[guenthert]

Here in Germany, the "Deutschlandticket", a country-wide public transportation ticket, is currently valid only via smartphone or "Chipkarte" (smart card). Unfortunately that smart card isn't available everywhere and won't be before early next year. It seems rather like a policy snafu then intended though [1].

[1] https://www.ndr.de/nachrichten/niedersachsen/Deutschlandtick...

[Am4TIfIsER0ppos]

It is intended. The goal by all governments is to "encourage" smartphone usage. That ticket situation is both carrot and stick.