Düsseldorf/Berlin (dpa/lnw) - On the first day of validity of the 9-euro ticket, passengers in rush-hour traffic in North Rhine-Westphalia reached their destination largely without any problems on Wednesday morning. "There was a quiet start to operations on the first day of the 9-euro ticket without any abnormalities," said a spokesman for Deutsche Bahn NRW of the German Press Agency in Düsseldorf. The company was prepared for the fact that the stations and trains could be fuller than usual. For example, more service and security personnel are deployed at a number of large train stations.
The 9-euro ticket has been valid since midnight. In the so far unique campaign, passengers can use local public transport throughout Germany for a month for 9 euros. Tickets are sold for June, July and August. This is intended to support commuters because energy prices have risen sharply. In addition, new users should be persuaded to switch to buses and trains for more climate protection.
Large crowds are expected on the trains, and passenger representatives believe that chaotic conditions in trains and at stations are possible on the Pentecost weekend. According to the Association of German Transport Companies, around seven million 9-euro tickets had been sold nationwide by Tuesday. The special ticket for 9 euros per month is not valid on long-distance trains or long-distance buses. Subscribers and annual pass holders should receive corresponding refunds.
