Make way for the Deutschlandticket
On March 16, 2023, the Bundestag approved the introduction of the €49 Germany Ticket, effective in May 2023. The dispute over funding between the federal government and the states remains unresolved. Following the three-month trial of the €9 ticket in 2022, the federal and state governments agreed to introduce a €49 ticket for local public transportation (ÖPNV). However, the Bundesrat subsequently debated the financing of the ticket, particularly after 2025.
Financing Issues
The digital ticket, valid throughout Germany for local public transport, is to be offered as a monthly subscription that can be canceled at any time for 49 euros. For the years 2023 through 2025, the federal government will contribute 1.5 billion euros annually to the financing. In 2023, the federal government will also cover 50 percent of any additional costs that may arise from the introduction of the Germany-wide ticket. Objections from the opposition were overruled by the governing parties.
It is still unclear how the ticket will be financed after 2025. To ensure its long-term viability, the Bundestag resolution calls for an assessment of the transportation and financial impacts. Based on this, a new legislative process is to be initiated in 2025. The outcome of this process remains to be seen. This is because the operation of local public transportation remains a matter for the states, and the federal government can only supplement this through additional support via regionalization funds.
The €49 Ticket in Business
As tax advisors in Düsseldorf and Oberhausen, we also assist our clients with business decisions. There is currently much discussion about the extent to which a company can grant its employees a mobility allowance (e.g., in the form of the €49 ticket) while also benefiting from a tax perspective. Please feel free to contact us so that we can find a solution tailored to your specific situation. In times of particular challenges in recruiting, such incentives can also increase an employer’s attractiveness.
Assessment
Making public transportation more attractive to citizens is a positive step. The elimination of regional transport network boundaries contributes enormously to this. However, the long-term financing needs to be clarified, as the political efforts of the recent past risk going up in smoke. It is also unclear how rural regions can be better integrated: unfortunately, the law does not yet provide for the nationwide inclusion of taxi services in the Deutschlandticket.
