Titled "Is the Deutschlandticket's Future in Question?"
Visit Stendalbus's homepage, and you'll notice a rather baffling announcement – "Pre-sale for the Deutschlandticket starts here!" Except, this statement isn't exactly accurate. This is because Stendal, one of the initial districts to offer the Deutschlandticket, has decided to withdraw from the nationwide ticket.
"Too expensive and not used enough" – these are the arguments that Stendal's city council uses to justify their decision. And if the first district discontinues the ticket, what's left of a Germany-wide pass? Some local authorities are contemplating following suit, potentially jeopardizing the Deutschlandticket's existence.
The District's Financial Struggles
Germany's districts, known as public transport authorities, are responsible for overseeing bus routes and streetcars. Due to financial constraints, every additional euro is a serious consideration. In Stendal's eyes, the Deutschlandticket isn't worth the extra costs. The district anticipates losing a substantial 40,000 euros in revenue from January to April 2024, a figure it just can't afford.
Yet, this argument is met with skepticism by the Association of German Transport Companies (VDV). Eike Arnold, a representative from the VDV, argues that the federal and state governments cover most of the additional costs associated with the Deutschlandticket. In fact, Saxony-Anhalt's guidelines reveal that the state will compensate for any uncovered expenses related to the introduction of the Deutschlandticket. The shortfall in revenue, anticipated before the ticket's introduction, totaled billions of euros; consequently, a three-billion-euro fund was established, from which the states can draw and distribute to their districts.
However, Stendal's predicament stems from a technicality. To calculate the revenue shortfall, the federal and state governments estimate the loss without the Deutschlandticket. In Stendal, there's a planned 15% fare increase, twice as high as the maximum 8% allowed. As a result, Stendal expects a higher loss of revenue than anticipated and fears it won't be fully compensated by the state.
Viable Alternatives and Continued Uncertainty
Despite Stendal's withdrawal, the federal and state governments are working on a solution. The state of Saxony-Anhalt is trying to engage with Stendal to ensure the ticket remains a viable option. The district council is expected to hold a meeting before Christmas to reassess the Deutschlandticket's fate.
Regardless of what happens with Stendal, the debate about public transportation funding rages on. Many view the Deutschlandticket as a pretext to address wider issues affecting public transportation, such as escalating costs and increasing bureaucracy. Some, like Andreas Knie, a mobility researcher at the Berlin Social Science Center, believe that the 49-euro ticket is just the "nail in the coffin" for public transportation funding.
The VDV argues that escalating costs call for three potential solutions: reducing the timetable, raising fares, or requiring local authorities to add additional funding of their own. Stendal may be an isolated incident, but the broader issue of public transportation funding and its sustainability remains.
In Conclusion
The Deutschlandticket's future is unclear, with mixed signals from Stendal. While some districts are contemplating withdrawing due to the ticket's high costs, others have reaffirmed their commitment. Time will tell if the Deutschlandticket survives in its current form beyond 2025, as the issue of public transportation funding and sustainability continues to be a contentious topic.
Note: The original article was published in the business magazine "Capital" and can be found .
Additional Insights
The Deutschlandticket has had a mixed response since its inception. While it has significantly increased the affordability and accessibility of public transportation for many Germans, it has also had major impacts on the financial health of some districts. A prominent example is Stendal, which initially withdrew from the ticket but later reversed its decision. Its withdrawal, however, caused uncertainty and sparked debates about the future of nationwide tickets in Germany. Consequently, some districts have adopted a wait-and-see approach, weighing the benefits of the ticket against their financial constraints and perceived impact on usage rates.
Moving forward, the deutschlandticket's survival will depend on a combination of government funding, negotiated participation from local authorities, and public support. The longer-term implications of the debate surrounding the issue may reshape the landscape of public transportation in Germany, forcing the industry to focus on modernizing infrastructure, reducing bureaucracy, and becoming more cost-efficient. In this sense, the Deutschlandticket may serve as a catalyst for much-needed change in the German transportation sector.
