Federal Government Accused of Overpricing Tickets by German States
The Germany ticket, a nationwide rail pass offering unlimited travel across the country, is expected to see a price increase in the coming year. The current price stands at 58 euros per month, but this could rise to as much as 62-64 euros, according to reports.
Federal Minister of Transport, Volker Wissing, is considering a concrete price idea for the Germany ticket, which would help balance the additional costs at transport companies beyond the three billion euros per year that the federal government and states have provided so far and plan to provide for the coming year.
The negotiations, however, have hit a snag. The sticking point is finding a way to bridge the expected financing gap without burdening rail customers unduly. The coalition agreement of CDU, CSU, and SPD states that the share of user financing for the Germany ticket should be gradually and socially acceptable increased from 2029.
Criticism has been levelled at the federal government for not being willing to cover the financing gap. North Rhine-Westphalia's transport minister, Oliver Krischer (Greens), has been particularly vocal, urging the federal government to relieve rail customers. In contrast, Rhineland-Palatinate's transport minister, Katrin Eder (Greens), has stated that the goal is to save the Germany ticket through a price increase.
A proposed solution to close the gap includes a price increase for the Germany ticket and greater success in selling it, particularly to new public transport customers. The federal government aims to establish a mechanism that provides long-term planning security for both public transport customers and transport companies.
A fixed price mechanism, as mentioned in the draft resolution, could adjust the price of the Germany ticket from 2027 onwards based on a cost index. This cost index would reflect personnel and energy costs, determined after consultation with the industry. The Saarland transport minister, Petra Berg, has suggested a maximum price of 62 euros per month for the coming year.
However, there is no majority for the states to contribute a higher share than the federal government. Schneider, the federal transport minister, has stated that the federal government will not provide any additional funds beyond the pledged 1.5 billion euros for the Germany ticket.
The Association of German Transport Companies (VDV) expects a financing gap of 800 million euros by 2026 without additional funding from the federal government and states. Critics, like Oliver Krischer, have pointed out the federal government's promise of price stability and their failure to follow through with concrete actions.
Brandenburg's Minister of Transport, Detlef Tabbert, has suggested that the states could provide 1.5 billion euros annually for the Germany ticket from 2026 to 2030, if the federal government also secures federal funds of at least 1.5 billion euros per year for the same period.
The federal government is a guest at the VMK, the transport ministers' conference of the states, but Federal Minister Patrick Schnieder (CDU) is not present at the talks in Munich. The discussions continue as all parties strive to find a fair and sustainable solution for the future of the Germany ticket.
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