© dpa
Berlin's public transport company (BVG) is now offering the planned 49-euro ticket for pre-order.
All current subscribers will be informed in the next few days by letter or e-mail about a possible switch to the Germany-wide local transport ticket, which is to be offered from May 01, 2023. According to information from Monday, the BVG expects 30 to 40 percent of existing users to want to keep their current subscription to the so-called Umweltkarte.
Unlike the soon-to-come Deutschlandticket, the monthly subscription ticket, also called Umweltkarte, is not personalized and can therefore be used by several people. It is also possible to take other people along for free at certain times - this will not be possible with the Deutschlandticket in the VBB area. On the other hand, the monthly subscription is a little more expensive: from May 01, the Umweltkarte for the Berlin AB fare zone will cost €66.90 per month - that is €17.90 more than the Deutschlandticket.
Subscription customers who do not respond to the BVG's letter will have to pay the more expensive price of the Umweltkarte from May 01, but can switch their subscription to the Deutschlandticket at any time at the end of the month. Customers who pay for their Umweltkarte for an entire year will have a special right of termination for the Deutschlandticket, and their payments will be offset accordingly. Until the end of April, the 29-euro ticket is still valid in the Berlin AB fare zone - unless Berlin's state politicians agree on a renewed extension of this campaign.
BVG is very positive about the Deutschlandticket. "The Deutschlandticket is a watershed in the history of local public transport. And it's really good for our industry," said CEO Eva Kreienkamp. She said it was conceived "in a radical manner" from the customer's perspective and made it "easy and convenient" for new customers to switch to public transportation.
The federal and state governments have agreed to launch the digital ticket on May 01, but final decisions are still pending. BVG sells it as a cell phone ticket or as a chip card; both variants are available online and at the customer center.