transport (among other things cough health care cough gun control). It feels like the only way we will ever get there as a country is one state at a time, and even then you see projects like California's high-speed rail that's massively over-budget and overdue. At least the blue states seem to _get_ it, meanwhile those who live in red or…

[flagged]

I doubt you'd have the drop in this sort of situation if it were to play out, not to mention you just guaranteed the situation will progress violently.

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

#269
post #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 mon…

When I was in HH, I loved the monthly pass offered by my employer (65€/month); the ability to travel longer distances over S-Bahn and taking +1 with you was killer/super-smart feature IMO. Miss those in states sorely.

I wish most, if not all, of the world adopts the german style public transport system.

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

#270
post #144

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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.

Where did I write „tech-people“? Yes, all tech people are part of the E-Mail-Caste, but not all of said Caste are techies.

Basically everyone uses email, and you said "people like us", so the poor communication here is on your end. Please elaborate if you want to be understood.
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