Erfurt (dpa/th) - Many passengers in Thuringia will have to pay more for buses, trains and trams from April. On average, prices will rise by around eight percent, as the Verkehrsverbund Mittelthüringen (VMT) announced on Friday. A single trip, for example in Erfurt, Jena, Weimar or Gera, will cost 2.50 euros instead of the previous 2.30 euros. Children's tickets are also affected by the increase at 1.70 instead of 1.50 euros. Prices are also increasing for subscription customers.
According to the transport association, the tickets should have been 17.35 percent more expensive. "This fare increase would have been necessary in order to counteract the huge energy price increases since March 2022," said VMT Managing Director Christoph Heuing.
However, the state is giving the transport companies 25 million euros from an energy crisis and corona pandemic aid fund for the years 2022 and 2023. "With this special support, the country is also expecting that fares will not be increased in proportion to the increase in fuel and energy prices," said Transport Minister Susanna Karawanskij (left) last December.
The association explains why the prices are rising again just one month before the planned start of the so-called 49-euro ticket by saying that the date for the current price increase was already set before a date for the Germany ticket was known.
The Association of Central Thuringia includes 15 transport companies. It includes the cities of Erfurt, Weimar, Jena and Gera as well as the districts of Gotha, Weimarer Land, Saale-Holzland, Saalfeld-Rudolstadt and Saale-Orla.
