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Discounted Germany tickets: Hamburg’s seniors will save from May 2024!
From May 2024, the Hamburg Senate will reduce the price of the Germany ticket for seniors to 49 euros and promote mobility.
Discounted Germany tickets: Hamburg’s seniors will save from May 2024!
Hamburg's seniors can breathe a sigh of relief because the city government announced important changes to the Deutschlandticket today. Finance Senator Andreas Dressel (SPD) and Transport Senator Anjes Tjarks (Greens) announced that from May 2024 all Hamburg residents aged 67 and over will be able to purchase the Deutschlandticket for just 49 euros instead of 63 euros. This means an annual saving of a whopping 168 euros for older citizens. taz reports that the subsidy will cost the city around nine million euros annually.
This measure is intended in particular to promote social participation and mobility for seniors. Nevertheless, there are also critical voices. The state senior citizens' advisory board expresses dissatisfaction and calls for a cheaper 29 euro ticket for Hamburg. The Taxpayers' Association is also skeptical and demands that the support be made more needs-oriented. Critics such as Klaus Wicher from the social association SoVD point out that needy seniors are not adequately supported and ask themselves why the Deutschlandticket is not offered free of charge to needy seniors, similar to how it is offered to students.
Current prices and future developments
The price for the Germany ticket for seniors who receive basic security is currently 22.50 euros and will rise to 27.50 euros in January. The new discount system will come into play from May 2024. Seniors who use the new offer save a total of 168 euros per year. hamburg.de highlights that over 200,000 schoolchildren in Hamburg already have the free hvv Germany ticket, and there are also special conditions for trainees and students.
The city of Hamburg invests around 1 billion euros annually in public transport, without taking the investments into account. Investments in rapid rail expansion of around 1 billion euros are planned for 2025 and 2026, with a further 2.8 billion euros from 2027 to 2030. These measures are intended to make local public transport in Hamburg future-proof.
Needs-based mobility for seniors
A key concern of the city is promoting mobility for older people. However, it should be noted that many seniors have reservations about public transport and often prefer to drive. The new U5 underground line, which will only serve a few stops, could prove difficult to access for older people.
There are suggestions that Hamburg should develop a senior-friendly transport offering, comparable to a light rail network, in order to better meet the needs of the older generation. These ideas could help increase seniors' participation in city life.
The coming months will be exciting, and it will be interesting to see how the city's plans can be implemented and what reactions they will provoke, especially among the older population.