Tarek Al-Wazir, the Chair of the Bundestag’s Transport Committee and a member of The Greens party, welcomed the announcement by Deutsche Bahn Chief Evelyn Palla. Palla plans to freeze long-distance ticket prices for one year, starting May 1st, in response to the energy crisis.
Speaking to the “Rheinische Post”, Al-Wazir stated that the announcement “is correct and important”. He argued that stable pricing makes traveling by train particularly appealing right now, given that rising gas and kerosene costs are making driving and flying more expensive alternatives. Furthermore, he noted that “the railway remains an affordable and climate-friendly option for everyone”.
However, Al-Wazir cautioned that the price freeze should not obscure the ongoing problems with service reliability. He pointed out that trains frequently run late or cancel trips. According to him, the primary reasons for these issues are the poor state of the rail network and the ongoing lack of expansion or new construction despite the allocation of special funds. The transport expert concluded by urging the federal government to “finally set the right priorities and utilize the money effectively and in the long term”.
