The transport ministers of the federal states are discussing the future of the Deutschlandticket together with the federal government today. At the meeting in Cologne, important questions about the financing of the 49 euro ticket should be clarified.
With the 49 euro ticket we can all travel by train nationwide – this includes regional trains, buses and trams in the cities. The only exceptions are long-distance transport connections such as the IC or ICE.
But the future of the Germany ticket is shaky. At least the transport ministers want to discuss this Wednesday how things will proceed.
The 49 euro ticket is about “reaching deeper agreement on financial issues,” like this Picture -newspaper reported. So far, the federal and state governments have shared the costs. However, additional costs can be a problem: According to the Association of German Transport Companies, these are estimated at 1.1 billion in 2024.
The states agreed to cover half of the sum. However, Federal Transport Minister Volker Wissing initially rejected additional federal funding.
Protests against the end of the Germany ticket announced
For Wednesday, Fridays for Future and Verdi, among others, have announced several protests in Cologne for the continuation of the ticket. “The Germany ticket is too valuable to be talked over,” says Dirk Flege, managing director of the pro-rail Alliance Alliance.
The discussions also include a possible semester ticket for students. The states had asked the federal government to approve a ticket for 29.40 euros. The future of the Deutschlandticket is uncertain because financing is a problem for the federal and state governments.