Difference between revisions of "Germany/Travel/9-Euro-Ticket"

From Expat Wiki
Jump to navigation Jump to search
(Use {{Head}}.)
m
Line 1: Line 1:
 
{{Head
 
{{Head
 
|9-Euro-Ticket
 
|9-Euro-Ticket
|FAQ, Tips, Altermnatives
+
|FAQ, Tips, Alternatives
 
|The 9-euro-ticket is a nationwide ticket for '''all local & regional transport''' in Germany.}}
 
|The 9-euro-ticket is a nationwide ticket for '''all local & regional transport''' in Germany.}}
 
* It is available '''from June 1 to August 31 2022'''.
 
* It is available '''from June 1 to August 31 2022'''.

Revision as of 18:00, 28 June 2022

The 9-euro-ticket is a nationwide ticket for all local & regional transport in Germany.

  • It is available from June 1 to August 31 2022.
  • The price is €9 per month.
  • It will be available for everyone, residents & non-residents.
  • Among others, it is available at the German railways[1].

Questions & Answers

Can non-residents buy the ticket?

Yes, everybody can buy it. The ticket is not restricted to people living in Germany.

Where can I buy the ticket?

If you already have a subscription of a local transportation company in Germany, you will get the ticket automatically from them. So you do not need to buy it.[2]

Otherwise, you can buy the ticket

  • at ticket machines &
  • in the apps

of the German Railways (''Deutsche Bahn'')[1] and local transport companies.

What are alternatives to the 9-euro-ticket?

From June to August 2022, the German Railways have lowered their Saver Fare (Super Sparpreis) to start from €12.90 per trip. This saver fare is valid also on long-distance trains (ICE, IC, EC). Check with the Best price finder[1] if it is available for your connection.

Can someone else use my ticket?

No. Only one person can use the ticket. Therefore, before using it, you have to write your name on it.

Where is the ticket valid?

It is valid on all local & regional transport:

  • public buses within cities
  • S-Bahn and U-Bahn (metro)
  • regional trains like RB, RE & IRE.

It is not valid on long-distance transport:

  • not in IC/EC/ICE trains
  • not in Flixtrain
  • not in long-distance buses (e.g. Flixbus)

How can I find a connection?

Filter connections by only local & regional transport.
Regional train not usable with a 9-euro-ticket.

To find connections only with local trains, tick only local transport on the German railways connection search[1] (see screenshot).

Mostly, all trains in such a connection result can be used. However, unfortunately not always.[3] To make sure your connection contains only usable trains:

  • on the connection result, click Show details
  • below every train, click Further information
  • check for "9-Euro-Ticket nicht gültig". If this is written there, you cannot use this train.

What makes a good 9-euro-ticket connection?

  • Few transfers. Every transfer adds to the risk that a train is delayed, and you may miss the connecting train.
  • Avoid too short transfer times. So you have some buffer time if a train is delayed.
    • However, connecting trains often will wait for a delayed train if they know that passengers want to transfer. So if you see your current train is already delayed, tell your train attendant about the next train you want to catch.
  • Avoid the last connection of the day, to lower the risk of staying somewhere overnight.
  • Board at an earlier station. For instance, if you want to go from Berlin to the Baltic Sea, try to board the train already in Südkreuz. It will likely be emptier than at a later station.

Can I use faster trains if my local train is delayed?

Yes, if your connection for your 9-Euro-Ticket is delayed more than 20 minutes, you may use faster trains.[4] In this case:

  1. keep a proof of the delay, e.g. with a screenshot of the Deutsche Bahn app[1]
  2. buy a new, valid ticket for the faster trains you are going to take
  3. after your trip, get this ticket reimbursed[1]

How long is the ticket valid?

It is valid for 1 calendar month, so either for

  • June: 1 to 30
  • July: 1 to 31
  • August: 1 to 31

So you cannot buy it e.g. from June 15 to July 14.

Can children travel for free?

Yes, if they are under 6, children travel for free.

Children aged 6 or older need their own 9-euro-ticket.

Is bicycle transport included?

No, bicycle transport is not included.

For a bicycle, you need a ticket according to the rules of the transport company. Make also sure if you can take a bike on the train or bus you are using.

If you take only trains from Deutsche Bahn (and no trains from other companies), you can buy a DB bicycle ticket[1] for €6. It is valid for 1 day in all regional trains of DB.

Note that bike transport can be refused if the train is already full. Better avoid taking a bike, and rent one at your destination.

Can I reserve a seat?

No, because the ticket is only valid on local & regional transport. Seat reservation are usually not possible in such trains.

Is the ticket valid outside Germany?

Yes, there are a few stops abroad where you can go with the €9-ticket:

  • Austria
    • Salzburg Hbf[5]
    • Kufstein[5]
    • Ehrwald Zugspitzbahn[5]
  • Switzerland
  • Luxembourg
    • on VRT bus & train lines.[7] And within Luxembourg, public transport is free (in the 2nd class). [8]
  • Netherlands & Belgium
    • Kelmis, Vaals, Kerkrade, Sittard, Rimburg, Posterholt by AVV bus[9]
  • Poland
    • Świnoujście Centrum[10]
    • Słubice by bus 983[11]
  • Czechia
    • Hrádek nad Nisou[12]

Why is the ticket so cheap?

The German government wants to cushion the increased energy costs for the people. It is financing the low ticket price with €2.5 billion.

The ticket will be available only for 3 months (June-August 2022).

Notes

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 This is an affiliate link. If you click on it and then buy something or sign up for a service, we may earn a commission which covers our expenses. This does not change the price for you.
  2. "Automatische Abo-Umstellung durch dein Verkehrsunternehmen, Mehrkosten werden zurückerstattet." – source, retrieved 2022-05-18
  3. "Chaos for €9! Or: When is an RE train not an RE train?" – source, retrieved 2022-05-29
  4. "Wenn eine Verspätung von mindestens 20 Minuten am Zielbahnhof zu erwarten ist, ist die Weiterfahrt mit einem Fernverkehrszug möglich. Dafür muss aber ein Ticket gekauft werden, was dann über das Servicecenter Fahrgastrechte erstattet wird." – source, retrieved 2022-06-16
  5. 5.0 5.1 5.2 "Das 9-Euro-Ticket gilt nur in Deutschland. Dennoch gibt es einige Städte im Ausland, die damit erreicht werden können." – source, retrieved 2022-06-13
  6. 6.0 6.1 "Das Neun-Euro-Ticket gilt auch auf der Wiesentalbahn bis zum Endbahnhof Basel SBB." – source, retrieved 2022-06-13
  7. "In Bussen der grenzüberschreitenden VRT-Buslinien (410, 455, 460) gilt das 9-Euro-Ticket, ebenso im Zug nach Luxemburg." – source, retrieved 2022-06-13
  8. "Luxembourg is proud to be the first country in the world to offer nationwide free public transport for everyone." – source, retrieved 2022-06-13
  9. "Kann ich mit dem 9-Euro-Ticket auch in die Nachbarländer fahren?" – source, retrieved 2022-06-11
  10. "Die „9-Euro-Ticket für Neukunden“ und „9-Euro-Ticket für Stammkunden“ gelten zur Fahrt auf den Strecken und in den Zügen der folgenden Eisenbahn-Verkehrsunternehmen (EVU) auf Strecken außerhalb Deutschlands." – source, retrieved 2022-06-11
  11. "… dass das 9-Euro-Ticket auch in der gesamten Buslinie 983 gilt." – source, retrieved 2022-06-11
  12. "Beim trilex ist das 9-Euro-Ticket außerdem bis Hrádek nad Nisou." – source, retrieved 2022-06-13