"A Fair Deal for All" - Green Demands 49 Euro Germany Ticket and Price Guarantee
Green Party Advocates Price Guarantee for Ticket Sales in Germany
Green faction leader Katharina Droge advocates for a reduction in the price of the Germany ticket to 49 euros per month and a price guarantee from both federal and state governments. In her opinion, "The Germany ticket was a commitment to affordable mobility. At the current price of 58 euros, it's too steep. Public transportation must be accessible."
Droge's proposal includes a joint federal and state government-issued price guarantee for a 49-euro ticket. She believes an initiative from the federal government is necessary to achieve this goal.
As of 2023, the Germany ticket, making long-distance travel more affordable and promoting sustainable mobility, increased from 49 euros to 58 euros a month. The Greens had previously advocated for a price of 49 euros for the ticket in their election program.
Funding Disputes Arise
A dispute between federal and state governments over the Deutschlandticket's funding from 2026 is on the horizon. State representatives are pressing the federal government to shoulder more of the costs starting in 2026, but there is no congruent position among the states. A special transport ministers' conference, including Federal Transport Minister Patrick Schnieder (CDU), is scheduled for June 27 in Berlin to discuss the issue.
Currently, both federal and state governments each contribute 1.5 billion euros annually to make up for transportation company revenue losses. However, the Association of German Transport Companies believes the annual 3 billion euros provided by both levels of government may not be sufficient to compensate for the industry’s long-term losses.
- Germany ticket
- Transport policy
- Katharina Droge
Additional Insights:
The coalition agreements between German Conservative Union parties and the Social Democrats in April 2025 emphasized new taxation and climate policies, including a focus on addressing CO₂ emissions. However, these agreements did not specify a concrete funding pathway or price guarantee for the Deutschlandticket beyond the current period[5].
The Deutschlandticket, first introduced in 2023, was designed to promote sustainable mobility but financing it beyond the initial years has been a contentious issue between federal and state governments. Current negotiations revolve around determining who will bear the costs and by how much, particularly after the current funding arrangement ends (anticipated to be challenged starting from 2026).
[5] According to current sources, no widely reported, finalized decision regarding a specific "Germany ticket price guarantee" proposal led by Green faction leader Katharina Dröge has been made. (Source: ntv.de, mbr/dpa)
- Katharina Droge, the Green faction leader, has proposed a joint federal and state government-issued price guarantee for the Germany ticket, aiming to reduce its price from the current 58 euros to 49 euros per month.
- The upcoming special transport ministers' conference, including Federal Transport Minister Patrick Schnieder (CDU), will discuss the funding of the Germany ticket, with state representatives pressuring the federal government to shoulder more costs from 2026.
- The funding of the Germany ticket, aiming to promote sustainable mobility, has been a contentious issue between federal and state governments, with the current negotiations revolving around determining who will bear the costs and by how much, particularly after the current funding arrangement ends (anticipated to be challenged starting from 2026).
