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On Wednesday, the supervisory board of the Verkehrsverbund Berlin-Brandenburg (VBB), which is made up of representatives from Berlin, Brandenburg and the cities and municipalities, decided to increase local transport rates as of January 1, 2021.
As VBB announced Wednesday afternoon, according to VBB’s rate index, there is an average rate of increase in the network of about 1.9 percent. As expected, the increases mainly affect single and daily tickets.
The Berlin AB single ticket increases by 10 cents to 3 euros. Even in the independent Brandenburg cities of Cottbus, Frankfurt / Oder and Brandenburg an der Havel, passengers will have to pay ten cents more in the future. There the price of the single ticket rises to 1.90 euros.
“For the first time since 2014, the price of the 4-trip ticket has risen slightly, but it is still cheaper and allows you to save money on the first trip by bus or train compared to the single ticket,” says VBB. This increases the rate, especially for occasional drivers.
The price of the VBB-Umweltkarte (AB) in Berlin, however, remains unchanged, and as a monthly ticket it should cost 84 euros. Even in Frankfurt / Oder and Brandenburg an der Havel, the price of 39.90 euros each will not change.
The AB day ticket increases by 20 cents to 8.80 euros (ABC day ticket: instead of 9.60 now 10 euros). In the future, it will apply for a full 24 hours and not just until 3 a.m.
“The one-day ticket will become more attractive, especially for tourists, and the possibilities for digital sales will be improved,” said VBB. According to the information, the VBB-Gesamtnetz day ticket is excluded from the conversion to a validity of 24 hours. “Remains valid Monday through Friday from 9 am to 3 am the next day, and on weekends and holidays from midnight to 3 am the next day.”
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Small-group day tickets AB and ABC are also more expensive in Berlin at two euros and 1.60 euros respectively. Subscription to VBB 65plus increases by one euro per month. The VBB apprentice subscription increases by one euro per month, but remains constant in the subscription.
A summary of the increases (old prices in parentheses):
- Short route: 2.00 euros (1.90)
- 4x short trip: 6.00 euros (5.60)
- Berlin FROM: 3.00 Euro (2.90)
- 4xBerlin AB: 9.40 euros (9.00)
- AB day ticket: 8.80 euros (8.60)
- 7 days Berlin AB: 36 euros (34)
- Month FROM: 86 Euro (84)
- Berlin ABC: 3.80 euros (3.60)
- VBB-Abo 65+: 624 euros (612)
- VBB network label: 23 euros (22)
- A / C connection: 1.80 euros (1.70)
- The prices for Berlin subscription cards with monthly or annual debit remain the same. This also applies to the job ticket.
Small-group day tickets AB and ABC are also more expensive in Berlin at two euros and 1.60 euros respectively. Subscription to VBB 65plus increases by one euro per month.
Tickets of the above rate should be valid for a longer time
What is new is also that the tickets of the old fare will now be valid for a longer period: “Previously, tickets lost their validity 14 days after a fare change and could only be changed at the transport company from which they were purchased against the additional payment of the difference Six months means a customer-friendly improvement for passengers ”, announced the VBB.
“Therefore, individual tickets, day tickets, small group day tickets and 7-day tickets purchased in advance and not yet validated can be used for six months at the old price until the end of June 2021 “.
The crown crisis affected many small bus operators in particular
The rate increase is based on increases in the cost of living, electricity, and fuel prices. In addition, the VBB justified the move with increased personnel costs and new future offers that should make local public transport more attractive.
[Die Übersicht der neuen VBB-Tarife ab 1. Januar 2021 kann hier als pdf-Datei heruntergeladen werden.]
In view of the difficult macroeconomic situation for transport companies due to the crown crisis, individual ticket prices are increasing moderately and remain dependent on continuity, according to the VBB. “Despite the rate increases on January 1, 2021, there will be no deterioration for many passengers.”
