People use public transport like never before. The background is the 9 euro ticket. As a result, the transport associations are losing revenue. Tickets will soon be more expensive.
Stuttgart (dpa / lsw) - Several transport associations in the southwest want to raise prices. The Karlsruher Verkehrsverbund (KVV) pushed ahead at the beginning of August. He increased the ticket prices by a maximum of 2.34 percent, said a spokesman and pointed out that the decision had already been made at the beginning of the year. In addition, no increase is planned. It is also becoming more expensive for the Neckar-Alb-Donau transport association and in the greater Stuttgart area.
The reasons given by the transport associations for the price increases include rising personnel costs and increased costs for diesel and electricity. In October, the Neckar-Alb-Donau transport association turns the price screw. From then on, tickets will increase by an average of 6.3 percent. The managing director announced that no adjustments are currently planned in the Donau-Iller local transport network. He emphasized, however, that one looks at the cost development. Higher ticket prices will be decided in the fourth quarter.
The local transport companies have less income due to the reduced 9-euro ticket, which expires at the end of August. The ticket is in great demand. So far, around 1.4 million 9-euro tickets have been sold in the greater Stuttgart area alone and 350,000 subscriptions, annual and semester tickets have been converted, according to the Stuttgart Transport and Tariff Association (VVS). The VVS and thus also its municipal sponsors could under no circumstances finance another discounted offer like the 9-euro ticket on their own.
As of January 1, 2023, ticket prices in the VVS are to be increased by 4.9 percent. The tariff adjustment remains well below the current inflation rate, the spokeswoman emphasized.
At the Verkehrsverbund Rhein-Neckar (VRN), a tariff increase is also under discussion. "But nothing is planned yet," emphasized a spokesman for the association of around 60 mobility companies. The final decision on this is to be made by the assembly of the VRN affiliated companies in September. Most recently, the VRN had increased its prices by three percent across the entire range.
