German railway group Deutsche Bahn raises ticket fares, citing increasing energy costs

German railway group Deutsche Bahn (DB) has announced an increase in average fares for long-distant transport of 4.9 percent. The company attributed the price increase, which will go into effect on 11 December, to rising energy costs in Germany and the impact this was having on its own business, stressing that the country was currently experiencing the highest price increases in 50 years. “Like many other companies, DB is forced to react to the massive increases by adjusting prices.” The fare increase remains well below the current inflation rate of around 8 percent, it added. Flexible tickets, which allow passengers to travel whenever they want on whatever train suits them, will increase by an average of 6.9 percent as of 11 December. The prices for the one-year subscription “BahnCards”, with discounts of 25, 50 and 100 percent, as well as for weekly and monthly tickets will increase by an average of 4.9 percent. In other areas, for example for seat reservations, DB is keeping prices unchanged. At the beginning of September, the Germany’s regional rail tariff association (Deutschlandtarifverbund) announced that also prices for regional transport would be adjusted by an average of 4 percent.

The introduction of Germany’s nationwide 9-euro public transport ticket for three months during the summer as a support measure for customers facing rising energy bills had led to a debate about the future pricing mechanism for trains, trams and busses, especially regarding short-distance connections. The 9-euro ticket ended in August, but the federal government and several states said they would work on a solution to provide a similar flatrate ticket at reduced prices, but still significantly more than 9 euros. Getting more people on long-distance connections with DB, on the other hand, is seen as a key measure for reducing Germany’s stubbornly high carbon footprint in the transport sector.