Public transport in comparison: big differences in prices and tariff zones

Large price range for weekly and monthly tickets

The ADAC has them Ticket prices for local public transport compared in 21 major German cities. The biggest differences were therefore in weekly tickets. The prices sometimes differ by more than 100 percent. Berlin is the most expensive at 36 euros and Munich is the cheapest. A weekly ticket for the inner city area only costs 17.80 euros there.

Offers difficult to compare

However, the area of ​​validity for the Berlin weekly ticket extends over the entire city area up to just before Berlin Brandenburg Airport (BER), 26 kilometers outside the city center. The weekly ticket that the ADAC uses for Munich only covers the inner city zone area. The offers are therefore not really comparable. If you want to travel from Munich city center to the tariff zone area of ​​the airport, 36 kilometers away, you pay more than 60 euros per week.

Expensive monthly tickets in Hamburg

According to the ADAC, Munich is also cheap for monthly tickets at 57 euros. In Hamburg, on the other hand, bus and train passengers pay almost twice as much – 112.80 euros. But you can drive from Wedel to Großhansdorf, about 50 kilometers away, while in Munich you can usually only get half as far with the card for the interior, for example from Pasing to Unterföhring.

Moderate price increase since 2019

The ADAC reports that it is positive that there have only been moderate price increases since the last study in 2019. Depending on the type of ticket, they were between 1.33 and 5.11 percent. Some types of tickets have even become cheaper, for example in Bielefeld, Bremen, Frankfurt or Karlsruhe. Nuremberg has not adjusted its prices at all compared to 2019.

In some cities, bicycles are free of charge

Cyclists in Frankfurt, Hamburg and Hanover can take their bike with them free of charge. In many other cities, a separate ticket is required for the bike – available as a single trip or a day ticket.

Day tickets are not always valid for the same length of time

Keyword day ticket: In some cities the days are shorter than in others. Some day tickets are valid for 24 hours, while in other cities the driving license expires at the close of business the following day. In Stuttgart, for example, the day ticket is only valid until 7 a.m. the next morning.

Ticket prices depend on promotion

One of the reasons for the different ticket prices in German cities are the big differences in the financing of the respective transport associations. The ADAC criticizes that Germany is “still miles away” from uniform ticket prices. This is due to the pricing policy of the municipalities and the different funding from the federal, state and local governments.

Tariff zones are not the same as tariff zones

There are also large price differences in public transport between major European cities, as research by Stiftung Warentest shows for inner-city areas.

Wien. A weekly ticket in Vienna is cheap at 17.10 euros, but is only valid for the Vienna core zone and is only valid from Monday to Monday.

London. The weekly ticket costs EUR 43.26 and covers two tariff zones. Although it’s only 14 miles from Big Ben, it’s still a long way from Heathrow Airport. This is in tariff zone six.

Stock­holm. For a comparable price (41.54 euros), the entire city can be traveled in Stockholm, and the airport, which is 42 kilometers away, can also be reached by bus with the ticket. This is not the most convenient option with changes and about an hour’s journey, but it is cheaper than paying ten euros extra for the Arlanda Express. It only takes 20 minutes to get to the airport.

Paris. Here, too, the price-performance ratio is right. Travelers can use all tariff zones by bus and train for 22.80 euros – plus 5 euros for the initial issue of the ticket. Travel highlights such as Versailles or Disneyland can be headed for cheaply. Attention: The ticket to top up is not for the spontaneous – if you want to buy it, you need a passport photo.