Evelyn Palla, the CEO of Deutsche Bahn, stated that she does not want to lower the price of the Deutschlandticket back to 9 euros. Speaking to the Funke media group’s Saturday editions, Palla asserted that the 9-euro ticket was and remains unfundable. She added that even at a cost of 63 euros, an additional three billion euros from the federal and state governments would still be necessary each year. Consequently, Palla indicated she has no desire for a revival of the affordable travel pass.
The 9-euro ticket was available during the summer of 2022, running from June to August. At that time, high energy prices following Russia’s attack on Ukraine prompted the introduction of the affordable pass to ease the burden on commuters using local and regional transport. Subsequently, the Deutschlandticket was introduced at a price of 49 euros. Currently, the price stands at 63 euros. Amid the ongoing rise in fuel and energy costs, which have been marked since the Iran conflict, there are renewed calls for financial relief for commuters, including discussions about a discount on the Deutschlandticket.
Given the current discussions, Palla reiterated her stance against bringing back the 9-euro ticket. When asked if she would have preferred a new version of the cheap pass instead of granting tax relief to car owners, the Bahn CEO replied in the negative.