

So the rail networks are operated by private companies? I am not familiar with the various acronyms, but that would certainly explain the complexity… Everyone wanting their slice of the pie.
It certainly looks complicated:
Transport services are provided by over 40 companies. These include the Bayerische Oberlandbahn, the Deutsche Bahn that also operates the S-Bahn, the Münchner Verkehrsgesellschaft that operates the U-Bahn, tramway and city buses, together with multiple operators of regional trains and buses.
We (Queensland, Australia) have 50 cent fares at the minute - any public transport, no matter the distance / zone / etc is a flate rate of $0.50AUD. I assume any private interests are being compensated with tax dollars but at least it makes public transport simple and affordable.
There was recently a change from a Labor government (centrist?) to a Liberal government (right / conservative) so I suspect the 50c fares will be removed at some point, though they did make it permanent as part of an election promise. “Permanent” is a pretty flexible term from a politician though.
We did a trip to the US that covered coast to coast by plane and then 5000k of driving back to the centre… And their pretend pricing sucked.
Every state we went to advertised a price, but what you actually paid varied by heaps.
Bought some clothes that were something like $700USD by the tag, and had $1000USD on hand… Which wasn’t enough once they rang it up! Wtf?