The best transport deal in history for any major European country is now on sale.
Deutsche Bahn (DB), which runs most trains in Germany, has launched a ticket costing €9 (£7.70) that gives a full month of travel in June, July or August. The average cost per day is just 25p.
“Regional Express” trains – which typically link towns and cities on runs of 50-100 miles – are covered. So are all local services, including S-Bahn and U-Bahn metro trains, as well as trams and buses.
Unlike the UK’s half-price promotion in March, there is no limit to the number of tickets and no restrictions on journeys – except that Intercity expresses classed as IC, ICE and EuroCity are not included. Even so, any two stations within Germany can be connected with the deal.
Travellers can buy the €9 ticket for each of the three summer months.
Passengers travelling more than around 50 miles will be able to save money with a single journey. The standard regional fare from the city of Bremen, for example, is €9.10.
The move, which is being supported by the German government, is aimed at luring local travellers back to the railway – but it is equally open to international visitors.
The ticket can be bought by British travellers on a smartphone through the DB Navigator app, once they have registered.
Prospective traveller must input a “dummy” journey (eg Konstanz-Baden Baden) for 1 June, or any date that month. The timings/fares it generates should offer the €9 ticket automatically. There is no need to adhere to the trip for which a quote was sought.
Nicky Gardner, co-author of Europe by Rail, said: “Germany has many wonderful long regional train journeys, often on routes through mountain regions, along the Baltic coast, or though scenic forest landscapes.
With the €9 ticket, I’ll certainly be heading down to my local station in Berlin from where there are direct regional trains to the Unesco listed city of Stralsund on Germany’s Baltic coast. It’s a three-hour journey.
“There and back for €9 really is a dream ticket. And one could in fact do it every day for a month (not that I would!) for a total outlay of just €9.”
Masks must currently be worn on German trains.
In 2020, neighbouring Luxembourg became the first country in the world to offer free public transport nationwide.
