Federal Transport Minister Backs NRW Push for Cheaper Deutschlandticket for Occasional Riders

"Der Antrag von NRW und Hamburg für die Verkehrsministerkonferenz im bayerischen Hohenschwangau sieht auch erst einmal vor, eine Arbeitsgruppe einzusetzen, die ein Konzept für das neue Ticketsystem erstellen soll." This is how the description of the plan reads in the motion text that has been submitted to Schnieder.

The Deutschlandticket is currently available as a monthly cancellable subscription for 49 euros. It is aimed primarily at frequent riders who regularly use buses, trams, and regional trains for local travel. Critics have argued in the past that the model is economically less attractive for occasional users who make only a few trips per month.

Who Is Behind the Initiative

With an additional, cheaper fare for occasional riders, the applicants aim to close a gap in the existing offering. Possible models could include discounted monthly passes or a reduced quota of trips per month. No specific price tiers or conditions have yet been named in the motion.

North Rhine-Westphalia's SPD Transport Minister Özlem Ünsal had launched the initiative together with Hamburg's Transport Senator Anjes Tjarks. The goal is to make local public transport more attractive overall and to get passengers out of their cars and onto buses and trains.

Support also came from Brandenburg. Brandenburg's Transport Minister Kathrin Schneider announced her intention to co-sponsor the motion at the conference. A broader majority of SPD-led transport ministries is thus emerging behind the initiative.

Financing Remains Open

Federal Minister Schnieder stressed that such a fare option would have to be co-financed from federal funds should it actually be introduced. Details on financing initially remained open. What is clear, however, is that the states would have to have a say in the concrete design of the offering.

According to the applicants' wishes, the working group is to present a concept by the next Transport Ministers' Conference that describes the pricing model, area of validity, and target group in more detail. Only then could the federal and state governments decide on a possible introduction.

Observers interpret the initiative as a signal that the Deutschlandticket model is to be further developed after almost three years. When it was introduced in 2023, the ticket had been launched as a simple, uniform offering. With an additional variant, the system could be more closely tailored to different usage habits.

Next Steps Until the Next Ministers' Conference

The debate comes at a phase in which the federal and state governments are already negotiating the future financing of the Deutschlandticket. The current financing framework expires at the end of 2025. An additional occasional-rider ticket would further complicate negotiations over the medium-term design of the local transport ticket.

One thing is clear: without an agreement at the federal-state level, there will be no additional ticket. The Transport Ministers' Conference in Hohenschwangau is therefore regarded as an important intermediate step in moving the issue forward politically.