Deutschlandticket should be priority for German gov’t, says DBV

The German Rail Passenger Association (DBV) has criticised the government for failing to prioritise the Deutschlandticket policy and recognise its achievements.

DBV: Deutschlandticket needs more attention

Germany’s governing parties, the CDU/CSU and SPD, have “not sufficiently engaged” with the Deutschlandticket “despite its success,” the DBV wrote in a press release.

According to the passenger association, 14 million people currently have a Deutschlandticket subscription, which allows them to use unlimited public and regional transport across Germany for 63 euros per month.

The DBV pointed out that, because annual expenditure for the ticket remains constant at 1,5 billion euros but tax revenues will rise, maintaining the ticket will only get more cost-effective. 

According to figures from the Federal Finance Ministry, only 0,32 percent of the federal budget currently goes towards funding the Deutschlandticket, and that the same figure will sink to 0,27 percent by 2030. "The political debate about costs is therefore at odds with the actual financial burden," the association said.

“The ticket promotes the transport transition (Verkehrswende), relieves households and reduces CO2 emissions,” the DBV added, calling for the ticket to be “maintained and improved - independent of political priorities”.

Deutschlandticket price index to apply from 2027

When it was first introduced to offset rising energy prices in 2023, the Deutschlandticket cost just 49 euros per month. In January 2025 the monthly price increased to 58 euros per month, and then in January 2026, to 63 euros per month.

Unpredictable price rises were largely down to federal and state governments grappling over how much funding each should cough up. While the ticket was introduced by the federal government, both the federal and state governments contribute 1,5 billion euros in annual funding. But state governments argue that the federal government should contribute the lion’s share.

But following the Transport Minister Conference in October 2025, federal and state ministers announced that they would introduce a Deutschlandticket price index from 2027, and agreed to jointly fund the ticket until at least 2030.

The index means price rises will no longer be decided during negotiations between federal and state transport ministers. Instead, the index will project transport associations’ employment costs, the cost of energy and general operational cost increases over a three to five-year timeframe to come to a figure.