Deutschlandticket: two news

nearly a 20 percent jump - maybe relieve crowding a bit? Surprised that a Green is advocating a switch back to cars

This ticket has been a huge subsidy and a net loss for DB. I'm surprised they haven't made it off limits to anyone other than German citizens.

The public subsidies were so far 1.5 bn EUR per year; paid 50-50 by country and by the states. Therefore a price raise was needed to keep the ticket alive. Do not ask me why it is allowed that also non-domestic tourists can use it for this price because a public subsidy is not justifiable for this purpose.

I understood the Deutschland Ticket was to counteract Russia's use of its supply of oil as a weapon. Russia was trying to limit the response to the invasion of Ukraine by threatening to cut off oil to Western Europe. Deutschland's economy was vulnerable to Russia's supply of oil. Deutschland was countering this threat by reducing its use of oil (Deutschland Ticket, etc.) and finding other sources.

The environmental advantage was another long term benefit.

Changing the habits of thousands of commuters would have lasting benefits.

BTW, the impact of using the Deutschland ticket or not on my annual trips to Germany is a minute portion of the overall cost of a trip. I have decided not to use the D-ticket. The train system makes my trips possible and I want to keep it solvent.

For most of the itineraries that I see here - and for the Rick-Steves-recommended itineraries on this page, the D-Ticket is useful only as a supplement to real tickets or railpasses. It was not designed for foreign tourists seeking relaxing train rides. Its goal was to increase ridership among Germany's citizens and other residents, which it has done in a grand way, to the detriment of the kind of comfort and efficiency tourists typically want. In addition to the overcrowding problem, track maintenance projects are resulting in replacement-bus service and unpredictable train delays and cancellations on regional trains, the only trains that are available with the D-Ticket.

This new price is not large enough to reduce ridership, or the authorities would not have gone for it.

Everyone likes a bargain, and the D-Ticket still might be very handy. But for most of us, it is not the utopian fix. It would certainly be interesting to see someone attempt Rick's 5-day recommendation (Munich + Bavarian Alps + Rhine Valley + Rothenburg) with just a D-Ticket. That's a trip report I would read with intense interest!

I'm curious—with all the problems DB has been having with late trains, repairs, and so on, does anyone think there a correlation to these problems and the money they are losing by offering the Deutschland ticket?

I do agree that it should only be offered to residents, since they are the ones paying taxes to subsidize this.

I understood the Deutschland Ticket was to counteract Russia's use of its supply of oil as a weapon.

Not that way: the 9 Euro ticket (test before Deutschlandticket) was part of a relief package adopted by the still ruling Scholz cabinet due to the rise in energy costs partly caused by the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The rising energy costs were very much heat oriented (less fuel for cars) mainly based on German price finding legislation for energy production. So, it was more a self-made problem which had only a very indirect depency from Russian resources. The economy and most of the citizens are still disliking the green minister for economy and climate.

I'm curious—with all the problems DB has been having with late trains, repairs, and so on, does anyone think there a correlation to these problems and the money they are losing by offering the Deutschland ticket?

No, this is not part of the problem. Basically wrong management and priorities are a major driver of today's problems. For details I recommend three different articles (all German)

• Why rail traffic is slowing down - a well researched special by 2nd German public TV ZDF (2022)
• Failed transport policy Ten reasons for the permanent crisis at the railroads (2023)
• Permanent crisis instead of structural development at DB AG (press statement from Bundesrechnungshof, a supreme federal authority)

For text translations I recommend DeepL.

if that's the case, should tourists not be allowed to use the roads either with cars? All that money comes from residents and heavy trucks.

"nearly a 20 percent jump - maybe relieve crowding a bit? Surprised that a Green is advocating a switch back to cars"

I think that if you were to ask on 100 car drivers why they are not using public transit that none would answer "because it is too expensive". Trying to get people out of their cars is something you achieve with better public transit, not by giving it (almost) away. In fact, heavily discounting public transit is a sign that you do not believe it is any good, and that you apparently can only get people in it by giving it away for next to nothing.

Good public transit does cost money. And having the users pay for it is correct. And it does not have to turn people away. Rather the opposite. Look at Switzerland.

...does anyone think there a correlation to these problems and the
money they are losing by offering the Deutschland ticket?

