The start date of the 49-euro ticket is said to be May 1, 2023, and the monthly ticket, which is valid throughout Germany, will be sold from April 3. The necessary law is expected to pass the Federal Council at the end of March. The federal states and transport companies still have to clarify many details of the implementation. The greatest difficulty is the Germany-wide distribution of revenue from ticket sales. The federal and state governments each want to bear half of the costs actually incurred. Total costs of at least three billion euros are expected.
Yes, the 49-euro ticket is valid throughout Germany for local and regional buses and trains. An example: With a ticket purchased in Hamburg from the Hamburger Verkehrsverbund, regional trains in Bavaria or the underground in Berlin can also be used. The ticket is also accepted on the Hamburg harbor ferries and the ferries of the Kieler Fördeschifffahrt. Ferries to the Schleswig-Holstein North Sea islands and long-distance trains such as ICE, IC or EC are not included.
In addition to a ticket valid throughout Germany, there is also numerous country-specific tickets. In Lower Saxony, for example, the government is planning a state-wide ticket for 29 euros per month for pupils, trainees and volunteers. But it will probably not come until 2024. The Hanover region has decided to offer the annual ticket for 365 euros, which was previously only available to volunteers, to holders of job or social tickets as of May 1st.
The 49-euro ticket can be purchased at the Hamburger Verkehrsverbund (HVV). already be pre-ordered. Existing subscriptions are automatically adjusted as soon as the new ticket starts. In addition, you want with the Climate ticket the previous one Profiticket make more attractive. All employees of companies that offer the Profiticket receive a choice of three day tickets per month for the entire HVV network (“Klimaticket S”) or a monthly ticket valid throughout Germany (“Klimaticket XL”). Schleswig-Holstein is also planning to provide other offers in addition to the 49-euro ticket. The Ministry of Transport announced that there would continue to be a job ticket and an offer for students. In addition, the country wants to introduce a discounted ticket for people doing voluntary service.
The state government is still advising on a reduced price for trainees. The introduction of a 365-euro ticket for seniors is also under discussion. The city of Stralsund wants to introduce a 9-euro ticket in an annual subscription for all residents as soon as – probably in March – the budget has been decided. If you are over 70 years old, you can use the Hanseatic city’s bus routes free of charge with the 70+ ticket until the end of 2023.
The Deutschlandticket is to be available digitally in a monthly subscription. It is still unclear whether it will also be available in paper format from ticket machines. The federal states and transport associations decide on this. The 9-euro ticket was available from machines and in the customer centers of the local transport associations and Deutsche Bahn, as well as via the apps and websites of the transport companies and via the DB Navigator railway app.
Although the new Deutschlandticket is significantly more expensive than nine euros a month, it should still be worth it for many consumers. Who has an annual subscription for bus and train in the city of Hanover, for example, pays 59.80 euros per month. If you can use the 49-euro ticket for this in the future, you would save around 130 euros a year. With a subscription for the three tariff zones A, B and C you pay 97.80 euros per month and with the new ticket you would save 585 euros per year.
It is still unclear whether travelers with a 49-euro ticket can take bicycles with them nationwide for free. Because the conditions of the respective transport association apply to the transport of bicycles. In most local transport networks and in the regional trains, a bicycle ticket would have to be purchased as usual. On the other hand, in the Hamburger Verkehrsverbund, carriage is free of charge, subject to the applicable time restrictions (no carriage Monday to Friday before 9 a.m. and between 4 p.m. and 6 p.m., exception: summer holidays and weekends possible all day). In the greater Hanover area, you can take a bicycle with you from 8.30 a.m. to 3 p.m. and from 7 p.m. to 6.30 a.m. and all day on weekends and public holidays possible without extra charge. With Deutsche Bahn, a day ticket for local public transport currently costs six euros.
Even before the introduction, possible future price increases are discussed. The countries require a fixed, regular review. According to a statement by the Bundestag, it is planned to set the price annually in coordination with the federal and state governments. Later increases are therefore possible. The consumer centers are demanding a price guarantee until the end of 2025.