The Sweden Ticket : An overview of the “German Ticket” and possibilities for a similar ticket in Sweden

This paper examines the impact of Germany’s 9-Euro-Ticket and itssuccessor, the German Ticket (49 €), on public transportation usage,environmental benefits, and social equity, while exploring the feasibility ofimplementing a similar model in Sweden. The 9-Euro-Ticket, introduced in2022 as a temporary measure to alleviate economic strain from rising energycosts, significantly increased public transport ridership by 42%, reduced carusage by 16%, and saved 4.2–6.5 million tons of CO₂ emissions. Despite itssuccess, the ticket disproportionately benefited higher-income groups andurban areas, underscoring infrastructure gaps in rural regions. The transitionto the 49 € German Ticket maintained positive effects, with 14 million usersby 2024, demonstrating sustained demand.Economically, the German Ticket generated a net benefit of at least 3 billioneuros for society. This includes savings from reduced car traffic (2.37–3.69billion €), lower CO₂-related damages (1.3–2 billion €), and a subsidy effectwhere users saved more than the state spent on compensation for transportproviders. Dynamic effects, such as 1.34 million users considering carownership unnecessary, further amplified long-term economic andenvironmental gains.For Sweden, Germany’s experience highlights the potential of affordable,unified public transport tickets to boost sustainability and equity. Keytakeaways include the importance of stakeholder coordination, targetedrural investments, and pilot projects to assess feasibility. The success ofGermany’s model suggests that similar initiatives could drive meaningfulchange in Sweden’s transport sector.