GERMAN BRIEF: TRANSPORT One million more people travel by rail
September 2023: Just over four months ago, on 1 May 2023, the 49-euro Deutschland-Ticket was introduced in Germany to encourage people to switch from cars to trains or buses. For 49 euros per month, the D-Ticket entitles the holder to travel throughout Germany on all local and regional transport.
Initial studies show that the number of train journeys has increased significantly since the D-Ticket was introduced in May. An analysis of mobility data from mobile phone provider O2 suggests that regional trains carried 25 per cent more commuters in June than in April. The research also says that rail's share of travel increased by 2.5 percentage points. “This shows that travellers are switching from road to rail.”
German Transport Minister, Volker Wissing, spoke of a huge success. "Within three months, the railways have gained almost one million new customers." Evelyn Palla, the head of Germany's regional railways, also said 25 per cent more people had travelled by train in June than in April. A spokesperson for Germany's travel industry added that in June some 10 million people made use of the D-Ticket. "The ticket has the potential to be bought by 17 million people or by approximately 25 per cent of the adult population.
The Deutschland-Ticket, D-Ticket for short, simplifies local transport fares by enabling travel across different regions and tariff zones. It can be used throughout Germany on all regional and local trains. It is valid for an unlimited number of journeys using all kinds of public transport, including trains, buses and trams. For example, a D-Ticket purchased in Munich can also be used for journeys in Frankfurt, Hamburg or Berlin and, of course, also in smaller cities as well as in rural areas.
However, the financing of the subsidised D-Ticket for 2024 is not yet in place. German Regional Rail appealed to the federal and state governments not to increase the price of the ticket. "It should continue to be attractive, so we want the price to remain affordable and give many more people an incentive to use rail over road.”
Travelling for only 49 euros a month all across Germany
May 2023: As from 1 May 2023 people can travel with just one ticket, costing 49 euros per month, throughout Germany. The Deutschland-Ticket, or 49-euro ticket, is the successor to the 9-euro-Ticket, which was offered as a special measure in the summer months of 2022. The 9-euro-Ticket was introduced by the German government to relieve the burden on people due to the sharp rise in costs for electricity, food, heating and mobility.
The Deutschland-Ticket, D-Ticket for short, simplifies local transport fares by enabling travel across different regions and tariff zones. It can be used throughout Germany on all regional and local trains. It is valid for an unlimited number of journeys using all kinds of public transport, including trains, buses and trams. For example, a D-Ticket purchased in Munich can also be used for journeys in Frankfurt, Hamburg or Berlin and, of course, also in smaller cities as well as in rural areas.
The D-Ticket is sold by most regional transport companies as well as by Deutsche Bahn (German Railways). In addition, various companies offer apps that can be used to purchase the monthly subscription. The tickets will be issued as a chip card or on mobile phones. They are sold as a monthly subscription and are always valid for the current calendar month.
A spokesperson for Deutsche Bahn said that about three quarters of all existing season ticket holders can save money by switching to the D-Ticket. The ticket is particularly worthwhile for commuters on regional services between different cities. In many cases, the ticket costs a fraction of what a season ticket used to cost.
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