Deutschlandticket: Agreement Reached, Price Increases, Union Blocks Further Perspective

SPD, Greens, and Union have agreed on financial security for the Germany ticket in local transport for the coming year. This was reported by spokespersons of the three parliamentary groups to the German Press Agency. Specifically, it involves an amendment to the Regionalization Act. This ensures the financing of the Germany ticket for the coming year. Currently, the ticket costs 49 euros per month, but starting in the new year, it will be 58 euros according to a decision by the state transport ministers. Without a change in the law, there would have been uncertainties in the transport industry. Another price increase for the ticket could have been possible.

Reliability for Ticket Customers

The deputy chairman of the SPD parliamentary group, Detlef Müller, called the agreement a great relief. There is now reliability for the users of the ticket. Union parliamentary vice-chairman Ulrich Lange (CSU) said: “For 2025, we secure the financing of the Germany ticket.” Green Party deputy leader Julia Verlinden said the Germany ticket for 2025 is secured.

“People will be able to travel cheaply and easily by bus and train in the coming year as well.”

Decisions this week 

The amendments to the Regionalization Act are to be passed by the Bundestag this week. The Bundesrat must also agree, and the chamber of the states will meet on Friday. The Bundestag has withdrawn its confidence in Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD), paving the way for a new election on February 23. The Union had signaled that it would still agree to certain proposals after the vote of confidence. The red-green coalition no longer has a majority in the Bundestag on its own. According to Union circles, there was also an agreement on funds for the railway.

Compromise Found

There will be no postponement of regionalization funds from 2025 to 2026, as originally planned by the coalition, it was said. This means that the states will have the funds available in full. The federal government had originally planned to withhold a portion of the regionalization funds for 2025 in the amount of 350 million euros to consolidate the budget. The states were supposed to receive the payment in 2026 if they had proven that the funds from the previous year had been used appropriately. The Union did not want to go along with this.