End of traffic lights: Wissing warns of the end of the Deutschlandticket

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The sudden end of the traffic light in the dispute over the federal budget not only jeopardizes numerous digital projects, but also the plans for the further financing of the Deutschlandticket. Without a public budget for 2025, the financing of the 49-euro ticket, which is set to rise to 58 euros from the beginning of 2025, is completely up in the air. In addition, the Bundestag has yet to pass a law before December to transfer unused remaining funds from 2023 and 2024 to the coming year.

"With the Deutschlandticket, we still need to transfer funds to next year," emphasized Transport Minister Volker Wissing (non-party) in an interview with tagesschau.de. "This is important for the federal states and should definitely be passed."

According to the former FDP politician, nobody can have an interest in "the public transport authorities ending up with financial gaps simply because they refuse to provide support due to party political tactics". The minister also called for a swift budget decision with regard to the renovation of the railroads, which he intends to continue working on in principle: "Of course it is important that we also get a federal budget for 2025 soon. I will do everything I can to ensure that there are no delays to the general refurbishment."

Federal government should continue to pay half

The tenth amendment to the Regionalization Act, which provides for the transfer of the remaining budget funds for the ticket, could actually have been passed in the spring, according to the Münchner Merkur newspaper from the Bavarian Ministry of Transport. Its department head Christian Bernreiter (CSU) emphasized to the newspaper: "The basic prerequisite for the continuation of the Deutschlandticket remains that the federal government continues to contribute at least half of the ticket, even in the event of a possible deficit." He recalled that the flat-rate offer for regional rail services had been a "difficult birth". A "great deal of work, time and money" is still being invested in its continued existence throughout Germany.

According to the newspaper, however, there are isolated reports in the Bundestag that the offer as a whole is in question. The federal and state transport ministers had previously negotiated for a long time to agree on the 58 euros per month. The reduced prices for trainee and senior citizen tickets will also increase.

The Greens want to safeguard the Deutschlandticket

Bernreiter explained that many people use the Deutschlandticket, especially in conurbations. He also called for an ongoing expansion of infrastructure and services. To this end, the federal government must finally increase regionalization funds.

The Greens are also pushing for a demonstrative commitment to the Deutschlandticket. Discussions about funding and its continued existence should stop, the Merkur quotes from one of the Greens' strategy papers. It must be further developed and financed on a permanent basis. For a long time, the Greens were strictly opposed to making the mobility offer more expensive. They argued that the uniform nationwide local transport ticket introduced in May 2023 had attracted attention across Europe and should remain affordable. Binding commitments from the federal and state governments and stable prices until 2030 are crucial, especially for companies offering job tickets.

Opposition links possible approval to early election date

In early autumn, the Bavarian government estimated the funding gap to be at least 750 million euros for 2025 alone and suggested a price of at least 64 euros, an increase of around 30 percent compared to the current level.

Even with the increase in the monthly subscription by 9 euros, high tax subsidies are still required. So far, this expenditure has been shared by the federal and state governments, each paying 1.5 billion euros. Until now, they had hoped to be able to maintain the price of 58 euros until at least 2026.

(nie)