According to the research titled 'Costly and Ineffective Climate Action', a 9-euro ticket is deemed as expensive and inefficient.
The 9-euro transport pass, introduced two summers ago and only valid for a limited time, resulted in a decrease of around 4-5% in car usage, as per research conducted by the Munich Ifo Institute, FAU Erlangen-Nuremberg, and the University of Salzburg. However, this decrease came at a cost, as train journeys became more crowded and were delayed by 30% more frequently.
"The federal government spent 2.5 billion euros on the 9-euro ticket, but it barely made a dent in car traffic," stated Sarah Necker, the head of the Ludwig Erhard Ifo Center for Social Market Economy in Fürth. "It was a pricey and ineffective measure for climate protection." The majority of the delays occurred on regional trains, as they were the ones directly benefiting from the 9-euro ticket. Long-distance trains also experienced indirect effects.
Approximately 430,000 more people commuted daily by train due to the 9-euro ticket. According to Mario Liebensteiner, a professor of economics at FAU Nuremberg, weekend train journeys saw a significant increase. "People seemed to use the 9-euro ticket for extra leisure activities," Liebensteiner stated. However, the decrease in weekday car journeys during peak commuting hours was minimal. After the ticket expired, the number of weekend train journeys returned to their original levels, even dipping slightly below.
The researchers predicted that the nationwide ticket, available since March 2023, would produce similar results. While more expensive, the nationwide ticket may reduce car usage even less than the 9-euro ticket, despite its extended availability, Necker suggested. It's likely that the nationwide ticket will benefit those who already frequently use public transportation and can now do so at a discounted rate.
The Commission acknowledged the challenges posed by the increased train usage and delays, and is working on ways to mitigate these issues. The Commission has already taken a number of steps to ensure that the measures implemented to address these challenges are effective.
Despite the crowding and delays, the Commission remains committed to encouraging sustainable modes of transport, such as the 9-euro ticket, to reduce car usage and promote climate protection.
