From the summer semester onwards, students will be able to use public transport nationwide for 29.40 euros per month. The countries want to make this possible as part of the Deutschlandticket.
The federal and state governments have agreed on a cheaper Germany ticket for students. It is a breakthrough, said NRW Transport Minister and Chairman of the Conference of Transport Ministers of the states, Oliver Krischer, when asked by the dpa news agency. Around three million students could now get a semester ticket for 29.40 euros per month based on the Deutschlandticket.
The nationwide uniform semester ticket as part of the Deutschlandticket could start in the summer semester of 2024, provided that the general student committees quickly conclude the necessary contracts with the transport companies, said Krischer. The Federal Ministry of Transport confirmed the agreement.
60 percent of the regular price
Federal Transport Minister Volker Wissing said he was pleased about the agreement. “With the Deutschlandticket semester ticket, we are permanently binding a young group of customers to public transport,” said the minister.
Isabel Cademartori, transport policy spokeswoman for the SPD parliamentary group, said: “The Germany-wide semester ticket in the solidarity model is coming. This is a great success.” The price of 29.40 euros corresponds to 60 percent of the regular price for the ticket. The federal and state governments have cleared the way for a further expansion of the number of regular subscribers.
Many students currently do not have a semester ticket
Madita Lachetta, a member of the federal board of the Juso university groups, said that student bodies have canceled their semester ticket contracts in recent months out of fear of lawsuits. “Due to the introduction of the 49-euro Germany ticket, many students are currently without a semester ticket.”
The student bodies are now free to use the new offer or negotiate regional alternative solutions. Lachetta called for price stability for the Germany ticket. If the standard price increases, the price of the discounted ticket for students would also increase.