According to the latest news from German media, on the 23rd local time, Oliver Krischer, the current chairman of the Council of Transport Ministers and Minister of Transport of North Rhine-Westphalia, announced that from 2025, the price of the Germany transport monthly ticket (Deutschlandticket) will increase by 9 euros, from the current 49 euros / month to 58 euros. He said that the federal state transport ministers have unanimously agreed to increase fares from January 1, 2025.
Source: BR
According to Christcher, the agreement reached at the extraordinary meeting of transport ministers shows that the federal states want to adhere to and further develop the successful Germany ticket model. "With this price, we will be able to keep the ticket attractive and build a stronger foundation for its financing."
According to reports, there are still differences between the parties in the run-up to the meeting. Bavaria proposed a monthly ticket price of 64 euros to cover the cost during the discussion, while the states of Lower Saxony, Mae and Baden-Württemberg, among others, were in favor of reducing fares. They believe that excessively high fares can affect the attractiveness of tickets. However, the federal states made it clear before the meeting that solid, long-term financing is essential.
图源:Tagesschau
Since its introduction on 1 May 2023, the monthly transport pass for Germany has been priced at €49/month and allows holders to travel on local public transport and trains in all regions of Germany, but not on the high-speed train (ICE). With the introduction of monthly transport passes in Germany, especially for passengers around the city, they are usually cheaper than other season passes.
Is there a long-term guarantee for financing?
The controversy over the financing of monthly transport passes in Germany has a long history. Due to the low fares, the transport company suffered a huge loss of revenue. The federal and state governments initially agreed to jointly fund the damage. The federal government's regionalization fund to support the provision of public transport services in the federal states has also been increased for this purpose.
图源:Tagesschau
To date, the federal government and the cantonal governments have each contributed around 1.5 billion euros. In July of this year, the Bundestag passed a new version of the Regionalization Act. The amendments to the Act mean that funds that have not been used in previous years can be used next year to finance monthly transport passes in Germany. The purpose of this is to compensate for the financial disadvantages that the federal states may face.
The new prices aim to secure a long-term source of funding for monthly transport passes in Germany. Currently, around 13 million people in Germany use the monthly transport pass in Germany.