Deutschlandticket Social launches in first NRW regions
From December 1, low-income earners in the first regions of North Rhine-Westphalia will be able to use a discounted version of the Deutschlandticket for nationwide travel on local and regional transport. The Verkehrsverbund Rhein-Ruhr (VRR) and some of the transport companies in the Verkehrsverbund Westfalentarif are launching the new Deutschlandticket Sozial on this Friday. At 39 instead of 49 euros per month, it is even cheaper than the standard version of the Deutschlandticket. Proof of eligibility is required to purchase the ticket.
Start dates
The Verkehrsverbund Rhein-Sieg (VRS), the Aachener Verkehrsverbund (AVV) and some of the transport companies in the Verkehrsverbund Westfalentarif will then launch the Deutschlandticket Sozial one month later on January 1, 2024. The state of North Rhine-Westphalia had originally planned to launch the service in the fall.
According to earlier information, there are several reasons why there is now no uniform start date for all four major transport associations in Germany's most populous federal state. The VRS had cited technical reasons as to how quickly the new product could be distributed. The conclusion of necessary agreements also plays a role. Advance sales in the AVV are expected to begin at the end of November.
Westfalentarif explained that the decision on the introduction of the Deutschlandticket Sozial was up to the local authorities and districts. In the Münsterland districts and in the districts of Unna, Soest and Hochsauerlandkreis, the decisions to introduce the Deutschlandticket Sozial have already been made, said a spokeswoman. In other municipalities and districts in the network, the decisions are still pending, meaning that in many cases sales are not expected to start until the new year if the decision is positive.
Authorized
According to estimates by the NRW Ministry of Transport, around three million people across the state are entitled to the new Deutschlandticket Sozial. However, neither the ministry nor the transport associations expect such an increase. In addition to new Deutschlandticket users, there are also likely to be a number of customers switching to the new cheaper option. As the VRR lists on the Internet, recipients of unemployment benefit II, citizen's benefit, social benefit, social assistance, housing benefit, benefits under Social Code VIII, benefits under the Asylum Seekers Benefits Act and benefits under the Federal Supply Act are entitled to purchase the new ticket. If you are not sure whether you are entitled, you should ask at your local authority.
Procedure
As the VRR explains, the necessary proof of eligibility or a notification for the purchase of a Deutschlandticket Sozial can be obtained from the local authority. Only customers with proof of eligibility from a VRR municipality can purchase the reduced-price ticket from VRR, the spokesperson explained. The VRR recommends buying tickets from the local transport company because the local authorities' identification documents are known locally and can be checked more quickly. Wuppertaler Stadtwerke, for example, explained that the proof of eligibility issued by the authorities must be presented at the customer center or uploaded to the ticket app when applying for a subscription.
Demand
According to a spokesperson, transport companies in the VRR gradually began selling tickets in advance around four weeks ago. According to initial feedback from the companies, the rush is currently still limited, he explained. This is in line with the experience that social tickets are only purchased at the turn of the month. The VRR assumes that a number of eligible customers will switch from the stand version of the Deutschlandticket to the Deutschlandticket Sozial. After the launch of the Deutschlandticket on May 1, the number of social tickets in VRR has fallen by around 50 percent. In addition, the VRR spokesperson explained that the network-wide use of the Sozialticket will expire at the end of November 2023, and that switchers are also expected from this segment.
In some regions, traffic congestion might be reduced due to the widespread use of the cheaper Deutschlandticket Sozial, as more people can afford nationwide travel on local and regional transport. Additionally, the introduction of the Deutschlandticket Sozial in North Rhine-Westphalia might influence the railroad industry, as there might be an increase in demand for rail travel with the discounted ticket.
Source: www.dpa.com
