Bavaria: Excursion sites expect more crowds because of the 9-euro ticket

For nine euros by train to the Alps: Because of this offer, it could be even more crowded at popular Bavarian excursion destinations on Pentecost than in previous years.

Bavaria: Excursion sites expect more crowds because of the 9-euro ticket

For nine euros by train to the Alps: Because of this offer, it could be even more crowded at popular Bavarian excursion destinations on Pentecost than in previous years. But can the cheap train rides at least bring some relief on the roads?

Berchtesgaden/Füssen (dpa/lby) - Because of the 9-euro ticket, many Bavarian excursion destinations around Pentecost could get even more crowded than in previous years. "We are preparing for the fact that many guests, especially from nearby metropolitan areas such as Munich and Rosenheim, will use the 9-euro ticket for day trips to our region," said a spokeswoman for the Berchtesgaden mountain adventure association. The tourism director of the city of Füssen near Neuschwanstein Castle, Stefan Fredlmeier, said it was "quite possible" that excursion traffic would increase again because of the offer.

At Tegernsee, the trains from Munich are already "well utilized" at core times, although the Bavarian Regiobahn (BRB) is now offering more connections there than a few years ago due to the high demand, said a spokesman for Tegernseer Tal Tourismus GmbH.

The BRB therefore advised day-trippers not to drive to the Oberland, to Lake Ammer or to the Chiemgau between 8 a.m. and 10 a.m. Trips to Füssen should be avoided between 7 a.m. and 9 a.m. In addition, it is advisable to "prefer to explore new destinations" - for example the Schrobenhausen Asparagus Museum instead of Neuschwanstein Castle. Those who have Pentecost holidays can also go on excursions during the week instead of using the 9-euro ticket with everyone else at the weekend.

Using additional railcars is difficult on the affected routes, said a BRB spokeswoman. "We often run on single-track routes and have short platforms at stations. After all, we can't let passengers get off without a platform."

DB Regio Bayern also warned of "an additional increase in capacity utilization" in regional trains to tourist locations such as Kochel am See, Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Oberstdorf and Lindau on Lake Constance. In express trains such as from Munich to Nuremberg or from Würzburg to Bamberg, it can also get full because of the 9-euro ticket.

The Munich S-Bahn and the DB Regio increased their trains in Bavaria because of the expected crowds, said a railway spokeswoman. Nevertheless, travelers are advised to “also use connections that are less in demand outside of peak times”. If it gets particularly crowded at train stations on weekends and public holidays, "passenger guides" should also help with boarding and alighting.

In the meantime, people in the excursion destinations are hoping that not only more guests will come by train, but that many visitors will leave their cars at home because of the cheap offer. "Otherwise our region would really be bursting at the seams," said the mayor of Kochel am See (Bad Tölz-Wolfratshausen district), Thomas Holz. "Then it becomes unbearable for the citizens." Most recently, the community at Lake Walchen, which is popular with day trippers, had to struggle with traffic jams and illegal parking. Especially with a view to the summer holidays, there is concern that these events will repeat themselves.

In some places, however, there is skepticism as to whether the hope of less car traffic will be fulfilled. "The cheap ticket does not go hand in hand with an improvement in the quality of local public transport," said Füssen's tourism director, Fredlmeier. "Connections are not improved by being offered cheaper for a limited time." There is still a lot to be done in this area in the Allgäu.

Regardless of this, the ADAC expects the streets in southern Bavaria to be crowded again around Pentecost. "The 9-euro ticket will have no effect on the large number of people traveling south," said Alexander Kreipl, spokesman for traffic policy at ADAC Südbayern. After all, holiday destinations in Austria, Italy or Croatia would continue to be “mainly approached by car”.