From January 1st, the Deutschlandticket will cost 58 euros per month – nine euros more than it currently costs. This was agreed by the transport ministers of the states. “We have taken a decisive step forward today to keep the ticket permanently,” said NRW department head Oliver Krischer (Greens). Consumer and social associations, however, criticized the increase, saying it would drive away customers and put the ticket out of reach for financially weaker people.
It remains unclear how long the ticket will cost 58 euros. Some state ministers hope that the price will remain valid well into 2026. However, this requires renewed financial support from the federal government in the amount of 1.5 billion euros – and this has not yet been decided for 2026.
The Deutschlandticket: subscription with 13 million customers
The Deutschlandticket, currently priced at 49 euros per month, has been valid since May 1, 2023. It entitles you to travel on all local and regional buses and trains nationwide, but not on long-distance trains. The ticket is intended as a subscription, but can be canceled monthly. For commuters, especially in metropolitan areas, it is often cheaper than other season tickets – the price increase does not change that.
The ticket can be purchased from the transport companies in the respective regions; many users purchase the ticket through Deutsche Bahn. The ticket was designed as a digital ticket for the smartphone, but it is also issued as a plastic card.
The new price: plus 18.3 percent
The increase of nine euros per month means an increase of 18.3 percent. It is a “moderate price increase in view of the offer” and still a “very cheap offer” for using the entire public transport system throughout Germany, said Krischer. “We deliberately decided on the 58 euros in order to cover costs. That is not too much and not too little either.”
Saarland’s mobility minister Petra Berg explained that there would also be price increases for other tickets. “We don’t expect people to really switch from public transport in large numbers now,” said the SPD politician.
Investigation: Double-digit percentage of customers could jump ship
According to the passenger association Pro Bahn, the increase is too high. “A jump to 54 euros would have been fine, but a jump to 58 euros seems too high to me,” said federal chairman Detlef Neuß to the “Rheinische Post”. “If the number of passengers drops because of high costs, we have gained nothing.”
A study commissioned by the federal government and the federal states predicts that a price increase of ten euros could cause 10.3 to 21.1 percent of Deutschlandticket customers to drop out. No scenarios were calculated for a price increase of nine euros. The study is available to the dpa.
Job ticket and semester ticket: The special tickets are also becoming more expensive
The price increase will also make the discounted versions of the Deutschlandticket more expensive. The job ticket, which currently costs 34.30 euros, will cost 40.60 euros per month from January. If companies give employees at least a 25 percent discount on the subscription, the federal government will add another five percent. Students will in future pay 34.80 euros instead of 29.60 euros. However, the new price will not apply to them until the winter semester of 2025/2026.
Following the decision of the state transport ministers, the SPD and the Greens spoke out in favor of setting a special price for annual subscriptions. The state ministers should consider a price advantage for annual subscriptions at their next meeting at the latest, said the SPD parliamentary group’s transport spokeswoman, Isabel Cademartori. Stefan Gelbhaar of the Greens spoke out in favor of maintaining the price of 49 euros per month for annual subscriptions.
Demand from the states: Federal government must secure ticket for 2026
The details of how the ticket will continue in 2026 have not yet been decided. It is therefore also still unclear how long the new price of 58 euros will remain.
So far, the federal and state governments have each contributed around 1.5 billion euros annually. This applies until 2025 inclusive. According to the Federal Ministry of Transport, the legislative process for the permanent financing of the ticket from 2026 will not start until next year. This is causing concern among some state ministers.
Uncertainty factor: Could the federal election cause bottlenecks?
“We now need the federal government on board so that the funds are secured,” said Schleswig-Holstein’s Transport Minister Claus Ruhe Madsen. The CDU politician warned in this regard ahead of the federal election in September 2025 – a decision after the election could lead to time bottlenecks in implementation.
The Association of German Transport Companies also called on the federal government to quickly change the so-called regionalization law and to permanently guarantee its “co-financing of 1.5 billion euros annually”. The VDV also demands that the funds be fixed for several years – so that any leftover money can be used a year later. In addition, the association considers the price increase to be essential “from an economic point of view for transport companies, associations and municipalities”.
© dpa-infocom, dpa:240923-930-240893/1
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