End of 49-Euro Deutschlandticket. There has been a lot of talk about the funding of the Deutschlandticket recently. Germany’s transport ministers met in a special meeting to decide its future, announcing that the price will go up. For only 49 euros, tourists could visit attractions like Neuschwanstein Castle, Bamberg, Munich, and Regensburg with the Deutschlandticket.
A study by the Technical University of Munich shows that this offer is even known in China and the United States. However, the low price of 49 euros won’t last. From 2025, the ticket price will increase, as agreed by the transport ministers at the meeting in Düsseldorf.
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Price increase details
Although the exact amount has not been decided yet, North Rhine-Westphalia’s Transport Minister Oliver Krischer said the final decision would be made this autumn. The main goal is to keep the ticket attractive, and officials will try to keep the price increase as small as possible. Krischer also mentioned that prices will be affected by inflation and the rising costs of public transport.
Price stability in 2024
For 2024, the price of the Deutschlandticket will stay the same as long as the federal government keeps its financial promises. However, unused funds from 2023 have not been carried over to 2024, causing some dissatisfaction. Bavarian Transport Minister Christian Bernreiter emphasized that he has been waiting for over six months for the government to fulfill its promise to allocate these funds.
Financial expectations and funding needs
Regional public transport authorities are eagerly waiting for the promised funds due to significant financial shortfalls. For instance, the Munich Transport Association (MVV) recently reported a 300 million euro deficit. The federal government and German states have pledged to support all transport associations with 1.5 billion euros per year. If any funds are unused by the end of the year, they should be carried over to the following year.
Impact of the Deutschlandticket
So far, the Deutschlandticket has been sold around 20 million times. Studies by several institutes show that the current price is “acceptable” for most users, while a price of 53 euros would be seen as “expensive” and 75 euros as “too expensive.”
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Benefits for tourists and commuters
Allister Loder, leader of the “Mobility.Life” research project at the Technical University of Munich, believes that “the whole society benefits from this ticket.” The data shows that public transport use on weekends has surpassed pre-COVID-19 levels. The ticket also provides significant savings for commuters, especially those with long journeys.