How people in Berlin can pre-order the €49 ticket

Since transport ministers agreed to launch the new monthly travel offer, customers in Germany have been patiently awaiting their chance to buy it - and for those in Berlin, the wait is now at an end.

On Monday, transport operator BVG announced that the budget monthly ticket had gone on sale in the Berlin-Brandenburg region.

As of this week, existing customers will be able to switch their existing Abos (subscriptions) to the €49 ticket, while new customers will have the chance to sign up for an Abo of their own.

But with the price different between the so-called Deutschlandticket and other types of monthly Abos relatively slim, some are wondering if they should switch at all - not to mention how they go about it.

Here's what to know about getting your €49 ticket in Berlin.

I already have an Abo. Will it switch automatically?

Not in most cases, according to BVG. That's because - unlike the €9 ticket that ran for three months last summer - the question of whether the €49 ticket is an improved offer is a little less clear-cut.

In most situations, €49 will be cheaper than what people are currently paying for their Abo. But in some cases, there will be other services included that aren't offered with the €49 ticket. 

One key example is the so-called Umweltticket - or environment ticket - which costs €66.90 per month in zones A and B. Unlike the Deutschlandticket, this ticket isn't personalised - so multiple people can use it - and it also allows ticket-holders to bring people with them at certain times of day. 

Due to these advantages, BVG reckons around 30-40 percent of customers will stick with the Umweltticket rather than switching. 

So how do I know which is best? 

As a first step in the launch of the Deutschlandticket, BVG plans to send a letter to all existing customers outlining the difference between their existing Abo and the €49 ticket.

Customers will then be able to size up whether they want to switch to the new ticket or stick with their current Abo. If they do choose to switch, instructions for doing so will be included in the letter. 

People who've paid for an annual ticket will get a special right of termination and can have the price difference between their existing Abo and the €49 ticket refunded. Otherwise, monthly Abo holders will simply see a different amount coming out of their account from May. 

If customers do nothing, their current subscription will simply continue as normal after the €49 ticket launches - though they'll still be able to switch at anytime.

One exception to this will be holders of the Abo 65Plus ticket for seniors. According to BVG, people with this type of Abo will be automatically moved onto the €49 ticket since it offers more flexibility for a lower price.

READ ALSO: ‘Deutschlandticket’: What you need to know about Germany’s new €49 ticket

And what about new customers? 

New customers can set up their new subscription online via the BVG website or by calling their customer helpline. The transport operator has apparently taken on additional call centre staff to deal with the expected crush.

You can opt to get your ticket either as a mobile ticket or as a chipcard, and subscriptions can be cancelled on a rolling monthly basis. 

BVG is currently offering a voucher for the scooter, taxi and car-sharing service Jelbi if you choose to get a mobile ticket rather than a chipcard. 

READ ALSO: When is Germany's €49 ticket coming - and how long will it last?

If you want to weigh up your options before signing up, BVG has put together a comparison chart (in German) listing the pros and cons of each type of Abo. You can find that by scrolling down to the bottom of the page here. 

Tickets aren't yet available at S-Bahn stations, but this will be rolled out when Deutsche Bahn starts its ticket pre-sale on April 3rd, according to BVG. 

What's happening to the €29 ticket? 

The €29 ticket was introduced in Berlin in order to plug the gap between the end of the €9 ticket last summer and the launch of the new €49 ticket this year.

It was initially meant to end in January, but has since been extended to the end of April - just before the new monthly offer is due to launch. 

Unless the Berlin Senate decides to extend it again as a regional alternative to the nationwide €49 ticket, it's likely that this will be the end of the €29 ticket - although this may end up being a negotiation point during coalition talks to form the city's next government after its state election earlier this month.

People with a €29 ticket Abo set up will likely be switched onto the €49 ticket automatically if they don't cancel their subscription before the end of April. 

READ ALSO: Could Germany's monthly €49 ticket become more expensive?