Regional traffic: The Germany ticket should stay – but is it becoming more expensive?

At the Germany ticket, there is a price increase again due to a financial gap in the coming year. The Federal Cabinet on Wednesday launched a change in the law, so that the federal government also participated in the financing of the ticket with 1.5 billion euros in 2026. However, it remains unclear how expected additional costs of the federal and state governments should be compensated for. The 1.5 billion euros in federal funds were not sufficient to keep the price of the Germany ticket stable in 2026, said NRW Transport Minister Oliver Krischer (Greens).

“The agonizing financing debates for the Germany ticket have to be ended,” said Krischer. The German Cities Day also warned of a hanging game. Alexander Möller, Managing Director of the Association of German Transport Companies (VDV), said: “BUND and countries have to make sure that the discussions about adequate financing will not accidentally have a mistake at the end of the Germany ticket.”

Cabinet launches law plans

The Federal Cabinet decided on a draft law to amend the regionalization law. So far, the federal and state governments have given a grant of 1.5 billion euros each for the ticket to compensate for loss of income for transport companies. Because most usual commuter subscriptions were much more expensive before. However, the financing in the regionalization law is only stipulated for 2025. The change in the law is aimed at the fact that the federal government will also support the ticket with 1.5 billion euros in the coming year, and the federal states should also give a total of 1.5 billion.

Without updating the financing, the continued existence of the Germany ticket would be at risk, according to the draft law. The ticket has been around since May 2023. According to the industry, it is used by around 14 million people and enables trips in public regional and local transport nationwide. At the beginning of the year, the price had been raised by around 18 percent from 49 euros to 58 euros a month.

Negotiate the federal and state governments

In negotiations between the federal government and the federal states, the question is how expected additional costs for the transport companies are to be compensated – beyond the 3 billion euros, the federal and state governments. Industry associations such as the Association of German Transport Companies and the city day speak of a foreseeable funding gap.

Last year, the total loss of around 3.5 billion euros was already in the ticket and thus well over the 3 billion that the federal and state governments finance together annually, said Möller. “The ticket is now also underfunded from 2026.” Christian Schuchardt, General Manager of the German City Day, told the Funke media group. “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.”

Both the federal government and many countries refer to a tense budget situation. Many countries demand that the federal government should cover the additional costs alone, this rejects it. It is also negotiated as to whether a permanent price mechanism will occur from 2026 – which provides for annual, moderate price increases by the ticket for users according to certain criteria.

If the federal and state governments do not agree on adequate financing, there is a risk of a new price increase. This is “without an alternative” if the forecast and actual income from the fare income does not cover the costs and the federal government and the federal states exclude an increase in equalizers of 3 billion euros, according to a statement by the Association of German Transport Companies and the Federal Association of Schingsanahn.

And: Without any adequate funding, there will be further remuneration of traffic services.

The CDU, CSU and SPD coalition agreement actually agreed that the price remains stable. From 2029, the proportion of user financing is to be increased “gradually and socially acceptable”. According to the industry, the financing of the ticket has so far composed in half of the fellowship income and the compensation of the federal government and the federal states.

Companies hesitate at the job ticket

The traffic industry sees a lot of potential, especially when it comes to job ticket – this discounted subscription still stagnates with a share of around 20 percent at all sold Germany tickets. Many companies and organizations hesitate because there is no long -term funding for the federal government.

Employers can provide their employees with the ticket as a job ticket – if they make a grant of at least 25 percent on the issue price, an additional five percent discount can be granted on the issue price. The Germany ticket then costs a maximum of 40.60 euros per month. Möller said the discount for the Germany ticket job had to be extended – as well as an offer for trainees, analogous to D tickets for students.