He announced a speedy legislative process that should be completed in March with the final consultation in the Bundesrat. “This will give us a digital Germany-wide public transport ticket for the introductory price of 49 euros,” Wissing continued. The ticket should be sold from April so that the new tariff can be used from May. With a view to the EU approval that is still required, the minister said that the talks on this were “on the right track”. However, there are still “few detailed questions” to be clarified with the federal states.
With a few exceptions – for example for special tourist traffic – the new ticket should be valid on all public transport, but not on long-distance trains and buses. Numerous existing ticket offers are likely to become obsolete. “The implementation of this tariff measure is the responsibility of the federal states,” the draft law emphasizes.
It was initially unclear how long the price of 49 euros would remain. “You have to leave that to the price development,” said government spokesman Steffen Hebestreit. However, he “firmly assumes” that the price will last for at least a year. Wissing said future price developments will also depend on the number of users.
The draft law that has been passed primarily contains regulations on half of the funding for the 49-euro ticket by the federal and state governments for the years up to 2025. Additional payments by the federal government of 1.5 billion euros each for this and the two following years, be distributed to the countries using a predefined key. This is intended to compensate for lost revenue from ticket sales. Ultimately, billing should be based on actual costs.
Wissing emphasized that with the new ticket, “every meter traveled by public transport represents a real saving” compared to a car, for example. This applies both financially and in terms of CO2 emissions. People in rural areas in particular would benefit greatly from the ticket, because monthly tickets are currently particularly expensive here. So-called intermodality, i.e. the combination of different means of transport such as car and train, will also become more attractive. At the same time, the new offer means the end of “incomprehensible tariff structures”.
The Minister of Transport also made it clear that the ticket would only be available in digital form, as planned, i.e. via an app or using a chip card. Only for a transitional period until the end of the year should there be an additional proof of validity in paper form, since many transport companies are not yet able to carry out digital ticket controls. “The Deutschlandticket transfers public transport structures to the digital age,” said the minister. He opposed “forces of persistence” in some countries who would continue to push for a paper ticket.
Criticism was again practiced by the joint general association. “The price of 49 euros is not affordable for many people,” said general manager Ulrich Schneider. He demanded “a nationwide social ticket”. The association of bus companies called for long-term financing security through a “permanent obligation to make additional payments on the part of the federal and state governments” in an interview with the editorial network Germany.
