August 2026: 9 changes affecting expats in Germany

The summer holidays are almost in full swing, but there are still lots of changes coming to Germany during August. Here’s what residents need to know about:

1. Deutsche Bahn to run fewer trains during heatwave

Deutsche Bahn has announced that it will run fewer trains across all federal states between July 29 and August 6, due to extreme heat. Deutsche Bahn and local transport associations will decide which routes to reduce.

During this period, it is advisable to check with your local transport association for any disruptions in your region.

2. Regional public transport prices to increase

On August 1, multiple local transport associations across Germany will increase their ticket prices. 

Associations that will increase prices include the Mitteldeutsche Verkehrsbund (MDV), which runs transport in Leipzig-Halle, the Karlsruher Verkehrsbund (KVV) and the Verkehrsverbund Vogtland.

3. AI-generated content must be labelled

On August 2, the second stage of the European Union’s AI Act will be enforced. The act is the first-ever legal framework on AI.

All companies that distribute content primarily created using AI must label it as such. However, this label doesn’t need to be an explicit label that says “AI-generated content”; it may also be a traceability mark embedded in the file and detectable using verification tools. 

The third part of the AI Act will be enforced on December 2, 2027 and will regulate how AI is used in recruitment tools, credit scoring, education, law enforcement, border control, and critical infrastructure.

4. Speed week begins on August 3

Police in Germany will carry out a “speed week” (Blitzermarathon) from August 3 to 9. During this week, there will be more speeding checks on German roads.

Additional checks will take place in all federal states excluding Bavaria, Saxony and Saarland, and will be carried out in places where accidents are common, e.g. near schools, construction sites, childcare facilities, senior homes and hospitals.

5. Deutsche Bahn bonus programme changes

Deutsche Bahn is making some changes to its BahnCard loyalty programme.

When BahnCard holders buy Deutsche Bahn tickets, they are awarded points which can be used to book a journey for free. Soon, they will need to collect fewer points to get a free journey.

From August, BahnCard holders will need 750 points (down from 1.000) to redeem a one-way journey in second class, and 1.250 points (down from 1.500) for a one-way journey in first class.

But Deutsche Bahn will also introduce a dynamic points system, meaning passengers will need a different number of points to claim a free journey depending on whether the booking is a short distance, off-peak or last minute.

6. Solar panel feed-in tariff to fall

The German government reduces “feed-in electricity tariffs” (FiT) by 1 percent every six months. The FiT rate determines how much is paid to households and companies that generate their own electricity and feed surplus electricity into the grid.

The new rate will apply to photovoltaic (PV) systems and balcony solar power plants installed from August 1. The FiT currently sits at 7,78 cents per kilowatt hour (kWh) and will fall to 7,70 cents per kWh. 

7. Public holiday for some on August 15

August 15 marks Assumption Day (Mariä Himmelfahrt), which is a public holiday in Saarland and Catholic municipalities in Bavaria.

Mariä Himmelfahrt recognises the day that Mary, mother of Jesus, is said to have ascended from Earth to heaven “in body and soul”. Remember, the shops will be closed.

8. School holidays start and end

In the German school holiday calendar, schoolchildren in Bavaria are the last to go on their summer holidays. Kids in Bavaria will leave the classroom on Friday, July 31, and the summer holidays will officially begin on Monday, August 3. 

Then, for just 17 days, all schoolchildren in the country will be on holiday at the same time, until school holidays in Saxony-Anhalt, Saxony and Thuringia end on Friday, August 14 and kids in those three states return to classrooms on Monday, August 17. 

Expect roads to be busy throughout this period, as holidaymakers head off and return in time for the back-to-school period.

9. New rules on right to childcare

Some things are changing when the 2026/2027 school year begins. In all federal states, pupils in year one will have the right to all-day care at school. 

This right will be extended to one year group each year, meaning that by the school year 2029/2030, all schoolchildren in years one to four will be entitled to all-day childcare.

This means that children will either be at school or can attend after-school club for eight hours per day, five days per week. Attending after-school club is optional.