Germany ticket: Despite the price increase, demand remains strong!

Germany ticket: Despite the price increase, demand remains strong!

Dortmund, Deutschland - The Germany ticket remains popular despite a price increase. After the price was increased from 49 euros to 58 euros on January 1, 2025, the first months of the year show a mixed balance. In North Rhine-Westphalia, where the overall demand decreased, the Rhein-Ruhr transport association (VRR) was still able to record a new high of users. The number of Germany ticket users in VRR fell by about 5% in the first two months of 2025 compared to the second half of 2024, which is due to seasonal factors that typically occur in the winter months.

As early as March 2025, there was a slight increase in the number of users, and the number in the following month even rose significantly to 1.73 million. It is surprising that despite the price adjustment, there was no massive wave of termination. The VRR had also painted five tickets on March 1 and reduced the price levels from seven to three to simplify the ticket structure.

price adjustments at a glance

The price adjustments not only aim at the Germany ticket, but also affect other ticket types in the VRR, where an increase of 5.5% was determined at the beginning of the year. In the Rhein-Sieg (VRS) transport network (VRS), ticket prices grew by 5.9%, while the Aachen Verkehrsverbund (AVV) implemented an increase of 5.75%. This makes it clear that rising costs for personnel and energy are the main reasons for these adjustments. VRS also plans to change the tariff structure from 2026, which can be seen as a long -term measure to stabilize user numbers.

• New prices for specific Germany ticket variants:
  • Germany ticket job: € 40.60 (previously € 34.30)
  • Germany ticket school: € 38 (previously € 29)
  • Germany ticket social: € 48 (previously € 39)
• The price for the Germany ticket for students remains unchanged.

These price adjustments are usually carried out in connection with a general increase in costs, which is why the transport companies are forced to adapt the tariffs. However, a survey before the last price increase carried out had shown that many passengers are price -sensitive. If the price increases by 10 euros, this could estimate between 10.3% and 21.1% of customers to the task of the ticket.

a trend towards using the public transport

Despite the challenges, public transport (public transport) shows overall progress. According to the Association of German Transport Companies (VDV), the passenger numbers have risen again since 2022 after they had dropped during the Corona pandemic. Daily, VDV member companies promote over 26 million passengers by buses and trains, which replaces 18 million car trips. This development underlines the importance of public transport for mobility transition and the reduction of CO2 emissions. In 2023, the transport companies saved a total of 10 million tons of greenhouse gas emissions.

A total of over 9.4 billion passengers use the public transport of VDV member companies annually, which corresponds to an increase in use by 26% compared to 2021. The positive effects of the sustainable mobility economy in Germany are evident by adding around 118 billion euros and an overall effect of over 1.7 million employees.

Overall, the Germany ticket is in a stable state despite the price adjustments, and the transport providers are working to create an attractive tariff structure in order to continue to win the users for public transport.

For more information on the new tariffs and developments in the field of public transport, please visit Dewezet , Bus and Bahn and vdv .