According to calculations by the expert service “Tagesspiegel Background,” the Deutschlandticket is expected to rise by approximately €3.40 in the coming year, pushing its monthly cost to €66.40. This is an increase from its current price of €63.
The basis for these projections is the price index that was set by the transport ministers in the spring, designed to resolve political disagreements over the ticket’s cost. This index is determined by a formula composed of the cost index-which incorporates factors like personnel and energy costs-and a value factor. This value factor increases the price paid by travelers for the nationwide subscription. This mechanism balances out the fact that subsidies from the federal and state governments are capped and are not adjusted according to cost developments.
The coalition government introduced the Deutschlandticket on May 1, 2023, at a price of €49. Financing disputes between the federal government and the states quickly arose. The price subsequently rose to €58 in January 2025, and again to €63 a year later. Prior to this, both sides rejected the proposal to increase their respective financial contributions from €1.5 billion. The federal government aims to maintain stable financing until 2030.
The ticket price, as determined by the annual price index, is scheduled to be communicated to all transport companies, along with the federal and state governments, by September 30th each year. A dampening factor, which comes into play when calculating next year’s price, suggests that the price could increase less sharply from 2028 onwards if the number of Deutschlandtickets sold exceeds previous figures. Currently, over 14 million people have subscribed to the ticket.
