Future funding of Germany鈥檚 nationwide public transport ticket hanging in balance
Tageszeitung (taz)
A meeting of Germany鈥檚 state ministers for transport has not produced an agreement on securing future funding of the country鈥檚 new nationwide public transport ticket, newspaper Tageszeitung (taz)聽. Half of the costs caused by the 鈥淕ermany Ticket,鈥� which arose from an initiative to support commuters in the energy crisis and currently is priced at 49 euros per month, could be financed through state budgets, the minsters agreed. However, the federal government has yet to greenlight funding of the other half. 鈥淭here must be a way to continue funding and put it onto a sustainable footing,鈥� the state ministers said in a joint statement seen by the newspaper. In 2023 and 2024, both the states and the federal government support the ticket with 1.5 billion euros each. However, the current scheme lacks funding for rising costs for staff and energy that add to the current calculation, with federal transport minister Volker Wissing so far ruling out any additional transfers from his ministry鈥檚 budget.聽Carina Konrad, MP for Wissing鈥檚 pro-business Free Democrats (FDP), told taz that 鈥渇unding a safe, affordable and clean public transport system is a duty of the states.鈥� Oliver Krischer, Green Party transport minister from North Rhine-Westphalia, said chancellor Olaf Scholz should take the initiative and find an agreement with the states at a meeting on 6 November. Ramona Pop, head of consumer protection organisation vzbv, said it would be a 鈥減articularly damaging signal for the transport transition鈥� if funding for the 鈥楪ermany Ticket鈥� remains hanging in the balance. 鈥淭hose who want people to switch to public transport have to make it affordable and reliable,鈥� she argued.
The nationwide ticket that allows use of buses, regional trains and other public transport options so far has not led to a significant reduction in car use,聽聽a report by the Technical University of Munich. Data collected via surveys and smartphone apps show that only one in five new subscribers have used their car less. However, the measure has generally been well received by citizens, with one in three saying they are interested in using the scheme.
