Overview

• State transport ministers agreed to raise the nationwide pass to €63 per month starting in January 2026.
• A DPA survey finds counties and independent cities in Saxony-Anhalt plan to remain in the scheme, while Naumburger Straßenbahn is reviewing a withdrawal.
• Local leaders warn that even with the higher fare a roughly €300 million gap remains for 2026 after a potential €800 million shortfall without the increase, raising the risk of a patchwork of coverage.
• Counties report higher expenses from legally mandated student transport and say rural demand could weaken, yet Halle and Magdeburg reject exiting.
• The NGO Dialog-Gesundheit-Klima proposes a GEZ-style universal contribution of up to €29 with regional tiers to finance fare-free local transit, projecting about €21.5 billion in annual revenue.