(new: details.)
BERLIN (dpa-AFX) – Good news for Deutsche Bahn passengers: In December, the federally owned company will forego the recent increase in ticket prices for long-distance transport. For the first time in years, neither the costs for savings and flex prices nor for rail cards will increase, the company announced.
The news comes as a surprise: Given the numerous problems with the railway, there was great fear in the industry that tickets could become significantly more expensive when the timetable changed in mid-December. The development of the so-called rail toll in particular fueled these concerns.
Rail: Want to set an example with stable prices
“We want to send a clear signal with stable prices,” said a railway spokesman. “This year in particular, a lot of trains were slowed down by the poor condition of the rail network, and many passengers had to accept longer journeys because there were short-term construction sites.” According to the railway, the prices for seat reservations or ticket cancellations also remain unchanged. “Bild” first reported.
In recent years, the railway has regularly raised its prices for long-distance transport when the timetable changes in mid-December, mainly citing rising wage and energy prices. The last time the so-called flex prices were raised by an average of 5.9 percent was a year ago.
Traveling by train also became more expensive for families because the railway abolished family reservations in mid-June. Until then, parents could reserve as many seats as they wanted for themselves and their children at a flat rate. Despite much criticism, the railway stuck to the plans and pointed out that children up to and including 14 years old would not have to pay anything for train tickets when accompanied by adults.
Regional transport journeys are becoming more expensive in many places
At the same time, the railway is under constant criticism because of the many unpunctual long-distance trains. In September, the ICE and IC trains only reached around 55 percent of their stops on time, i.e. less than 6 minutes late. The group assumes that annual punctuality will be below 65 percent. In local transport, almost 87 percent of stops were reached on time in September.
Regionally different regulations apply to ticket prices for local transport. Several transport associations have already announced increases at the turn of the year. The price for the Germany ticket will also rise from January 2026 from the current 58 to 63 euros.
Union boss: Price hammer arrives late
The fact that long-distance tickets are not becoming more expensive is in line with the new railway objectives set by Federal Transport Minister Patrick Schnieder (CDU). Schnieder is counting on the railway to become more reliable and, above all, more customer-friendly. With stable prices, it should come a little closer to this goal.
But how long can the railway subsidiary DB Fernverkehr, which was recently in the red, maintain these prices? “Like so many things on the railways, the price hammer will come with a delay, but it will come,” predicts the head of the railway and transport union EVG, Martin Burkert. “The financial situation of the railway in long-distance transport is extremely tense and has recently been made even worse by politics.”
The crux of the matter is route prices
Burkert refers to the system of route pricing. Companies have to pay this so-called rail toll to the rail infrastructure subsidiary DB InfraGo for using the rails. This also applies to the long-distance, regional and freight transport divisions of Deutsche Bahn. The money will be used, among other things, for maintaining the network.
The route prices have recently risen significantly due to various mechanisms. Politicians have taken some countermeasures, but the route price support has not been increased.
“The lack of an increase in route price support should actually have led to rising prices and a falling supply. By going into debt, the railway is preventing the price hammer for customers this year,” said Burkert. This is a business risk for the already financially struggling railway subsidiary DB Fernverkehr./nif/DP/men