North Rhine-Westphalia's transport minister is pushing for workers across Germany to get a company discount on their 49-euro ticket. Meanwhile in Hesse, the local government is planning a 31-euro reduced ticket within the federal state.

Minister Krischer pushing for reduced 49-euro ticket in Germany

While the proclaimed May 1 release date for Germany’s 49-euro Deutschlandticket still remains in doubt, the Transport Minister for North Rhine-Westphalia, Oliver Krischer, is calling for yet another term to be added to the ticket policy. Under Krischer’s proposal, people working in Germany could purchase the 49-euro ticket at a reduced cost if their employers contributed to the subscription.

Speaking to the dpa, Krischer said that the ticket would be “extremely attractive for companies and their employees”. A so-called Jobticket already exists in Germany, offering workers a travel card subscription that their employer can purchase at a heavily discounted price for the whole workforce.

Krischer’s suggestion is that this Jobticket scheme should be extended to the Deutschlandticket, though it is not yet clear how much the reduced ticket would cost.

Hesse to introduce 31-euro ticket

As Germany’s 16 states and federal government point fingers at each other, and at Federal Transport Minister Volker Wissing, over delays and unsettled terms of the now looming ticket policy, individual states are beginning to lay their own tracks towards making the ticket more affordable. In Hesse, ministers have announced a reduced 31-euro ticket for recipients of social security benefits.

Greens Transport Minister for Hesse, Tarek Al-Wazir, and Social Affairs Minister Kai Klose have announced that the state will offer a Hesse-wide 31-euro ticket for people who receive unemployment benefits or housing benefits.

A follow-up to the hugely popular 9-euro ticket policy of summer, the 49-euro Deutschlandticket has been met with some mockery since it was first announced, with many pointing out that 49 euros per month still makes for a costly transport ticket. 

The new “Hessenpass mobil” will benefit 520.000 people and should be available at ticket machines within the next few weeks. Unsurprisingly, the policy has already been met with criticism by Germany’s Trade Union Federation (DGB), arguing that the federal state should concentrate on securing a more affordable nationwide ticket.

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