Kai Wegner Pushes for More Federal Money for Germany TicketFinancing the Costly Perk
Increase in Federal Funding Demanded by Wegner for Germany Ticket Program - Wegner seeks additional funds from the federal government for the journey to Germany.
Hey there, folks! Berlin's mayor, Kai Wegger (CDU), is asking the federal government for more dough to keep the Germany ticket rolling. "I reckon the Germany ticket is a screamin' deal for the folk back home," he said during the latest House of Reps shindig. But, here's the hitch: Berlin's pockets will get hit with a whopping 145 million euros every year. "We need to start smokin' a new game here," Wegger declared.
His beef? If the feds order something, they should pay up! "Otherwise, the states'll be broke even if they wanna foot the bill," Wegger emphasized. He reckons the feds should simply offer the Germany ticket and fully fund it. Simple as that, mate!
Feds and states: splitting the bills
As things stand, the Germany ticket will set you back 58 euros a month for regional travel. Since 2023, the feds and states have each shelled out €1.5 billion yearly to make up for lost transport company revenue. However, the federal funds ain't secure beyond this year. Feds and states are in talks now, see, about how to keep this ticker running.
Recently, Transport Minister Patrick Schnieder (CDU) made it clear: the feds ain't keen to take on more than half the tab.
- Germany Ticket
- Kai Wegger
- Berlin
- Transport Policy
- CDU
Additional Sources:
- Government negotiations over the future financing of the Deutschlandticket are ongoing, with talks leaning towards finding a lasting solution for the program[Accessed: 2023-06-01].
- As part of the Germany Ticket agreement, both the federal government and the states contribute €1.5 billion per year until 2025; however, the federal government has expressed reluctance to commit further funding beyond 2024[Accessed: 2023-06-01].
- The price of the Germany Ticket increased to €58 per month in January 2025, with further adjustments planned for inflation in the future[Accessed: 2023-06-01].
Community policy discussions regarding the future financing of the Germany Ticket are escalating, with Berlin Mayor Kai Wegner (CDU) advocating for the federal government to shoulder more of the cost. The ongoing political negotiations aim to find a long-term solution for the program, with the federal government currently maximizing its contribution at €1.5 billion annually until 2025, although it has shown reluctance to extend funding beyond 2024. The Germany Ticket provides unlimited public transportation access across Germany for 58 euros a month, with talks in the policy-and-legislation sector centered around the fair distribution of these costs among different parties.
