German Finance Minister Says Deutschlandticket Needs Price Increase
Federal Finance Minister Christian Lindner (FDP) has raised concerns about the sustainability of maintaining the Deutschlandticket at its current price of 49 euros per month while Germany invests in track network renovations.
Lindner Questions Deutschlandticket Pricing
"At some point, politicians have to decide if we want to invest in the train track network or if the price of the Deutschlandticket should remain 49 euros," Finance Minister Christian Lindner stated in an interview with Welt am Sonntag last weekend.
Introduced in May 2023, the Deutschlandticket offers unlimited access to public and regional transport across Germany for just 49 euros per month. Lindner's remarks come as the government discusses the 2025 budget, which is expected to include spending cuts.
Planned major renovations for 1,800 train stations and 40 routes on Deutsche Bahn’s aging track network, which has been causing increasing delays, are projected to cost billions of euros. However, funds from increasing the Deutschlandticket price would only cover a small fraction of these costs, according to taz.
"Politicians must not exaggerate with the price increase," Detlef Neuß, chair of the passenger association Pro Bahn, told broadcaster WDR. "The ticket must not exceed 59 euros per month."
Deutschlandticket Price Frozen at 49 Euros Until 2025
For now, the price will remain unchanged. After extensive discussions between the German state governments and the federal government in Berlin over funding responsibilities, the price of the Deutschlandticket was frozen until the end of 2024 in January.
In April, the federal states demanded that Germany securely fund the Deutschlandticket until 2036. They proposed that the funding responsibilities be shared with the federal government for 10 years starting in 2026, with the states' funding share capped at 1.5 billion euros per year. Under this plan, the Deutschlandticket would see regular price increases.