"Affordable Land Travel: Pioneering State Steps to Bring Prices Below 40 Euros"
In an effort to ensure socially fair mobility in old age and offer equal opportunities for affordable travel for all older people, a new distribution of revenue for regional tickets is planned to take place from October 2025. This change will consider buyers' postal codes, regional usage, and tourism.
Currently, seniors in other federal states continue to pay the regular price of 58 euros for tickets. However, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, a state on the north coast of Germany, is leading the way with a comprehensive discounted tariff for seniors. Last year, nearly 2.4 million regional tickets were sold in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, and the state is currently the only one offering such a discount.
Residents of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern can order regional tickets online and load them as mobile tickets into the VVM app. For those who find the online process unclear, personal advice is available at the customer centre.
The proposed nationwide uniform tariff aims to address the disparities between states, ensuring that all seniors have access to affordable travel options. This change has been advocated for by consumer advocates and senior organisations across the country.
However, critics argue that local transport operators often lose out on revenue to large providers like Deutsche Bahn. They suggest that this change could potentially lead to further revenue loss for smaller operators.
As other federal states consider adopting Mecklenburg-Vorpommern's approach for selling regional tickets, the future of affordable travel for seniors in Germany is being shaped. The proposed changes are expected to bring about a more equitable transportation system, making travel more accessible and affordable for older citizens across the country.
