A Public Transport Ticket that Moved a Country: Assessing the Value of the German 9-Euro-Ticket as a Socio-Technical Experiment

Abstract

This paper examines the German 9-Euro-Ticket from summer 2022 as a socio-technical experiment. Based on a systematic literature review of evaluations and accompanying research, three categories of learning processes are distinguished. The results suggest that the 9-Euro-Ticket enabled technological, social and institutional learning. Thus, the study provides a new perspective on this temporary policy and underscores the value of experimentation as a governance tool for the transition to sustainable mobility. This value goes beyond the direct traffic-related impact: The contribution of the 9-Euro-Ticket to a new stable configuration, the ‘Germany ticket’, is identified as the main output.