Transport Ministers’ Conference
Financing of the Germany ticket from 2026 remains open
Everyone wants the Germany ticket – but nobody wants to bear the additional costs. The uncertainty about the future of the subscription continues for passengers for the time being.
Users of the Germany ticket also have no clarity about the future price of the nationwide -valid subscription in local transport. At a special conference of the Minister of Transport, the federal states and the federal government have known themselves to continue the ticket. The financing from 2026 is open. It is possible that there is a new price increase. At the beginning of the year, the price of the ticket was raised by around 18 percent from 49 euros to 58 euros a month.
In order to reach an agreement this year, there should be another special meeting of the committee in addition to the regular conference (VMK) conference (VMK).
“The federal government and the countries are committed to this,” said Saarland Transport Minister Petra Berg (SPD) after the meeting of the Minister of Transport, with a view to the ticket. NRW Minister of Transport Oliver Krischer (Greens) said that the federal government and countries had agreed that the Germany ticket should be continued even after 2025.
Federal Transport Minister Patrick Schnieder (CDU) said that the federal and state governments agreed to continue the Germany ticket. “It is good that a coordination group of the federal and state governments should now develop a permanent financing mechanism before the next regular conference of transport ministers. Then clarity can finally be created on the basis of calculation and the numbers.”
Additional costs of 500 million euros
The sticking point remains how possible additional costs for the transport companies should be compensated for. According to Saxony-Anhalt Infrastructure Minister Lydia Hüskens (FDP), it is about a sum of around 500 million euros. There was also no Convention on the future price of the subscription.
If the federal and state governments do not agree on the distribution of additional costs, a price increase could result. The Germany subscription has been around since May 2023; It enables its owners nationwide in public regional and local transport.
The ticket is financed primarily by means of the federal and state governments, each shooting 1.5 billion euros per year. So far, costs have been covered by the price increase and remaining funds from 2023. But there is still no regulation for the period after 2025.
Next round of negotiations in autumn
“We countries, we are standing in Germany,” said Bavaria’s transport minister Christian Bernreiter (CSU) after the meeting. However, they could no longer pay more than the 1.5 billion euros, he emphasized. Bavaria is currently chairing the Conference of Transport Ministers (VMK). Bernreiter referred to further negotiations at the next regular VMK session in autumn in Straubing. A working group on the financial issues is to be set up beforehand.
“I am confident that we will also solve the detailed questions of the financing in the next few weeks,” said Lower Saxony Minister of Transport Grant Hendrik Tonne (SPD).
Country: Responsibility lies with the federal government
But responsibility, the countries are largely agreed, lies with the federal government. In the coalition agreement, the new government is also committed to the Germany ticket and excludes further price increases by 2028. The countries take note of this, according to a joint decision to the VMK. The resulting additional costs, according to the tenor, must also bear the federal government.
So far, however, Schnieder has also not signaled no willingness to take over more than the promised 1.5 billion euros per year.
The frustration with environmental, transport and consumer associations was correspondingly great. “The financing hickhack on the Germany ticket does not end,” said Greenpeace traffic expert Benjamin Stephan. “It is now due to Transport Minister Schnieder to stop this unworthy spectacle and to secure the ticket with a binding promise of the federal government with a stable price, as the federal government has announced in the coalition agreement.”
The Association of German Transport Companies (VDV) already demanded the fastest possible clarity about the future of the Germany ticket the day before. In order to keep around 13.5 million users so far, VDV President Ingo Wortmann said. A public transport-specific price index is needed, where the ticket price is aligned and the transparency of customers creates.
Schnieder emphasizes job ticket
Schnieder said that from the country side it was also expressed at the special conference that reforms can be reduced from the Germany ticket, for example. “Additional ticket sales could also achieve more proceeds at the same time. I believe that, for example, at the Germany ticket as a job ticket, there is still a lot of potential upwards. Because the Germany ticket as a job ticket costs a maximum of 40.60 euros.”
Transport association quickly demands clarity
“It is irresponsible that the uncertainty and uncertainty go into the next round,” said Oliver Wittke, head of the largest German transport association, the Rhein-Ruhr Transport Association, the German Press Agency. “We need planning security as soon as possible.” All of this is not in the interest of passengers. “People run the buses and trains. They want to use public transport. But they do not know what conditions.” The transport companies would have to be involved in the pricing.
dpa
Source: Stern
