Germany’s €49 a month pass for local and regional rail and transit travel has been a big success so far, but its future is threatened by a dispute between state and federal governments over funding.
The so-called Deutschland ticket is funded through this year and part of next by funds from the two levels of government, with each paying 50% of the €1.5 billion cost; the funds reimburse transit operators for lost revenue.
The ticket, which has been in use since May, has 10 million subscribers and appears to have significantly increased ridership; it’s been hailed as a success by government officials, transit operators and passengers.
The crux of the dispute is that the original state and federal agreement provided for 50% sharing of any cost overruns for 2023; for the remaining two years in the agreement, the states were to bear that cost. They are now saying that if the national government doesn’t agree to continue sharing, it will be necessary to either raise the price or end the program.
