AdamDec 3, 2022
Nick Young 

BOOM: Germany has just announced UNLIMITED public transport anywhere in the country will cost just $1.40 PER DAY.

Officials say the policy is aimed at cutting CO2 emissions and helping with the cost of living.

Anyone else think our government should do the same?

#nzpol

Nov 4, 2022 at 5:36pmWeb
Show threadNick Young Nov 4, 2022
More detail here https://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/germany-train-unlimited-travel-ticket-b2216892.html
Germany introduces unlimited train travel for £1.40 a day

The digital Deutschlandticket, price €49, is intended ‘to cut CO2 emissions’

The Independent
Show threadbmarrNov 7, 2022
@nickofnz that’s quite an undertaking. I was in Germany all of October and while the local U bahn and S bahn trains ran well, the regional trains were a bit of a disaster.
Show threadPetra SchultenNov 4, 2022
@nickofnz Well, it's not totally unlimited because you can only use regional trains. So if you want to travel any greater distance you'd have to switch trains frequently and it would take very long. But it's still a good thing, no doubt, and I will switch my monthly travel pass for the new ticket once it's available for sure!
Show threadNick ParfeneNov 6, 2022
@nickofnz @jackyan I love the idea of more people using public transport. But price alone is not what’s holding back people from using it regularly. High frequency and reliability is what is needed imho.
Show threadJason KempNov 6, 2022
@nickofnz a bit harder to do in the countryside. There is a bus service 15k from me into Dunedin that I use. Its great but only runs a couple of times a day during the week. And I still have to drive 30k round trip to use it. Its on Highway 1 and I do cycle parts of that but its not safe with 100k traffic all tge time and lots of pinch points and no cycle lanes. Subsidising public transport is good but harder to make it work when many services are barely operating at a useful level.
Show threadCoax CoaxNov 6, 2022
@dialogcrm @nickofnz I think NZ is spread put so much this will be difficult, but I think it absolutely should be th esort of goal we aim for
Show threadNick Young Nov 6, 2022
@brekekekiwi @dialogcrm or just make it free
Show threadJason KempNov 6, 2022
@nickofnz @brekekekiwi a free service that only runs a couple of times a day is not that useful. The frequency and coverage needs to be wider but low pop density makes it harder to do.
Show threadCoax CoaxNov 6, 2022
@dialogcrm @nickofnz I agree, but also think this should be the goal anyway. The closer we get, the better
Show threadTom IsaacsonNov 6, 2022
@nickofnz for that one bus every 5 hours?
Show threadJosh O'Connor-ChenNov 6, 2022
@nickofnz yes, but $1.40 cheaper. We don't pay for public libraries or public parks.
Show threadRalf StubnerNov 6, 2022
@nickofnz Intereting view from the outside! Here in Germany we had this ticket for three months at 9€/month. This was great, since it was really inclusive, i.e. people that normally could not afford to travel could now do so. That will be harder at 49€/month, since this is more than what the base level social security allows for public transport.
So I see mixed feelings here in GER: It makes it cheaper for people that commute regularly. And it makes it much easier, too. The map for public transport here must have used the political map of the Holy Roman Empire as inspiration 😉 But there are still things that should be improved. In particular now the offering needs to be improved. During the three months of the 9€-Ticket main trains were so full that people with wheelchairs had problems getting. So not inclusive in that respect.
Anyway, it is a step in the right direction. And yes, more countries should do the same!
Show threadGijs van Soest 🧢Nov 20, 2022
@rstub @nickofnz the €9 ticket of last summer was regional trains only, wasn't it? Is this truly unlimited?
Show threadBeneDec 3, 2022
@rstub @gijsvansoest @nickofnz Nope, its regional trains again. Its still much more affordable than before but the fast long distance trains are not included.
Show threadRalf StubnerNov 6, 2022
@nickofnz CC @SheDrivesMobility
Show threadanselmNov 7, 2022
@nickofnz important to mention this does not include high speed routes atm.
Show threadulistopperNov 20, 2022
@nickofnz
Greetings from 🇩🇪! The "Deutschlandticket" does not cover long-distance traffic with express trains. It's a follow-up of the very successful "9€-Ticket" (9€/month‼️) that was temporarily tested this summer in the wake of 🇷🇺's invasion into 🇺🇦 to mitigate the impact of the high fuel price. The new ticket costs 49€/month making it attractive for long-distance commuters in urban areas. For short-distance it's about equally expensive as already existing month tickets.
Show threadMaysyMan Dec 2, 2022
@nickofnz @dan613 if Canada did it, Danielle Smith and the UCP government would invoke their “Alberta Sovereignty!” act to ensure Albertan’s selfishness
Show threadJohn FrancisDec 2, 2022
@nickofnz can #Ottawa be part of Germany for transit purposes?
Show threadHugh FergusonDec 2, 2022
@nickofnz the Ontario Liberals campaigned on something similar. They lost. Folks in Ontario prefer free license plate renewals to free public transit....most didn't vote.
Show threadAlessio Dec 2, 2022
@nickofnz @Mundon the only country in Europe that knows what to do with people’s taxes, I’d say
Show threadBigDDec 3, 2022
@nickofnz Timaru has been trialing an alternative bus system for some years. ECAN are the governing body for public transport here and have decided to replace the fixed route large buses with smaller and almost on demand service.
Makes alot of sense and a step toward a more sustainable public transport service.
https://insidegovernment.co.nz/on-demand-bus-service-to-replace-timaru-link/
On-demand bus service to replace Timaru Link - Inside Government NZ

The Timaru Link bus will run its last loop in February next year, with Environment Canterbury announcing its permanent replacement with the successfully trialled on-demand public transport service. General Manager Public Transport, Stewart Gibbon said Environment Canterbury had found the Timaru Link was no longer sustainable. “The Link represents the end of an era, as […]

Inside Government NZ
Show threadXeon 🇨🇦🌻🐕🏈♿️☯️♋️🏳️‍🌈🖖Dec 3, 2022

@nickofnz Great idea

#onpoli
#cdnpoli

Show thread+bonifartius 𒂼𒄄Dec 3, 2022

@nickofnz
which is absolutely worthless with the bus going every 2h in each direction. if you are lucky and have a bus station near you.

they should have put that money in improving things first.

as it stands a car still is as cheap and more practical. with 500€/year in taxes&insurance - which would be at the expensive end - you arrive at ~1.40€. sure you'd still have to buy gas so let's say 2€, but you can go wherever you want whenever you want. i'm happy to pay that premium for that.

the common peoples individual mobility can be disregarded anyway, there are many things which would be better targets if you want to reduce CO2. air travel, cruise ships, consumption of bullshit goods.

Show threadVint ProxDec 3, 2022
@nickofnz Here in #Moscow it takes 265 ₽ ($4.24) for 1 day unlimited... Really insane in comparison. 
Show threadBoudDec 12, 2022

@nickofnz

This probably refers to the plans for a 49 EUR/month ticket for "public transport and regional trains nationwide" in DE [1]. Might make sense in the more expensive parts of Europe.

I guess I'll stick to my 19 EUR/month ticket for unlimited public transport (in one town, in jam-packed buses) + my bicycle + 17% p.a. inflation.

[1] https://www.reuters.com/markets/europe/experts-say-cheap-public-transport-could-ease-german-inflation-2022-12-09

Experts say cheap public transport could ease German inflation

German inflation could cool in the coming months as a result of a low-cost public transport ticket agreed to by political leaders, experts said on Friday, with one pointing to the power of government measures to swiftly ease price pressures.

Reuters