More than 100,000 Germany tickets on the VMT

The Central Thuringia Transport Association (VMT) reports that in January 2024, the number of Deutschlandtickets passed the 100,000 mark with 100,240. If you consider the Deutschlandticket together with the other subscription offers in the VMT, there are now over 120,000 people who have opted for a ÖPNV subscription. Before the introduction of the Deutschlandticket, this figure was around 60,000, meaning that the number of regular ÖPNV customers has doubled in less than a year. This positive development shows the growing interest in sustainable mobility and the popularity of the Deutschlandticket.

Despite the success achieved, Verkehrsverbund Mittelthüringen emphasizes that there is still potential that can be exploited with suitable measures. In particular, the Deutschlandticket needs long-term financial and legal protection in order not to jeopardize what has been achieved and to attract new users.

This is also underlined by Thuringia's Infrastructure Minister Susanna Karawanskij:

More than ten million people throughout Germany use the Deutschlandticket. There are now 100,000 subscriptions in the Central Thuringia Transport Association. The ticket is therefore well received, especially in cities with attractive public transport services and unfortunately less so in rural areas. The bus and rail services there need to be expanded so that more people use the ticket. However, this requires that we firstly secure funding for the Deutschlandticket beyond 2024. The federal government must finally commit to long-term funding. Secondly, the federal government, states and municipalities must invest significantly more funds in the expansion of the transport infrastructure. We can only make a real contribution to the mobility transition, social participation and climate protection if rural areas are also much more accessible via public transport.

In order for even more people to be able to enjoy the benefits of Deutschlandtickets, local public transport services must be expanded both in cities and in rural areas. The VMT assumes that the success of the Deutschlandticket will lead to corresponding changes in course: „We are delighted that more and more people are opting for bus and rail travel. In order for this success story to continue, we now need financial security and further investment in the expansion of public transport services," said Christoph Heuing, Managing Director of VMT.