The Berlin state government has announced the introduction of a 29-Euro ticket for public transport in the capital starting in early July. This decision has sparked criticism from the Federal Ministry of Transport and from Bavaria. The introduction of regional competing products such as the 29-Euro ticket in Berlin goes against the goals of the nationwide Germany ticket.
Bavaria’s Transport Minister Christian Bernreiter (CSU) expressed strong opposition to the 29-Euro ticket, stating that maintaining public transport services in Bavaria requires significant financial investment, while Berlin is essentially using money from the Bavarian state budget to offer discounted fares to all passengers. The Federal Ministry of Transport also criticized the move, pointing out that it could undermine the Germany ticket. There are discussions about the need to reevaluate the distribution of state finances among regions to address this issue.
The Germany ticket, which costs 49 Euros per month and allows for unlimited travel on local and regional transport since May 1, 2023, is meant to simplify complex fare systems and streamline transport structures within regions. However, the introduction of regional competing products like the 29-Euro ticket in Berlin may hinder these goals, according to the Parliamentary State Secretary in the Transport Ministry Michael Theurer (FDP). Some politicians, including Stefan Gelbhaar of the Green Party, fear that the 29-Euro ticket could lead to increased car traffic, especially at the outskirts of the city.
Members of the Union faction, such as Thomas Bareiß, have criticized the introduction of the 29-Euro ticket as undermining the vision of a nationally unified public transport ticket, leading to increased costs that neither the federal government nor the states are willing to cover. Despite these concerns, the Berlin Transport Senator Manja Schreiner (CDU) and the Economic Senator Franziska Giffey (SPD) have confirmed that the 29-Euro ticket will be valid starting in July and will only be available through an annual subscription within the city boundaries.
The decision to introduce the discounted public transport ticket in Berlin has been a topic of debate and discussion for some time. The SPD in Berlin promoted the idea during the election campaign before the repeat elections for the Berlin House of Representatives in 2023. Recently, transport ministers from various regions met in Münster for a two-day conference to discuss the future of the Germany ticket, the financing of public transport, and other related issues.
