German States Expect Clear Commitment on Funding from Federal Transport Minister
Ahead of a special conference on the Germany Ticket, scheduled for this Friday, the states are awaiting a clear commitment from Federal Transport Minister Patrick Schnieder on the further financing of the initiative.
The states have repeatedly expressed their willingness to increase their financial contribution, as stated by North Rhine-Westphalia’s Minister of Transport, Oliver Krischer, in an interview with the Rheinische Post. “Now it is the federal government’s turn to make a concrete proposal on how to implement the coalition agreement’s commitments” he emphasized.
According to the coalition agreement, the Union and the SPD aim to continue the ticket beyond 2025. Krischer added that the conference of transport ministers provides an opportunity to establish a permanent solution for the ticket.
Saarland’s Minister of Transport, Petra Berg, also expressed her expectations, stating that the federal government, in accordance with the coalition agreement, will maintain the proportion of user financing and, consequently, the price of the Germany Ticket in the current legislative period. The states’ transport ministers expect the federal government to cover the resulting additional costs.
Meanwhile, the German Association of the Club of the Environment and Transport (VCD) is pushing for a permanent financing of the ticket. “The coalition in the federal government has decided to continue the Germany Ticket at least until 2029, but now it must be secured in the long term – and at a stable price” said the VCD’s expert on rail transport, Alexander Kaas Elias, in an interview with the Rheinische Post.
As the Union has also agreed to the coalition agreement, the VCD can only be astonished by the voices from the CDU, which are questioning the states’ contribution to the Germany Ticket, said the expert. This uncertainty would once again unsettle the 13.5 million subscribers and potential new customers would hesitate to buy the ticket, he added.
The VCD and the campaign organization Campact plan to hold a demonstration in front of the Bavarian state representation, where the conference of ministers will take place, to demand a stable financing of the currently 58-euro Germany Ticket.