German rail official floats ticket discounts amid high fuel prices

As Germans grapple with high fuel prices, a senior official at rail operator Deutsche Bahn has suggested temporary rail discounts to ease the burden on the public.

"Instead of letting the oil groups lead us by the nose, politicians must use the state-owned company Deutsche Bahn alongside a windfall tax," Martin Burkert, deputy chairman of Deutsche Bahn's supervisory board, told Sunday's edition of the mass-circulation Bild newspaper.

"A temporary 30% discount on the Deutschlandticket and price cuts of up to 50% in long-distance services would be quick and effective relief," Burkert said, referring to the reduced-rate monthly ticket that permits nationwide travel on local public transport and regional trains.

The Deutschlandticket currently costs €63 ($72.57) a month.

With a 30% discount, the roughly 14 million ticket holders would save almost €20 a month. The ticket is financed by the federal government and the 16 regional state governments as well as revenue from sales.

If the federal and state governments decide to grant a discount, this is likely to trigger another debate about how the ticket is funded. Most recently, neither the federal government nor the states were willing to provide more money for the ticket. As a result, its price has risen step by step by €14 since it was introduced in May 2023.

The federal and state governments each contribute €1.5 billion a year to the Deutschlandticket.

Long-distance rail tickets vary widely in price depending on when they are booked and the route, meaning the exact savings from a 50% discount would differ greatly. Cheaper tickets, however, would likely give demand for rail travel a significant boost.

It remains unclear how such a long-distance discount could be financed. Deutsche Bahn itself is likely to reject the idea, after the group posted a loss of around €2.3 billion in 2025, around €0.5 billion more than the year before.

The long-distance division did record an operating profit before interest and taxes (EBIT) of €45 million but still fell short of expectations.

Deutsche Bahn chief executive Evelyn Palla said a restructuring programme was in the works for long-distance services.