VRS app „NRW.Eezy" Best ticket offers in and around Bonn

Bonn · The NRW.Eezy fare is not new. But after the increase in ticket prices by the VRS, it is worth taking another look: On which routes in and around Bonn does it cost less than the regular VRS fare?

The prices for bus and train travel in Bonn were increased on 1 January (symbol photo).

The prices for bus and train travel in Bonn were increased on 1 January (symbol photo).

Foto: Benjamin Westhoff

Since 1 January, bus and train travel in Bonn and the region has become more expensive. The Verkehrsverbund Rhein-Sieg (VRS) has increased prices by an average of 3.5 percent for the new year. On 1 July, ticket prices will rise again by an average of 3.87 per cent. It will probably be a long time before the 49-euro ticket is introduced. Reason enough to look around for alternatives to the regular tickets.

One such alternative is the NRW.Eezy fare of the VRS: For about a year now, the NRW-wide offer has been available, which lets users of local transport "check in" for journeys via app and calculates the ticket price based on the air-line kilometre count. In the VRS area, there is a basic price of 1.50 Euro, which must be paid for every journey. An additional 20 cents is then charged per kilometre. In contrast to the regular prices of VRS (and thus also SWB Bus und Bahn as part of VRS), the price here was not increased in the new year.

NRW.Eezy is worthwhile for occasional public transport users

For occasional journeys, the Eezy.NRW offer is worthwhile in many cases. In Bonn, for example, you can travel from Bonn Central Station to Konrad-Adenauer-Platz in Beuel for 1.90 Euro instead of 2.10 Euro (short distance). Instead of the 3.20 Euro for the single ticket "1b" (minus a three percent discount if you buy it as a mobile phone ticket), you only pay 2.10 Euro with NRW.Eezy (for the route Bonn main station - Pützstraße).

The fare can also be worthwhile for longer journeys: From Bonn to Cologne main station it costs 6.70 Euro instead of the regular 8.60 Euro, to Cologne South it is 6.50 Euro. The fare to Siegburg is also almost two Euro less: 3.70 Euro instead of 5.60 Euro. The journey to Bad Honnef also costs 5.60 Euro at the ticket vending machine, via the NRW.Eezy app it is 4.10 Euro (direct route).

In individual cases, however, the app is not worth it. If you want to take the bus from Endenich station to Bad Godesberg, for example, you pay 3.30 Euro with the app, but only 3.20 Euro at the ticket machine. The fare can be viewed before starting the journey. The app allows you to check the price (somewhat hidden via "More" and the "Price calculator" field).

Basic fare valid for six hours

Another advantage of the app: the basic fare of 1.50 Euro is valid for six hours. This means that if you travel in the city within this period, you do not have to pay it again. For a further journey, you only pay the additional kilometre price. In many cases, this is cheaper than paying the regular 1b fare twice.

However, this only applies to journeys that do not consist of an outward and return journey. For example, if you travel from Tannenbusch to the city centre of Bonn, spend less than six hours there and then travel on to Südstadt, this counts as one journey and the basic fare is not charged again, only the additional distance. However, if you travel from Tannenbusch to the main station and then back again within six hours, the basic fare for the two journeys must also be paid twice.

Monthly tickets still cheaper

For frequent travellers, a weekly, monthly or job ticket is still worthwhile in most cases - the price difference is not big enough. Example: With a monthly price of 114 Euro for the monthly ticket "1b" (Bonn city area), the NRW.Eezy app is only worthwhile for frequent travellers if they do not spend more than 3.80 Euro per day. Occasional users of local transport, on the other hand, can definitely save something.

(Original text: Johanna Lübke; Translation: Mareike Graepel)

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