Ticket for occasional drivers: It could happen very quickly if politicians wanted to

Opportunity wasted: At their regular conference, the transport ministers removed the application for a nationwide digital public transport ticket for people who only occasionally take the bus or train from the agenda. The Green transport ministers from Hamburg and North Rhine-Westphalia have put forward a good idea: occasional drivers should be able to use local public transport with a smartphone ticket without having to spend a long time searching for the right tariff. Billing should be based on the distance traveled, using the cheapest tariff. Technically this is not a problem.

The model is an offer that has been very well received in North Rhine-Westphalia. However, there is a big difference: On the Rhine and Ruhr, the ticket has a price cap for occasional users. You only have to pay a maximum of what the Germany ticket costs. This should expressly not be the case with the nationwide occasional ticket so that customers with a Germany ticket do not have to change. That takes some of the charm out of the idea.

Nevertheless, the occasional ticket would be an attractive offer. Especially in view of high fuel prices, many people are now ready to switch from cars. But high prices and, above all, complicated tariff systems are a deterrent. Anyone who doesn't use the bus or train will find it absurd to buy the Deutschlandticket. The occasional ticket would be an ideal opportunity for local transport skeptics to simply try out the uncomplicated use of buses and trains - and perhaps enjoy it.

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Federal Transport Minister Steffen Bilger (CDU) should take up the impulse from North Rhine-Westphalia and Hamburg. This would allow him to make a name for himself without having to spend any money. Because the occasional ticket has no price cap, it does not incur any additional costs. So there is nothing standing in the way of rapid introduction - except political will.