Some people studying in Nuremberg and Erlangen thought they'd struck gold earlier this week when a technical hitch meant ticket machines started selling season tickets at ridiculously-discounted prices. The tickets unfortunately won't be valid for very long.
Semester tickets being sold in Nuremberg for 2,07 euros
Technicians had to be called on Monday to correct an error in Deutsche Bahn ticket machines that was causing semester tickets - special tickets for public transport given to students, which are normally valid for six months - to be sold for 2,07 euros rather than 207 euros.
A spokesperson for the local transport association, VGN, said it wasn’t sure how long the error had been going on for, or exactly how many tickets had been sold. The company has since worked out a goodwill agreement with representatives from the universities and students: the tickets can be used until the end of the Easter holidays on April 24. After that, students will unfortunately have to pay the regular price of 207 euros.
Students queue up to get 99-percent discount tickets
That's going to disappoint quite a few people, as news of the accidental offer spread quickly among the student body earlier this week, after details were published on the internet on a price tip page.
According to a report in Nürnberger Nachrichten, the story blew up on social media, causing a rush at the machines. Pictures and videos showed long queues forming at the machines doling out the discounted tickets.
This winter semester, more than 50.000 students enrolled in universities that are part of the semester ticket scheme for VGN. The ticket allows you to use public transport around the clock across the entire VGN network, which covers a large section of northern Bavaria.