Holidays for the climate

Last summer, I had an overwhelming experience in Germany: unlimited train travel on regional transport, for the modest sum of €9 per month. And above all, without having to book my ticket. Jumping into a wagon without taking the lead, like jumping into your car (or almost)… What a joy! What a contrast with our sweet France where the conditions for exchange and reimbursement of SNCF tickets were further tightened in February!

Equal to the price, the flexibility of use then appeared to me as a modality to be rehabilitated urgently to make the train desirable. The German federal government introduced this €9 package in the summer of 2022 to support household purchasing power while fighting climate change. The rail network across the Rhine was even more saturated, but the Germans voted for the operation. Thus, on May 1, 2023, an unlimited national transport ticket of €49 per month was introduced. Excluded are long-distance trains and buses. But whether you take a bus in Bonn, a regional train between Freiburg and Munich or an underground in Berlin, the same ticket is enough.

Imagine that in France. Fewer traffic jams on major departures. No more incomprehensible rates and stratospheric prices that prevent you from leaving at the last minute to support a loved one or join a party. What a real vacation. For yourself and the climate.