Of all the measures brought in to tackle rising energy costs in Germany, none has created such a stir as the €9 ticket. 

The prospect of nabbing nationwide travel for less than €10 a month has got people excited about public transport again – so much so that the government is now under pressure to replace it this autumn.

When The Local conducted a survey last month, a whopping 85 percent of readers told us they’d love to see a new discounted ticket once the €9 ticket ends in September.

Just five percent said they wanted the cheap travel to be discontinued, while around 10 percent weren’t sure.

Several people also said that the ticket had impacted their lives in positive ways, from saving some cash to getting out and about more in their local area.

“I’d love to see a successor to the €9 ticket supported,” said 26 year old Asa from Hamburg. “It’s given me the chance to explore the surrounding towns in a way that would otherwise be financially unviable. Not only that, but I’m getting out and spending money in the city far more often too.”

For 45-year-old Julie in Freiburg, a continuation of the ticket would make a drastic improvement to her and her children’s everyday lives.

“I’m a single mum with two teenagers,” she explained. “It could help us travel more often and visit places, which is very important for my kids’ education.”

READ ALSO: Has Germany’s €9 rail ticket been a success?

Four out of five respondents also told us they’d used public transport more often since the introduction of the €9 ticket, and a number of people said they had decided to leave their car at home when going on trips this summer.

Bethany in Kaiserslautern said she had replaced at least six long-distance car journeys with public transport in June and July, and plans to take the train rather than the car on a visit to Munich later this month.

“Before, the cost of taking a train wasn’t worth it. But now? I’ll put up with delayed trains for €9,” she said. “Trains were delayed and broken before the €9 ticket, but with trains being so much cheaper now the hassle is worth it.”

For Bavaria resident V. Milhauser, a cheap transport deal could facilitate an even longer term switch to eco-friendly transport.

“As a retiree, I find a reduced pass allows me to sell my car and use public transportation exclusively,” they said. 

‘The key to success is simplicity’

When considering alternatives to the €9 ticket, almost half of our respondents said price was the most important thing, but a third said the flexibility and simplicity of the ticket was their biggest priority.

With the current deal, people can travel on local and regional transport anywhere in Germany with just a single ticket at a set price.

Many readers said they appreciated a few months of no longer navigating complex zones and tariffs and would like to see a similar system continue.

“It gets confusing about what kind of ticket one should buy for certain trips, so having one ticket that covers all routes regionally, at a reduced cost, is the perfect solution,” said Saarbrücken resident Melvin Chelli.

Another reader from Wehrheim agreed with this assessment: “The key to its success is simplicity and that it can be used throughout the whole of Germany,” they said.

READ ALSO: What happens to Germany’s €9 ticket at the end of August?

For around 17 percent, a better service and infrastructure were key to successful public transport, while just one respondent valued punctuality the most. 

“I think that the federal government needs to invest more in public transport and that it needs to be more affordable and attractive to the general public,” said 33-year-old Sara, who lives near Rostock. 

“Even before the tourist season and the €9 ticket, another car was needed on the train from Bad Doberan to Rostock. Now they’re stuffing people in and everyone’s like sardines.”

Klimaticket or €29 ticket? 

Though the Transport Ministry is waiting to analyse the impact of the €9 ticket before deciding on its successor, that hasn’t stopped transport companies and other stakeholders weighing in with ideas for the future.

So far, a ‘Klimaticket’ costing €69 per month has been suggested by transport operators, while members of the Green Party have floated the idea of a €29 ticket and others have suggested an annual ticket costing €365 – just €1 per day.

READ MORE: 

• Could a €29 ticket replace Germany’s €9 transport offer?
• German transport operators float plans for €69 ‘Klimaticket’

Of these options, by far the most popular among our readers was the idea of the €29 ticket, with 53 percent of people saying this was their preferred option. Around a quarter wanted to see the €365 annual ticket, while others were keen on funding transport entirely through taxation.

Keshav Prasad, 33, from Aachen, said he wanted to see a cheap deal a continued in a way that would be sustainable for both individuals and the government.

“Reduced costs for transport is the need of the hour in times of record levels of inflation. It makes life a little easier for working class populations and also has a cumulative effect on climate as well,” he told us.

“I wholeheartedly support the idea and also recommend that it could even be the €29 ticket per month, so that the government isn’t massively burdened but there is also a cushion for the burden on passengers as well.”

Frankfurt resident Iain, 25, agreed that there should be a “middle ground” between the rock-bottom price of the €9 ticket and the prices before the deal was introduced.

However, others said they thought there should be a greater focus on long-distance travel such as the ICE trains and budget offers for commuters.

“I’m against reducing the cost of short-distance tickets: that costs too much and makes people use transport instead of bicycles (or walking),” said 45-year-old Dmitry from Munich.

Despite the differences of opinion, however, everyone agreed that continuing to invest in public transport in Germany would have numerous positive affects on both the climate and congestion.

“You don’t have to be a hippy to see it: even without thinking about global warming, water wars and climate migration apocalypse, the savings from the health sector, due to fewer pollution-related diseases, would be astronomical,” said one reader from Cologne. 

“Will it hurt the automobile sector? Frankly, who cares. They had their fun for long enough, and we’ll be dealing with the consequences for a long, long time.”