Overview
- The Verkehrsministerkonferenz created a joint working group to detail cost-cutting measures for driver training by the end of March 2026, and officials have set no implementation date or savings estimate.
- Options under development include online theory instruction, wider use of simulators, fewer mandatory special drives, a trimmed theory question catalog by about one third, and a shorter practical exam of around 25 minutes.
- Driving instructors warn that cutting on-road training or relying on simulators could erode safety, though many support reducing the size of the theory catalog.
- The federal ministry puts the average cost of a Class B license at roughly €3,400 nationally and higher in Hamburg, with ministers framing affordability as key for young people and car-dependent regions.
- Separately, the Deutschlandticket will rise to €63 on January 1, 2026, with an index-based price mechanism planned from 2027, as states press for more regional rail funds and a commission assesses needs by mid-2026.