Shutdown of decoders - Initial traffic association in North Rhine-Westphalia disassembles equipment - Designers' Demise - Dissolution of the First Transport Association in North Rhine-Westphalia
Watch Out, Cash! The Obsolescence of Bus and Tram Punch Machines in Germany
Yo, things are shaking up in the public transportation world, especially here in Germany. We're ditching those old-school stamping devices, also known as ticket punches, hand over fist! Let me break it down for you.
First off, Westfalentarif, one of the four transport associations in North Rhine-Westphalia, is leading the charge. Starting August 1st, they're quitting the business of selling tickets that need stamping. From November 1st, those stamping machines in buses, trains, and stations will be deactivated and gradually removed. After that, tickets with a "punching field" will no longer be valid.
Initially, the Verkehrsverbund Rhein-Ruhr (VRR) is planning to abolish paper tickets and stamping entirely, but no specific timeline has been set yet. For now, it's still cool to buy and stamp paper tickets in the VRR. All vehicles in the VRR should be able to accept cashless payments by the beginning of 2027, with ticket sales in vehicles only happening cashlessly in the long run.
In the Verkehrsverbund Rhein-Sieg (VRS), stamped tickets will keep selling, as discussions for the planned tariff reform between the VRS and the Aachener Verkehrsverbund AVV are ongoing, scheduled for next year. Interestingly, in the Aachener Verkehrsverbund, buses no longer offer unstamped tickets, but the punches in older vehicles will remain. Some transportation companies in the area, like WestVerkehr in Heinsberg and Rurtalbus in Düren, still offer unstamped tickets.
Westfalentarif is banking on cost savings from eliminating the labor-intensive maintenance of validators and simplifying the "tariff jungle" for passengers. Starting in August, only tickets with validity from purchase or fixed dates will be available. For occasional travelers, choices like the smartphone tariff eezy.nrw, the daily ticket 24, and the single ticket without a stamping field are on offer.
All in all, Germany is embracing the digital age in public transportation, moving from cash to digital payment. While challenges, like preserving cash payments and ensuring user-friendliness, lie ahead, opportunities for more efficient and seamless systems abound. Just sit back, relax, and watch the transportation scene evolve! 😎 nelle modo Danke!
As the transportation landscape in Germany transitions to digital payments, the necessity for vocational training in the Finance sector becomes paramount, with an increased focus on digital payment systems and smart financial solutions. Simultaneously, as community policy shifts towards modernizing public transportation, there could be a surge in demand for vocational training in the Industry sector, particularly to manage and maintain the new systems and technology, such as ticket validators and digital payment devices.
