Event in Germany: Discussion focused on rising costs
German Government's Proposal for Deutschland-Ticket Funding Remains Unclear for 2026-2030
The German federal government's proposal for additional funds to finance the Deutschland-Ticket for the years 2026 to 2030 remains undetailed, according to available search results. None of the sources specify the exact amount or the official proposal regarding the Deutschland-Ticket funding in that period.
So far, the federal government has only promised to secure federal funds for 2026. The transport minister of Saarland, Petra Berg, has suggested a maximum price of 62 euros per month for the coming year, but no concrete price increase figure is mentioned in the draft resolution for 2026.
The Association of German Transport Companies expects a financing gap of 800 million euros in 2026 for the Germany ticket, which has been available since May 2023 and is used by around 14 million people. The ticket enables nationwide travel in the public regional and local transport network.
The draft suggests that the states might contribute 1.5 billion euros per year for the Germany ticket from 2026 to 2030, under the condition that the federal government also secures federal funds of at least 1.5 billion euros per year from 2026 to 2030. Lower Saxony is willing to partially compensate for additional costs with state funds.
However, the state of Lower Saxony expresses disappointment over the ongoing dispute between the federal government and the states regarding the Germany ticket. Oliver Krischer, the North Rhine-Westphalia transport minister, criticized the federal government for not providing any additional funds beyond the promised 1.5 billion euros. The other states and the federal government must also join in, according to Tonne, the Lower Saxony transport minister.
The success of the D-ticket is dependent on its price, according to Tonne. He is committed to keeping the Germany ticket affordable. The transport ministers' conference (VMK) of the states is setting the price for the nationwide local transport ticket. The federal government is not involved in the price decision-making process, but is a guest at the conference.
The sticking point is the question of how expected additional costs at transport companies are to be balanced out. The federal government had committed to price stability until 2029 in their coalition agreement, with the SPD particularly advocating for this. It does not appear that other states and the federal government are joining in, as stated by Tonne.
The debate continues as the Federal Council will formally decide upon the price increase once the transport ministers' conference has reached an agreement.
