Germany ticket for regional public transport Deutschland-Ticket

Last Updated on September 24, 2023

As you probably already know, a Germany ticket for regional transport starts to work from May.

Let’s go through the most important points: how / where to buy, what regional trains are (not) included and who should buy the Germany ticket (what’s about tourists, kids, students).

Trains in Germany
Local public transport in Germany
Public transport around Lake Constance
Welcome cards and public transport in Dresden and surroundings
Germany by car
Cycle rules in Germany

Who should buy the Germany ticket

Firstly, to most owners of other, regional monthly abo.

If you had a regional network subscription, then they should have already sent options for changing your subscription. Whether to change the local subscription to the Germany ticket depends on the bonus it had. In most cases, the Germany ticket is more profitable as abo. But it doesn’t have the option to take a partner/children that some (few) advanced regions have.

Also Job-Ticket can be replaced by Deutschland-Ticket.

Secondly, to tourists actively using public transport who spend their holidays in Germany without a car and whose vacation dates are within a calendar month. Active use of transport means travel to other cities with regional transport (not speed trains).

To get oriented:
a single one-way trip for an hour outside the regional network will cost about 10-12 euros (children will be included)
day travel card for the whole regional network for the maximum distance (up to approximately 1.30 hours) – 15-18 euros (can children be taken for free, depends on the region)
day travel card for two or three zones – about 6 euros per adult
day travel card inside the city – 5-8 euros depending on the size of the city

If the dates of the trip are in different calendar months, then it will already be two tickets and the benefit will be a big question.
If out-of-town excursions are arranged no further than 30 minutes from the city, there are no transfers between cities, then, most likely, a local guest card (it can also be free) or local travel tickets for short periods will be more profitable.

Travelers should remember to cancel auto-renewal!

Children

Children, as always, are not cheap pleasure (it’s cheaper to travel with a bike).
Up to 6 years free, then free only with some Deutsche Bahn tickets or some day travel card. More often, however, paid and very. The Germany ticket also does not include free children.

As especially family welcome we must notice Saxony, specifically the Dresden region: for 10 euros on top you can take on weekdays in the evenings and on weekends up to 4 children and a partner. Good job, Dresden! Other regions think more about bikes and dogs.

Welcome cards and public transport in Dresden and surroundings

Is it worth to buy a Germany ticket for children? Look closely, perhaps the federal state has introduced something similar for the state (for example, Baden-Württemberg has already introduced it since March). If you don’t travel outside, it will be cheaper. Where there is no such offer, regional children’s passes are still available. Here you have to calculate.

In any case, do not buy the Germany ticket for your children on your phone!

Students and welfare recipients

Semester tickets are replaced, if desired, by Germany ticket. Students should also check out new regional offerings.

Recipients of social benefits are still suspended in the air – a decision on them has not yet been made. But some states have their own tickets.

What is the price

Currently 49 euros per calendar month as a subscription. They plan to index for inflation.

The subscription is automatically renewed.

Where can I buy

At regional transport organizations, at ticket offices at railway stations (not at ticket machines), online and through App Deutsche Bahn or regional transport organizations.

You can buy it as a chip card or as a mobile ticket. The second option seems more convenient, but the phones run out of power, fail (Deutsche Bahn App makes it regularly), have no network, or are forgotten at home. You definitely can’t buy a handy ticket for another person – he will have to travel with your phone (we already had a problem with a 9 euro ticket in the train).

Some regional transport organizations limit ticket purchases before the 10th or 20th of the previous month.

The Germany Ticket is also offered in various applications (eg Deutschland Karte, with points from purchase). It’s hard for me to judge how official this is. This site is linked by the Ministry, so the sellers listed on this site will be official: https://www.d-ticket.info/

How to cancel

Until the 10th day of the month the ticket is valid you can cancel a renewal for the next month. That is, those tourists who want to buy a ticket for trips from the 15th to the 29th must purchase a ticket in advance and cancel it before the 10th (that is, before the trip).

Where is it valid

All local transport (regional buses, trams, trams between cities (S-Bahn), metro (U-Bahn)), regional trains RB, IRE, RE. Second class.

There is a problem with regional express trains (RE). Some routes are owned by Deutsche Bahn Fernverkehr AG (the office that operates long-distance trains). DB Fernverkehr AG is trying to negotiate with the federal states whether these lines will be included in the Germany ticket. The catch is that there is no list of these lines. I found this approximate list for a 9 euro ticket:

Bremen – Norddeich Mole
Elsterwerda – Berlin
Berlin – Prenzlau
Potsdam – Berlin – Cottbus
Dillenburg – Letmathe
Erfurt – Gera

If you are traveling on RE trains, check your section:
type in the search segment,
open the time you need,
click on the train number,
scroll to the bottom and see who controls this line.

For example, Erfurt – Gera:

Thus, the users of this section Erfurt – Gera need to rely on the mercy of the local authorities.

Additionally included:
ferries if they are part of city public transport (Berlin, Hamburg)
ICE sections, if they are massively used as regional transport – by agreement with local authorities. Already known about the section Rostock Hbf – Stralsund Hbf
routes to some cities outside of Germany (check after May 1):
Schaffhausen,
Salzburg, Kufstein
Luxembourg is questionable
possibly also Strasbourg and a couple of cities in the Netherlands and Denmark

Not included:
Flixbus, Flixtrain (because long distance)
tourist sightseeing and historical routes

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