- Decrease in Bus and Tram Ticketing Due to Implementation of VRR
In the Rhine-Ruhr Transport Association (VRR), passengers will soon only be able to purchase select tickets on buses and trams starting September 1st. This decision includes only selling single tickets and bike tickets for immediate travel through staff on buses and machines on trams within the VRR area, as announced by the VRR.
The VRR has introduced this new ticket range as a way to decrease sales, advice, and payment times on vehicles in the future. "Passengers will experience more timely departures at stops and a significantly more reliable schedule," the VRR stated. All other ticket options will still be available at apps, customer centers, and ticket machines at train stations and stops.
Emphasis on digital ticket sales
With the updated ticket selection in vehicles, the VRR has taken an initial significant step towards digital ticket sales. Further actions, such as decreasing paper tickets and eliminating validators, will follow, according to VRR board spokesman Oliver Wittke. In the coming years, transport companies in the VRR will prioritize digital sales channels.
The VRR is informing passengers about this change through local announcements at buses and also updates via apps and social media, the VRR mentioned. The VRR serves the most populous transport area that covers most of the Ruhr area, the Lower Rhine, parts of the Bergisches Land, and the state capital Düsseldorf.
Other NRW transport associations remain unchanged
Transport associations in NRW have no current plans to modify their ticket selections. The Aachen Transport Association (AVV) currently has no intentions to cut back on the variety of tickets sold on buses, a spokesman revealed. Staff still offer single, 24-hour, and day tickets, as well as bike tickets. In the districts of Heinsberg and Düren, weekly and monthly tickets are also offered.
No changes to ticket sales at machines or on board are expected in the Westphalia Tariff area in the near future, a spokeswoman for the tariff association stated. The Westphalia Tariff area consists of most of the state regions of Westphalia and Lippe, including cities like Bielefeld, Hamm, and Münster, as well as the districts of Coesfeld, Gütersloh, Herford, Paderborn, Steinfurt, Unna, and Warendorf.
VRS supports the idea
The Rhine-Sieg Transport Association (VRS) has no comparable concrete ideas for its tariff area at this time, a spokesman disclosed. However, he viewed the VRR's idea as up-to-date and thus understandable. Ticket sales, particularly by staff on buses, have already significantly decreased due to the Germany ticket and digital tickets, he noted.
"Offering a limited selection of tickets to staff corresponds to this trend and also offers the opportunity to speed up sales and decrease delays," stated VRS managing director Michael Vogel. All initiatives with the potential to enhance operational quality should be considered.
The VRS tariff area includes the cities of Cologne, Bonn, Leverkusen, and Monheim, as well as the Rhein-Erft district, the Rhein-Sieg district, the Rheinisch-Bergischer district, the Oberbergischer district, and the district of Euskirchen.
The move towards digital ticket sales by the VRR is also expected to extend to reducing the use of paper tickets and eliminating validators on vehicles. In the future, transportation companies within the Rhine-Ruhr area will prioritize digital sales channels.
Despite the VRR's focus on digital ticket sales, other transport associations in North Rhine-Westphalia, such as the Aachen Transport Association and the Westphalia Tariff area, have no immediate plans to limit their ticket options or change ticket sales methods.
