The Deutschlandticket will not become more expensive in 2024. The introductory price of 49 euros per month will remain stable for the rest of the year. This was decided by the transport ministers of the federal states at a conference on Monday.
Millions of commuters and travellers can breathe a sigh of relief. The price of the Deutschlandticket is to remain stable in 2024. The 49-euro ticket will be continued. This was agreed by the transport ministers of the federal states at a special meeting on Monday. People have been able to use the ticket to travel on local and regional public transport throughout Germany since 1 May 2023.
"The Conference of Transport Ministers has created clarity for 2024: Even if there is public discussion about price increases from May, the introductory price of 49 euros will remain stable for the entire year," said the Chairman of the Conference of Transport Ministers, North Rhine-Westphalia's Head of Department Oliver Krischer, to the dpa news agency following consultations between the state ministers.
The transport ministers hope that the stable price will lead to "even greater market penetration, i.e. even more tickets sold". According to the transport ministers, stabilising the price will ensure reliability for public transport users and provide the necessary clarity for transport companies and local authorities.
The federal states have also agreed to work with the federal government on solutions that ensure flexible financing beyond the end of the year. Last November, Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz and the state premiers had already agreed on further steps to finance the Deutschlandticket.
As previously agreed, the federal government will also contribute half of the costs in 2024 and finance 1.5 billion euros. In addition, unused funds from 2023 are to be used for 2024.
The transport companies are reliant on increased funding from the federal and state governments, as the comparatively cheaper travelcard - the Deutschlandticket is cheaper than most monthly travelcards offered by transport associations - means that important revenue is lost.
The Deutschlandticket was introduced on 1 May 2023 for nationwide journeys on local and regional transport as a subscription that can be booked digitally and cancelled monthly. According to the Association of German Transport Companies (VDV), it is used by around ten million people. It usually costs 49 euros per month. Commuters can get it cheaper as a job ticket if their employer offers it. A Greenpeace survey of the 90 companies listed on the DAX and MDAX revealed that around half of them make use of a discounted job ticket.
In recent weeks, there has been a public debate about price increases and the future of the ticket due to the unclear financing. The local transport industry had recently shown itself to be open to a possible price increase and called for longer-term planning security. The VDV referred to the growing need for financing due to higher personnel, energy and operating costs in public transport. Environmental organisations and consumer associations, on the other hand, had warned against higher ticket prices, as this could significantly reduce interest in the Deutschlandticket and public transport.
