Overview

• Roughly 65 percent of German adults say Deutsche Bahn long-distance tickets are too expensive, while just four percent find current prices appropriate.
• A striking 83 percent of travelers aged 18 to 24 report that long-distance fares are prohibitively high.
• The survey finds that 53 percent of dissatisfied passengers are opting for cars, 17 percent for the Deutschlandticket, 10 percent for flights and eight percent for long-distance buses.
• The rail workers’ union EVG warns that rising infrastructure usage fees could force Deutsche Bahn to implement additional fare increases before the end of the year.
• Earlier hikes—including a six percent increase in Flexticket prices in December 2024 and the Deutschlandticket jump from €49 to €58 in January 2025—are backed by subsidies due to expire at the end of 2025, raising questions about future rail funding.