Future of the D-Ticket uncertain: Minister Lies: We must keep the Deutschlandticket in the long term

Lower Saxony is demanding that the new federal government continue the Deutschlandticket . "It is clear to me that we must keep the ticket in the long term," said Transport Minister Olaf Lies (SPD) to the German Press Agency. "We must make this clear with a view to the upcoming coalition negotiations."

Today, the Lower Saxony state parliament is debating how the future financing of the ticket can be ensured. Lies made it clear: "A return to the tariff jungle is not an option, especially for Lower Saxony ." The federal and state governments must work together on a financing solution, and the existing 50/50 split of the costs has proven successful.

Stable, long-term financing is necessary to give customers security and reliability. "It must not happen that they end up bearing the burden of a price increase," said Lies. At the same time, work must continue on expanding local transport, especially for people in rural areas.

This is also what the passenger association Pro Bahn is demanding. "The usability of the ticket is a problem in many areas away from the big cities and railway lines," said state chairman Malte Diehl.

The state government must set minimum standards for attractive local transport. Every community must be connected to bus or rail services at least every hour from morning to night. Administrative boundaries, such as district boundaries for bus services, should no longer play a role, said Diehl.

But the ticket is not only of importance in terms of transport policy. "It is above all an important factor when it comes to the social participation of people with low incomes," said a regional spokeswoman for the German Social Association (SoVD). The ticket enables more social contacts, more activities outside the home and improved accessibility to doctors and supermarkets, for example. However, the current price of 58 euros is too high.

The financing of the nationwide ticket for local and regional transport by the federal and state governments is secured until the end of the year. Federal funds are only committed for this year.

According to the Ministry of Transport, around one million people in Lower Saxony used the Deutschlandticket in the first half of 2024 - around 12.5 percent. Nationwide, around 13.5 million people had the ticket in January of this year. The wave of cancellations that some feared has not occurred, said a spokesman for the ministry. Even at the increased price of 58 euros per month, most customers have kept their ticket.

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