Imagine the financial barrier to public transport use disappears. The impact of the 9-Euro-Ticket on the mobility and social participation of low-income households with children

Document Type

Journal Article

Publication Date

2024

Subject Area

place - europe, ridership - behaviour, ridership - disadvantage, policy - equity, policy - fares, policy - social exclusion, planning - surveys

Keywords

9-Euro-Ticket, Transport poverty, Transport affordability, Transport-related social exclusion, Practice theory, Temporary nearly fare-free public transport (FFPT)

Abstract

From June to August 2022, the financial barrier to public transport use almost completely disappeared in Germany due to the 9-Euro-Ticket. It enabled anyone with access to public transport infrastructure across Germany to use public transport for 9 euros per person per month. As this completely changed the conditions for public transport use, especially for low-income households with children, the following research questions arise: (1) what effect does the 9-Euro-Ticket have on the travel practices and social participation of low-income households with children? (2) how and by what were the travel practices shaped by the 9-Euro-Ticket? and (3) what happened to the interviewees’ travel practices after the measure expired? To answer these questions, twelve qualitative interviews were conducted with low-income households with children in the Hanover region.

This study found that the 9-Euro-Ticket removed the financial constraint of public transport use, changed the travel practices of most interviewees and had a wide range of positive meanings. The respondents associate the 9-Euro-Ticket with freedom, joy at being able to offer their children something, along with financial and psychological relief. Additionally, the 9-Euro-Ticket enabled the interviewees to engage in leisure activities, to visit relatives, contributed to integration, had an empowering effect, especially for women and children, and thus represents a measure to increase social participation. After the three months of the 9-Euro-Ticket, financing public transport use challenges low-income households again and financial constraints prevent them from reaching certain places and engaging in out-of-home activities.

Rights

Permission to publish the abstract has been given by Elsevier, copyright remains with them.

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http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/journal/0967070X

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