Germany's nationwide Deutschlandticket will cost €66.80 ($78) per month from January 1, 2027, up from the current €63, transport authorities said on Wednesday.

It is the first price increase to be determined using a new cost-based formula rather than through political negotiations between Germany's federal and state governments.

Why is the Deutschlandticket getting more expensive?

The €3.80 increase reflects rising personnel, energy and other operating costs, according to Bavaria's Transport Ministry, which currently chairs the conference of Germany's state transport ministers.

The new formula also takes into account that federal and state subsidies remain fixed at a combined €3 billion ($3.5 billion) a year.

The discounted job ticket will rise to €63.46, while the student semester ticket will cost €40.08.

Federal Transport Minister Steffen Bilger, of the conservative Christian Democratic Union, said the ticket remained "a very attractive offer" despite the increase.

How popular is the Deutschlandticket?

Around 14.5 million people currently use the Deutschlandticket, which covers local and regional public transport across Germany.

It was launched at €49 a month in 2023 and currently costs €63. The new price means the ticket will have become around 36% more expensive since its launch.

North Rhine-Westphalia Transport Minister Oliver Krischer, of the environmentalist Greens, criticized the increase, saying the federal government had promised price stability.

Edited by: Zac Crellin

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