Monthly German train ticket to rise to 63 euros starting from 2026.
The Germany ticket, a popular pass that allows travel throughout Germany by public regional and local transport, will see a price increase from 58 euros to 63 euros per month starting next year. This decision, met with both criticism and approval, follows a financial dispute between the federal government and the states.
Introduced in May 2023, the Germany ticket has been heavily subsidized by both the federal government and the states. Prior to this year, the ticket price was 49 euros. However, the Association of German Transport Companies (VDB) anticipates a financing gap of around 800 million euros by 2026 without "dynamic pricing."
The Minister responsible for transport in the coalition of CDU, CSU, and SPD, Federal Transport Minister Patrick Schnieder (CDU), contributed to the negotiation of the price for the Deutschlandticket 2026. Schnorr, the transport minister, maintains that the negotiated compromise is a "clear implementation of the coalition agreement."
However, North Rhine-Westphalia's Transport Minister Oliver Krischer (Greens) criticizes the federal government for reneging on its promise to keep the price stable until 2029. The coalition agreement states that the price should only be gradually and socially acceptable increased from 2029 onwards.
The transport ministers of the federal states agreed unanimously to adjust the price to 63 euros per month at a special conference in Munich. Ingo Wortmann, President of VDB, states that the price increase alone does not close the financing gap for 2026.
From 2027 onwards, the price of the nationwide valid Germany ticket will be determined by a fixed mechanism. The federal government and the states have agreed to make 1.5 billion euros available each until 2030 to fund the ticket.
The Alliance Pro Rail expresses concern that the price increase will shock many people and may not lead to an increase in subscription numbers. Concerns have also been raised that people with tight budgets may question the D-Ticket due to the increase.
Despite the criticism, the Germany ticket price increase is seen as a "milestone" by some state ministers due to its moderate nature. The ticket, which is estimated to be used by around 14 million people, has resulted in significant revenue losses for transport companies since its introduction.
The negotiations for the price increase have been met with criticism from some state ministers, who accuse the federal government of breaching the coalition agreement. However, the federal government maintains that the price increase is necessary to offset expected additional costs for transport companies.
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