The transport ministers of the federal states are meeting today in Düsseldorf for a special conference to discuss the future of the Deutschlandticket. The ticket, which entitles nationwide use of public transport for 49 euros per month, is considered a major success. However, its financing is on shaky ground.

Since the introduction of the Germany ticket in May, the federal and state governments each subsidize the offering with 1.5 billion euros per year to compensate for lower ticket revenues for the transport companies. The federal government had promised to carry over unused funds from 2023 to 2024, but this has not happened so far. This uncertainty is causing great concern in the industry that transport companies might end up bearing the costs.

Oliver Krischer, chairman of the Conference of Transport Ministers, warned in a letter to Federal Finance Minister Christian Lindner and Federal Transport Minister Volker Wissing about the possible consequences: "I see a great danger that an unmanageable patchwork will soon emerge, with areas where the Germany ticket can be continued and others where it will have to be abandoned for financial reasons.

The originally issued price guarantee for 2024 is on shaky ground. A spokesperson for the Thuringian Ministry of Transport stated: "If the federal government doesn't act, a price increase must take effect from October 1, 2024." Bavaria's Minister of Transport, Christian Bernreiter, called on the federal government to fulfill its promise and allocate the unused funds from 2023 for 2024. Otherwise, the ticket must be made at least ten euros more expensive later this year.

Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz sought to allay concerns. In a government questioning session in the Bundestag, he described the Deutschlandticket as a great achievement and assured that the federal government would create the financial framework conditions. A necessary amendment to the Regionalization Act will come.

However, it remains unclear whether the 1.5 billion euros from the federal and state governments will be sufficient in 2025. The Association of German Transport Companies (VDV) is greatly concerned that the ticket may not be secured in the long term. VDV President Ingo Wortmann emphasized that the Transport Ministers Conference on Monday could contribute to clarity by committing to the permanent establishment of the ticket.

Greenpeace proposes financing public transportation through reallocations in the federal budget. Marion Tiemann, mobility expert at Greenpeace, said: "The safest way to renovate crumbling bridges and finance the Germany ticket is to stop the construction of additional highways.

Lower Saxony's Minister of Transport Olaf Lies (SPD), however, expects rising prices.

Hesse's Minister of Economic Affairs Kaweh Mansoori (SPD) emphasized the importance of reliability and predictability for the coming years. "This is less a question of price, which has to fit different regions and associations, and more about political will.