However, a moderate price increase cannot be ruled out, said Hermann. “Funding it via the federal government and 16 states is not easy.” However, in the Green politician’s view, a price increase that is too high would not lead to more revenue. “Instead of increased revenue, it would generate deficits. The success of the Deutschlandticket model also depends on having as many subscribers as possible,” said Hermann.
Hermann’s Bavarian counterpart Christian Bernreiter (CSU) recently spoke out in favor of a price increase that covers the actual cost of the ticket. According to a calculation by his ministry, the price would have to be raised by 30 percent next year. The reason for this is the need to cover costs, reported the “Bild” newspaper, citing a statement for the Germany Ticket Coordination Council. The Bavarian Ministry of Transport confirmed the information upon request.
Bavaria expects cost coverage at 64 euros per month
According to the report, Bavaria estimates the financing gap to be at least 750 million euros next year. Accordingly, the price of the 49-euro ticket must rise to 64 euros. “It is highly likely that financing security for 2025 can only be achieved with a price of at least 64 euros,” Bild quotes from the statement.
The Deutschlandticket is currently available as a subscription for 49 euros per month. The ticket entitles you to use local and regional transport throughout Germany. The additional costs are split between the federal government and the states.
The dispute over the financing of the Deutschlandticket is as old as the subscription itself. The transport companies are suffering high revenue losses due to the cheaper offer. The federal and state governments had originally agreed to each compensate for this by half. The regionalization funds with which the federal government supports the states in providing public transport were increased for this purpose.
Nevertheless, there are repeated disputes about the long-term security of the ticket, which has allowed holders to travel on public transport buses and trains nationwide since May last year./dna/DP/he
