Overview
- Berlin-Brandenburg’s VBB will raise fares by an average 6% in January, lifting a single trip inside the S‑Bahn ring to €4.00.
- The Rhein-Ruhr association plans an average increase of just under 5% for 2026, and Bremen/Niedersachsen will raise prices by 5.1%, while Munich targets roughly 4%.
- The Mitteldeutscher Verkehrsverbund covering the Leipzig–Halle area already raised prices by about 5–6% on August 1.
- Operators cite higher expenses for staff, energy and infrastructure, with VBB reporting a 38% increase for electricity and fuels.
- The VDV says current regionalization funds of about €11.56 billion are insufficient, federal and state compensation for revenue losses from the nationwide pass remains contested, and some networks are trimming off‑peak services.