“Reward annual subscriptions for loyalty”
Experts call for flexible prices for the Deutschlandticket
21.09.2024, 00:10
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The Deutschlandticket is more popular with rail commuters than with the federal states. Since its introduction, politicians have been arguing about future price increases. Experts suggest continuing to offer the annual pass at a low price, introducing a social and family tariff and ending the constant arguments about costs.
To ensure the long-term security of the Deutschlandticket, transport experts from “Allianz pro Schiene” and the Greens believe that more flexible pricing is necessary. “Permanent subscribers should be rewarded for their loyalty and must be retained,” said the Greens’ transport spokesman, Stefan Gelbhaar, to the Redaktionsnetzwerk Deutschland (RND). The current monthly price of 49 euros for annual subscriptions should remain stable. “This brings additional value to the annual subscriptions,” said Gelbhaar confidently. Transport companies would gain enormously in efficiency “through significantly less back and forth with the many individual monthly subscriptions.” More job tickets and an offer for families could also make the Deutschlandticket even more attractive.
The managing director of “Allianz pro Schiene”, Dirk Flege, also said: “A sensible incentive could be that annual subscriptions are offered at a lower price on average than Germany tickets that can be cancelled monthly. In addition, there must be a social ticket for everyone who cannot afford the normal price.” He complained: “The constant discussion about prices only unsettles consumers. The Conference of Transport Ministers must send the signal that the Germany ticket is a permanent offer at a reliable price.”
Transport ministers meet on Monday
At a special conference in Düsseldorf on Monday, the transport ministers of the federal states will discuss the Deutschlandticket for the coming year. The ticket, which currently allows people to use buses and trains in local and regional transport throughout Germany for 49 euros, has been sold more than 13 million times since its introduction in May 2023. However, to finance it, subsidies from the federal and state governments to the transport companies are needed, with each side contributing 1.5 billion euros per year.
Recently, individual federal states had considered massive price increases for the period from January 1, 2025. In a paper to the group of state transport ministers, Bavaria, for example, proposed a monthly price of at least 64 euros. Compared to the current price of 49 euros, that would be an increase of almost 30 percent. Market researchers predict that such increases will lead to mass cancellations, which could jeopardize cost coverage.