How did the 9-euro ticket affect mobility behavior in the first month? The first data show: The volume of travel by rail has increased significantly – especially on a weekday.
In the first month after the introduction of the 9-euro ticket, the volume of rail travel increased. According to a special evaluation of mobile phone data, nationwide rail movements were on average 42 percent higher than in June 2019, as the Federal Statistical Office announced on Thursday.
In May they were only 3 percent higher than the same month in the pre-corona year. The data only includes distances of 30 kilometers or more. The Wiesbaden authority found a particularly significant increase in train journeys of less than 300 kilometers.
Especially at the weekend, many people used the train after the introduction of the 9-euro ticket. According to the information, the strongest day was Saturday. Train journeys on this day were on average 83 percent above the pre-crisis level in June. The development was also clear on Sundays with a plus of 61 percent. From Monday to Friday, an average increase of 36 percent was recorded compared to June 2019.
At the same time, according to the information, a slight decrease in road traffic activities was recorded in June. During the week, the movements were on average only 2 percent above the pre-crisis level, in May it was 5 percent. “The contrary developments on working days on the road compared to the rail indicate that commuters have switched from road to rail transport,” explained the authority. Sunday road trips in June were even 6 percent below the Sunday average for June 2019, in May an increase of 11 percent was recorded.
