Berlin
For 49 euros with public transport throughout the country: This should soon be possible with the Deutschlandticket. The Bundestag has now approved.
The Bundestag has approved the federal government’s draft law on the Deutschlandticket. SPD, Greens and FDP voted in favor on Thursday. AfD and Union voted against, the left abstained. The Federal Council still has to approve the law on March 31. Only then does it come into force and that 49-Euro-Ticket can come.
The planned “Germany ticket“ should start with an introductory price of 49 euros per month on May 1st and build on the popular 9-euro ticket from summer 2022. A digitally bookable, monthly subscription is planned, which is valid nationwide for local transport.
49-euro ticket: heated debate in the Bundestag
In the final debate, Volker Wissing (FDP) said: “What we decide today has what it takes, the history of the public public transport to rewrite. With this reform we are showing: Germany can be modern, Germany can be digital, Germany can be simple.”
The 49-Euro-Ticket, also known as Deutschlandticket or D-Ticket for short, is to be sold from April 3rd. It is available as a subscription that can be canceled on a monthly basis via the websites or apps of the transport associations, from Deutsche Bahn and in customer centers. Passengers receive it via a smartphone app or as a chip card, or as a paper ticket for a transitional period.
Deutschlandticket: Financing has long been a point of contention
The federal government will pay the federal states 1.5 billion euros annually from 2023 to 2025, half of the revenue losses in the federal states Traffic Company to balance. The other half is borne by the federal states. In the introductory year, the federal and state governments also share any additional costs. A new decision on the financing is to be made in 2025.
The Federal Council still has to agree at its next meeting at the end of March. After lengthy negotiations between the federal and state governments, the 49-euro ticket was agreed as a follow-up ticket to last summer’s 9-euro ticket. (lro/dpa)
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