- Reducing Bus and Tram Ticket Penalties through VRR
In the Rhine-Ruhr Transport Association (VRR), passengers will only have access to specific tickets on buses and trams starting September 1st. This change includes selling only single tickets and bike tickets for immediate use directly from bus drivers and vending machines on trams within the VRR area, as announced by the VRR.
The VRR explained that this updated ticket range is intended to decrease the time required for sales, advice, and payments during travels in the future. "Passengers will enjoy more punctual departures at stops and a significantly more reliable timetable," said the VRR. All other tickets remain available as usual through apps, customer centers, and ticket machines at train stations and stops.
Shift towards digital distribution
VRR board spokesman Oliver Wittke stated, "With this revised on-board ticket offer, we've taken our first significant step. Future steps such as cutting back on paper tickets and removing validators must follow." The transport companies in the VRR will pay more attention to digital distribution channels moving forward.
The VRR is informing passengers about the change locally on buses and also through apps and social media, they said. The Rhine-Ruhr area, which is known as the most populous transport association, covers most of the Ruhr region, the Lower Rhine, parts of Bergisches Land, and the state capital Düsseldorf.
Other NRW transport associations to remain unchanged
Other transport associations in NRW have not yet planned any changes. At the Aachen Transport Association (AVV), there are currently no plans to limit the ticket range offered on buses, according to a spokesperson. Single, 24-hour, and day tickets, as well as bike tickets, are available from bus drivers. In the districts of Heinsberg and Düren, weekly and monthly tickets are also offered.
In the Westphalia Tariff area, there will be no changes in ticket sales at machines or on board in the near future, a spokesperson for the tariff association said. The tariff area of Westphalia Tariff covers a large portion of the state regions Westphalia and Lipper, including cities such as Bielefeld, Hamm, and Münster, as well as districts like Coesfeld, Gütersloh, Herford, Paderborn, Steinfurt, Unna, and Warendorf.
VRS supports the notion
At the Rhine-Sieg Transport Association (VRS), there are currently no concrete plans for ticket area changes, according to a spokesperson. However, VRR's idea is timely and, therefore, understandable. The sale of tickets, especially by bus drivers, has already decreased notably due to the Germany ticket and digital tickets, it was stated.
"Offering only a limited range of tickets to the drivers aligns with this trend and also provides the opportunity to process sales more quickly and reduce delays," said VRS managing director Michael Vogel. All measures that can potentially enhance the quality of operations are worth considering.
The tariff area of VRS includes, in addition to the cities of Cologne, Bonn, Leverkusen, and Monheim, the Rhein-Erft district, the Rhein-Sieg district, the Rheinisch-Bergischer district, the Oberbergischer district, and the district of Euskirchen.
The VRR is encouraging a shift towards digital distribution, with Oliver Wittke stating that future steps will involve reducing the use of paper tickets and removing validators. Passengers can continue to purchase other tickets through apps, customer centers, and ticket machines.
