Do you take a single trip from Zone M to Zone 4 or for rings 1 and 2? Is the ticket AB enough to get to the airport, or do I need another one for C? And how many stops actually count as cheap short trips? When it comes to local bus and train travel, it's often not just tourists who are wondering which fare is the right and cheapest - and then perhaps don't get on. For frequent travelers there is already the Deutschlandticket, which means you don't have to worry about this. The consumer advice centers are now also calling for a simple pricing model for everyone who only drives now and then.
The head of the federal association, Ramona Pop, told the German Press Agency: "Anyone who uses buses and trains in Germany needs a tariff system that works the same everywhere." The Germany ticket is a successful start to ending the tariff jungle. This is also needed for occasional users who would continue to be faced with a confusing patchwork of network boundaries, tariff zones and ticket offers.
Only five ticket types - based on travel time
The consumer advocates therefore propose a pricing model that is based solely on the “time used” based on the timetable. Specifically, there should only be five ticket types - for 15 minutes, 30 minutes, 60 minutes, 120 minutes and for 24 hours. According to a position paper, this tariff approach can be used uniformly, is intuitive and easy to understand. The principle must be understood by passengers and could then apply everywhere.
“Especially in times of rising fuel prices, consumers need attractive alternatives to cars,” said Pop. The system should be usable digitally, but also analogue, for example with ticket machines. This would make local public transport much easier for people who only use buses and trains now and then and don't want to take out a subscription.
The Deutschlandticket, introduced in 2023, is particularly interesting for commuters and other frequent travelers and now has 14.5 million customers. It enables travel on all regional and local buses and trains in Germany, regardless of tariff regulations. It is offered as a monthly cancellable subscription and has cost 63 euros per month since the beginning of the year.
How much does the D-Ticket cost next year?
For next year, the price will be calculated for the first time based on a new index that includes personnel, energy and other costs. An announcement of the 2027 award is expected soon. Consumer associations have warned several times of a further sharp increase after the price was raised from 49 euros to 58 euros and currently to 63 euros.
However, the increased energy prices as a result of the Iran war are also affecting transport companies with their buses, trains, trams and subways. Since the Deutschlandticket is still cheaper than standard regional commuter subscriptions, the federal and state governments are already contributing 1.5 billion euros a year to compensate for loss of income at transport companies.
As a flat rate offer with which you don't have to worry about tariff zones, the Deutschlandticket is the model for the consumer advice centers' proposal - just not for at least a month. The five ticket levels from 15 minutes to 24 hours enable sufficient differentiation for different mobility needs, according to the position paper. The journey time, unlike the route or the number of tariff areas crossed, is usually known. This also makes choosing the right ticket more intuitive.
The consumer advice centers do not mention prices in their proposal - but the new model could be designed to be “revenue-neutral” overall, i.e. at the level of current fare revenue.
Possible prices for the five ticket types
In a report commissioned for the concept, there is a modeling based on the prices of 2026 and with the note that this would have to be adjusted in the event of a possible later introduction. Accordingly, a ticket could cost 2.50 euros for 15 minutes, 3.50 euros for 30 minutes, 5.00 euros for 60 minutes, 6.50 euros for 120 minutes and 14.50 euros for 24 hours.
A discounted fare could cost half each. And the journey time would be calculated according to the timetable, so that customers no longer have to pay if there are delays or cancellations. It is also possible to use it for flexible digital payment methods that already exist in some regions - for example, by checking yourself in and out using the app and the cheapest fare is then calculated automatically.
