Fuel is expensive, and so are plane tickets. The railway is countering with a family offer. A good idea, says an expert, but there is still room for improvement.
99.99 euros for a round trip for a family of up to five people on ICEs and ICs: With this, Deutsche Bahn is launching a special summer offer to entice travelers in times of expensive fuel and kerosene for train travel. The seat reservation is included, the all-inclusive offer applies to the summer holidays in all federal states.
“The family summer vacation must not go to waste,” said Evelyn Palla, who has been the head of Deutsche Bahn AG since last autumn, on Tuesday. Families, “who look at the summer holidays with uncertainty in the current crisis,” could plan their trips reliably thanks to the “Holiday Family Flat Rate,” Palla said — and save money compared with car or plane travel.
Since Iran, at war with the USA and Israel, has closed the Strait of Hormuz at the Persian Gulf, the oil market has come under pressure. In Germany as well, oil companies have increased the prices of diesel and petrol. The federal government is trying to cushion the prices with something like a tank subsidy.
Lack of crude deliveries is also tightening the kerosene supply on the world market, which shows up in more expensive flight tickets. To save kerosene, Lufthansa has canceled short-haul flights for this year. The German airport lobby group warns of further flight cancellations in the summer. The Stay Grounded climate protection network calls for reducing air traffic overall to address the kerosene shortage—and to cut climate-damaging emissions.
Green Party politician calls for more punctuality
That the railway offers a family option that is “ecological and affordably priced,” is praised by Matthias Gastel, the Green Party’s rail policy spokesperson in the Bundestag. Yet short-term actions should not obscure that the company “still has quite a few homework tasks” to complete. More punctuality, better connections, a reliable infrastructure — this is “much more decisive” for winning over passengers. For fewer disruptions in train operations, the state must invest enough money in the rail network over several years.
The family flat rate is to be bookable from mid-June; details will be announced by the railway at the beginning of June.
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