Germany’s nationwide public transport ticket, the Deutschlandticket, will cost 58 euros per month from 2025, transport ministers have announced.

49-euro ticket headed for price increase in 2025

The Deutschlandticket, also previously known as the 49-euro ticket, is set to go up in price from 2025. Initially launched in May 2023, the ticket allows holders unlimited access to public transport and regional trains across Germany.

"With this price, we will be able to keep the ticket attractive and put its financing on a more solid footing,” Transport Minister for North Rhine-Westphalia Oliver Kirschner (Greens) announced on Monday.

Kirschner said that the 9-euro increase to 58 euros for the monthly, nationwide transport subscription was “moderate” and a “very favourable offer for the use of all public transport throughout Germany". 

Why is the Deutschlandticket going up in price now?

The Deutschlandticket proved a wild success after launching, with over 11 million monthly subscribers in the first 100 days. However, a question mark long remained over funding and how long it would be until the ticket price was increased.

The main sticking point was how funding responsibilities were to be shared between the state and federal governments. While the federal government had long promised extra funding to the states to help keep the Deutschlandticket going, a cheque from Berlin hadn't materialised even a year after the ticket was launched.

Finally, in July 2024, Federal Transport Minister Volker Wissing (FDP) announced that the federal government would amend the Regionalisation Act so that unused funds from 2023 could be used to finance the Deutschlandticket until the end of 2024.

This meant a price hike for passengers could be avoided until 2025. But FDP leader and Federal Finance Minister Christian Lindner - known for being tight on the purse strings - claimed that a 2025 price hike was unavoidable if Germany wanted to invest in its dilapidated rail network.

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