GERMANY’s Deutschland Ticket will be valid for travel on May 1 after federal and state transport ministers agreed further key issues for the introduction of the €49 monthly public transport ticket.
Under the draft law approved by federal cabinet on February 1, sales will commence on April 3 for the ticket, which will be available on a subscription basis. As agreed with German regions in January it will be valid on all public transport services excluding long-distance trains and buses.
Ministers agreed that the ticket should be available to employers as part of their employment benefits. An employer subsidy of 25% is envisaged with these tickets subject to a 5% discount on the sale price.
Announcing the agreement, federal minister for transport, Dr Volker Wissing, described the €49 ticket as “the biggest reform of the public transport system in the history of our country.”
He urged the swift commencement of the legislative process to meet the proposed timetable for enacting the draft law, which must be approved by the German parliament, the Bundesrat representing the states, and the European Commission.
The federal government will provide the states with €1.5bn per year up to 2025 to introduce the ticket. The states will also contribute €1.5bn annually.
The Deustchland Ticket is the long-term successor to the 9-euro ticket, which was introduced with great success for three months last summer.
