Anticipated Increase in VBB Fare Prices by 2026 by New Leadership - Anticipates Increase in Fares by VBB Chief in 2026
The Verkehrsverbund Berlin-Brandenburg (VBB) is bracing for a fare increase on January 1st, 2026, as the regional transport association grapples with escalating costs and the need for additional funding.
The new managing director of the VBB, Christoph Heuing, who took over in early May 2025, has confirmed the anticipated price hike. Heuing, who previously led the Verkehrsverbund Mittelthüringen for ten years, emphasized that this is a clear indication that regional funding will at least be increased to avoid further cancellations.
The VBB is a joint transport association consisting of the states, 14 counties, four independent cities in Brandenburg, 36 transport companies, including S-Bahn Berlin and Berliner Verkehrsbetriebe (BVG). The organisation has been struggling with cost increases, particularly in personnel, materials, and energy costs.
Despite these challenges, Heuing maintained that the VBB is still on an expansion course, even with service reductions in regional transport at the end of December. One of the significant improvements expected is the reduction of travel time between the main station and the BER airport, which will be almost halved from 39 to 23 minutes.
Another key development is the commissioning of the Dresden line, which will offer fast, direct connections from Berlin Hauptbahnhof to BER Airport. The RB27 line between Basdorf and Wensickendorf will also see improvements, running only during peak travel times on weekdays. However, the RB36 line will operate every two hours between Beeskow and Frankfurt (Oder) after 8:00 PM.
Fare increases, when they occur, are normally set through negotiations between the VBB authorities and transport providers based on cost factors. The VBB fares are oriented to inflation, with an index procedure that looks at the past five years of consumer prices.
While specific fare price increases for VBB public transport in 2026 have yet to be announced, the federal government has already confirmed that public transport will be adequately funded. However, no explicit information on VBB fare increases for 2026 was found in the available search results.
For detailed information on planned fare increases and their determination process for VBB in 2026, checking the official VBB website or announcements from Berlin-Brandenburg transport authorities closer to the end of 2025 would be necessary. In the meantime, the VBB continues to work towards improving services and navigating the financial challenges that come with providing local public transport services.
EC countries might consider funding vocational training programs for transportation employees in VBB to manage increasing costs, as the organization is preparing for a fare increase in 2026 due to escalating personnel, materials, and energy costs. Additionally, during the long winter days of the sports season, weather updates should be monitored closely to ensure safe travel for commuters using VBB services.
