Price of public transport to increase in 5 German states in 2026

Local transport associations in five German federal states have announced ticket price increases for 2026. Here’s what passengers need to know:

German public transport associations announce price rises

Using public transport is going to get more expensive in Germany in 2026. Alongside the cost of the Deutschlandticket rising from 58 euros to 63 euros per month, tickets for single and multiple journeys and time-limit tickets will become more expensive across many federal states.

Germany's largest transport association, Verkehrsverbund Berlin-Brandenburg (VBB), is among those to have announced an increase. From January, the cost of VBB tickets will rise by an average of 6 percent. A single ticket on the S-Bahn in Berlin and Brandenburg will rise from 3,80 to 4 euros.

Tickets for transportation operated by VRR in North Rhine-Westphalia, will increase by an average of 5 percent from 2026. Tickets for services run by Verkehrsverbund Bremen/Niedersachsen (VBN) in Bremen and Lower Saxony will increase by an average of 5,1 percent.

In Munich, passengers can expect an average price rise of 4 percent. The cost of a single journey ticket in zones M and 1 will rise from 4,10 to 4,20 euros and the cost of a multi-journey ticket will increase by 90 cents to 18,70 euros.

Other public transport associations, such as the Mitteldeutsche Verkehrsverbund (MDV) which operates services in Leipzig and Halle, introduced price hikes in August. Passengers should expect further local transport associations to announce 2026 price rises in the coming weeks.

Transport associations cite rising operational costs

All of the transport associations cited the same reason for price rises: increased operational costs, including costs of paying employees and the cost of energy and materials. The continuing popularity of the Deutschlandticket also means that transport associations are bringing in less money from ticket sales.

On the bright side for passengers, transport ministers recently announced a plan to regulate Deutschlandticket price rises. When the ticket was first introduced in 2023, it cost 49 euros per month, this increased to 58 euros in 2025 and will rise to 63 euros in 2026.

But from 2027, Deutschlandticket price increases will be decided according to the index, rather than through negotiations between federal and state governments and transport associations. The price index will reflect transport associations’ employment costs, the cost of energy and general operational cost increases over a three to five-year timeframe.