Federal and state-level governments have announced that a monthly 29-euro Deutschlandticket will be available to those studying in Germany.
Students at German universities will soon be able to get a ticket which is valid on public and regional transport across Germany for just 29,40 per month. The news comes after long negotiations between the German federal government in Berlin and the governments of the country’s 16 federal states.
Starting in the summer semester of 2024, around 3 million students in Germany will be able to get the reduced Deutschlandticket, representative for state-level transport ministers Oliver Kirscher (Greens) announced on November 27. However, how quickly the new ticket policy can begin will depend on when General Students' Committees (AStAs) draw up contracts with German transport associations.
After the German government launched the Deutschlandticket in May 2023, which offers unlimited public and regional transport to anyone in Germany for a 49-euro monthly subscription, questions were raised about how the new tickets left students getting less value for money when paying their university fees.
At most higher education institutions in Germany, students pay a fee of around 300 euros per semester, the majority of which is used to pay for a public transport ticket (Semesterticket) which is valid for the six-month-long semester. The Deutschlandticket meant that students were no longer getting such a big price reduction on their ticket, which was also only valid in local transport, rather than nationwide.
Since the Deutschlandticket launch, some federal states and cities released their own reduced version of the Deutschlandticket for students, but Kirscher’s announcement marks a much-needed nationwide unification on the policy.
Soon students will be able to enjoy the advantages of the Deutschlandticket for the reduced price of 29,40. However, as the 49-euro Deutschlandticket is set to increase in price over the coming years, so too will the student version.
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