Regional transport: City Day: Germany ticket is not secured for 2026

The German Cities Day still sees the continuation of the Germany ticket in danger. The financing for the coming year must be clarified quickly. “If the regionalization law of the federal government and thus the financing of the Germany ticket stay that way, we are again in the house for weeks and months of fear,” said the managing director Christian Schuchardt of the Funke Media Group.

This year, the federal and state governments each give 1.5 billion euros for the ticket to compensate for loss of income for transport companies. This is to be regulated again for 2026, and the so -called regionalization law must be changed. This Wednesday, the Federal Cabinet wants to make the decision. But that’s not enough.

Three billion euros per year are not enough to compensate

Since the introduction of the Germany ticket in May 2023, the financing of the ticket has been on toned feet, said Schuchardt. “The 1.5 billion euros, which the federal and state governments so far shoot each year, do not cover the costs that the transport companies incur.” The compensation requirement is at least a total of 3.6 billion euros per year.

The federal government assigns the ticket, but does not want to pay for the additional costs. The countries also rejected additional expenses, Schuchardt outlined the situation. In addition, the 2026 draft budget did not take the federal funds for the Germany ticket into account. “This means that the ticket is in no way secured for 2026,” said the representative of the municipalities. One wanted to continue the “success story Germany ticket”. “But there is already a hanging game with an announcement.”

The city day calls for a long -term financing model for the Germany ticket. “The new federal government has to deliver this together with the federal states,” said Schuchardt.