Who knows? It's certainly a reasonable guess that over-packed trains are the result of a funding shortage for new train cars, etc. "Ein Wagen fehlt" (this train is one car short) was a message I saw multiple times on the trackside annoucement boards during my recent visit. It's not like they LOST it... they likely borrowed it for use on a route somewhere else where they expected even heavier ridership. That's what you do when you can't afford the equipment you need, I guess... spread the over-crowding around.

I do agree that it should only be offered to residents, since they are the ones paying taxes to subsidize this.

I don't think so. ALL public transportation is subsidized. Whether you ride the U-Bahn in Munich or the Strassenbahn in Berlin, or BART in San Francisco, the fares paid by citizens and tourists do not fully subsidize the system. I'm trying to imagine what it would do to tourism in SF if tourists were outlawed from SF's public transport systems or from its discount programs.

Some governments intentionally target tourists with transport subsidies to encourage tourism... the free use of trains and buses in the Black Forest, in Boppard, and in Berchtesgaden, for example. The tiny tourist tax (usually €1-2/day) paid for these freebies can't possibly cover actual transport expenses - but the scheme is that the other tax dollars dropped by tourists will make up for this loss.

Mark, that makes sense. Thanks for the links!

Nigel, good analogy and you're right, of course.

This ticket is still a bargain for anyone who uses public transport on a visit to Germany of more than a few days. The money savings has been significant and the value of never really having to worry about buying tickets (except for high speed trains) is priceless.

PS in terms of subsidies- I have a direct charge of $360/year on my property taxes to subsidize local transit. They also receive federal funds (more taxes) and I am happy to do so. Public transport benefits communities in so many ways.

Still well worth it IMO. At this price tourists will need a week or more to break even. If staying two or three weeks, it's a great deal.

Interesting discussion. Next week we fly into Munich. We plan to spend all our time in Bavaria. The Bayern ticket each day for 22 days would cost us E913. The Deutschland ticket has cost us E98. The choice was a no brainer. That's a savings of E815. That money can be used for other things such as our lodging in Mittenwald.

We don't mind taking only regional trains. One year we traveled from Basel to Munich on a whole of Germany Lander ticket on a weekend. Sure we had to change trains a couple times, but we were physically able to do so. It was not a problem. We commented later that it went more smoothly than anticipated and we actually had a relaxing day.

I am well aware that the DB is not what it used to be. We have not been back since 2019 due to unforeseen circumstances. We are prepared for crowded, late/cancelled/delayed trains and have worked this into our trip planning.

Thanks to all who have unknowingly helped us plan this trip. I'll let you know how it goes when we return!

Traveler Girl

Sorry for the whiners that are talking about a 20% increase. I have spent most of the last month in Germany, paid for the D-Ticket in one or two days. I can not even begin to talk about the 100's of euros it has saved me, but to be honest, the greatest value was in regional and city buses, trams and trains. Not so much the cost (but it was significant) but the ease of just jumping on whatever transport Google told me to without worrying about how to get a ticket, what ticket, where to get a ticket.

If you want my opinion, raise the price to 100-200 euro for tourists, help the economy, and support public transport. All you people can afford four to five times that.

to be honest, the greatest value was in regional and city buses, trams and trains. Not so much the cost (but it was significant) but the ease of just jumping on whatever transport Google told me to without worrying about how to get a ticket, what ticket, where to get a ticket.

I am currently relaxing in my hotel room in Bremen after hopping on a tram to go to a great pizza place on the other side of the river. We have been in Germany for five nights now and our Deutschland tickets have been incredible.

Yesterday was sunny so we took a spur of the moment trip from Hamburg to Stade to see the picturesque Hanseatic harbour and eat some amazing fish and chips. So easy to open an app, see that there's an S-Bahn in 10 minutes that connects to a regional train at a station called Harburg and just be able to do it without having to hassle around trying to buy tickets.

Our train today from Hamburg to Bremen was crowded but no worse that some IC and EC trains we have taken in the past.

Oddly, we keep hearing roosters at 8:30 at night. Hoping it's a recording and not some poor jet lagged chicken.

ease of just jumping on whatever transport Google told me to without
worrying about how to get a ticket, what ticket, where to get a ticket

@Paul, Spot On!!! As I have aged I have found that I prefer the few Euros extra to get multi-day passes for the cities I visit. No hastle with getting a ticket for a ride or decidiing if a two-stop tram ride is "worth it" at the end of a long day. The last couple of years the D-Ticket has gone next level by giving me a multi-day pass for all of Germany.