© dpa
From today, passengers on BVG buses will only be able to pay for tickets using cashless methods. Over the past few weeks, the Berliner Verkehrsbetriebe (BVG) have been making announcements on buses about the change, which is now coming into force.
BVG justified the new regulation at the beginning of August with a change in people's travelling behaviour. According to this, around 99 per cent of customers now board the bus with a valid ticket anyway. According to BVG, on average only three tickets per day and bus are now paid for with cash.
The BVG also hopes that the new rule will ease the burden on bus drivers. From Sunday, they will no longer have to pay at the till and carry cash. But it should also be quicker and easier for passengers. Anyone who does not have a Deutschlandticket, Berlin travelcard or other season ticket and does not buy their ticket via an app or from a ticket machine beforehand can pay the bus driver using a debit or credit card or digital services such as Apple and Google Pay. A rechargeable BVG credit card can also be used. This is available at BVG customer centres and 900 Lotto sales outlets.
Due to coronavirus, BVG had already banned cash from buses for a while in 2020. However, this payment option was reintroduced at the beginning of 2023. According to BVG, it currently has around 1.2 million subscribers. In total, around 1.8 million Berliners use season tickets. Since the introduction of the 49-euro ticket, many visitors to Berlin already bring their ticket with them, according to BVG. And 95 per cent of occasional customers buy their tickets at sales points, ticket machines or via app - i.e. not on the bus.