The German Ministry of Defence anticipates an increase in the utilization of complimentary rail travel by military personnel as a result of the newly implemented national service program, but does not foresee a substantial financial impact.
A ministry spokesperson, speaking in Berlin on Wednesday, confirmed that conscripts participating in the national service will be classified as professional soldiers and therefore eligible for existing benefits such as free rail travel. “Consequently, we will naturally see a higher proportion of soldiers using the railway network” the spokesperson stated.
However, the ministry estimates that the anticipated growth of up to 30,000 voluntary recruits in the coming years represents a relatively small increase when considered against the existing armed forces strength of 180,000 personnel. This incremental rise is not expected to significantly strain the existing budget allocated to “rail travel in uniform”, according to the spokesperson.
“The costs associated with the new national service, which is scheduled to commence next year, are already factored into the draft 2026 budget and will be accounted for in subsequent years as well” the spokesperson confirmed.