According to their own statements, 37 transport companies belong to the VBB in Berlin and Brandenburg, including the Berliner Verkehrsbetriebe (BVG) and the Berlin S-Bahn.
Brandenburg’s many small bus companies, in particular, have been hit hard by the crown crisis and called for a raise. The last discussion was whether the prices of single tickets or the prices of season tickets would rise.
Moritz: The current mechanism of increases should be “put to the test”
SPD traffic expert Harald Moritz had said in the morning that regardless of the VBB’s decision, the previously applicable increase mechanism should be “put to the test”.
So far, prices have been “adjusted” according to an index method of general cost increases, “we have to talk about that,” Moritz told Tagesspiegel. The current increase was again after the index.
Subscription rates have increased several times in recent years
In recent years, the rates for season tickets (that is, monthly and annual tickets) have increased because they promise secure income, but that was precisely what punished regular customers.
Rates were last increased on January 1, 2020. Until now, the federal states and municipalities have borne the costs. Other models are also being discussed in Berlin, for example a tax for tourists or all residents.
The Secretary of State for Transport of the Berlin Senate Administration, Ingmar Streese, stressed that a “sustainable compromise” had been reached with the new rates. “This joint approach of representatives of both countries in the Berlin-Brandenburg transport partnership strengthens the metropolitan region,” he announced on Wednesday.
Left against the rate increase
The criticism came from Christian Görke, the spokesman for transport policy for the left-wing parliamentary group in the Brandenburg state parliament. “From our point of view, today’s decision has set a major wrong turn. Price increases lead to customer loss, not profit, especially in the current situation. “
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The left in both federal states called for a waiver of a tariff increase. In Brandenburg, the party made a motion that the state government, as a co-partner on the supervisory board, should not accept a rate increase. Representatives of the red-black-green coalition were unanimous in favor of a rate increase.
The Berlin state association of the Left Party has also rejected a rate increase via Twitter. “Together we have ruled out rate increases like red-red-green until a new pricing model is available. We can’t do that,” wrote State Vice President Tobias Schulze in a tweet – State President Katina Schubert spread this Tweet.
In response to the question raised in the comments under Schulze’s tweet, what “this cannot be done with the left” and if there would be consequences, leftist state manager Sebastian Koch said in a comment Wednesday afternoon: “The consequence will be on that. ” Members of the Berlin supervisory board succeeded without a coalition agreement.
The Senate Traffic Administration “should answer the question of whether they still want to implement the coalition agreement agreements,” Koch said.
Schulze also wrote: “That will be a problem in the coalition committee.” The Berlin representatives on the VBB Supervisory Board come from the Senate Chancellery, the economic administration, the transport administration and the financial administration.
Schulze: “That will be an issue in the coalition committee”
Left-wing transportation policy spokesperson in the House of Representatives, Kristian Ronneburg, announced: “We think the rate hike at the VBB is wrong. Under the conditions of the current corona pandemic, it will place an additional burden on those people who depend on public transport every day in so-called system-relevant professions. “Above all, however, the fare increases make it more difficult to switch from car to bus and train as part of the sea change in traffic.
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“It is particularly worrying for us that there was no prior agreement within the red-red-green coalition and also not in the Senate on the approval of the Berlin state representatives on the supervisory board of VBB. On the contrary: as a left-wing parliamentary group, we have declared from the beginning that we want to keep the rates for the Berlin tariff zone stable, as was also agreed in the coalition agreement, “said Ronneburg.
It is annoying that a feasibility study for another pillar of public transport financing “also due to a lack of professional preparation” has been delayed time and time again. The left calls for the publication of the feasibility study “of the complementary financing pillars of local public transport (public transport rate, user financing, tolls / parking fees)” and the suspension and revision of the rate index procedure for the next year. Berlin and Brandenburg should see the future of the VBB and the reform of the fare structure as a “top priority” and “develop a common vision” that does justice to the different conditions and challenges in public transport in both countries. (with dpa)
