Public transport in Bonn and the surrounding region VRS to increase ticket prices twice in 2023
Bonn/Region · It was already apparent at the beginning of September that there would be significant price hikes for bus and train tickets in the coming year. Now the VRS has confirmed that prices will be increased twice in 2023.
The Verkehrsverbund Rhein-Sieg (VRS) will increase ticket prices for local public transport twice next year. At its meeting on Friday, the VRS association assembly approved the fare adjustment and the transport association made the announcement. This means that prices will first be increased by an average of 3.5 per cent on 1 January 2023, and then on 1 July ticket prices will rise again by an average of 3.87 per cent. The General-Anzeiger reported on the plans for the price increases about three weeks ago.
The VRS has provided an overview of the exact ticket prices from January 2023 . The prices for online and mobile tickets are available here.
VRS calls for successor to the 9-Euro-Ticket
The VRS is justifying the price increases, amongst others, with "the dramatic cost developments for energy, material and personnel", the statement says. For the coming year, additional costs of between 13 and 17 per cent are forecast for the transport companies. Another reason is the expected loss of revenue due to the Covid crisis. According to the VRS, fare revenue is now 20 per cent less than before the pandemic.
The VRS assembly is also calling for a successor to the 9-Euro-Ticket. A product that is viable in terms of transport policy must now be developed as quickly as possible," it said. On Friday, Nahverkehr Rheinland (NVR) called on the federal and state governments to "put the financing for maintaining local transport services and for necessary investments in infrastructure and vehicles on a reliable foundation". With the funds currently available, "the financing of the status quo of local public transport in NRW is no longer secure", the NVR announced. Accordingly, there is a threat of cuts in transport services.
A few weeks ago transport associations in North Rhine-Westphalia had already warned of a considerable deficit for the coming year. For NRW, they mentioned an expected shortfall of at least 600 million euros. The VRS spoke of a deficit of 72 million euros, the Bonn municipal utility of a missing double-digit million amount for 2023. Original text: Alexander Hertel Translation: Jean Lennox
