Starting June 1, Germany's new budget travel pass, available for €9 ($9.60), can be used around the country. We've compiled some information to help you understand how to use it.

Who can buy and use the ticket?

Anyone, including non-German residents and tourists.

Is there a special discount for children?

Children under the age of six can travel for free on German public transport. Children six years and older need their own 9-euro ticket, there is no discount.

Is the ticket transferable?

No, every travel pass bears the owner's name. It cannot be transferred to or used by anyone else.

Where can I buy the 9-euro ticket?

It is available for purchase on the Deutsche Bahn (DB) website, and also through various public transport apps, ticket vending machines and shops.

When are the tickets available?

The Deutsche Bahn train tickets went on sale May 23. They can be used between June 1 and August 31, 2022. 

When is the ticket valid?

Each ticket entitles you to use Germany's public transport network for one calendar month. A ticket bought in June is valid from the first day until the last day of that month.

You will need to buy an additional ticket for July and August.

Which train and bus connections can I use?

You may use all means of public transport in Germany. This includes buses, trams, subways, light rail, regional and regional express trains.

Certain ferry connections in Berlin and Hamburg are also included.

Which services are excluded?

The 9-euro ticket does not entitle you to travel on long-distance ICE (Intercity Express), IC (Intercity), EC (Eurocity) or Thalys connections. Other private operators, such as FlixTrain, are not participating in the scheme either. They can not be used for travel in first class carriages.

Can I use the ticket to travel abroad?

The ticket is largely restricted to domestic connections. Certain exceptions do, however, apply. Ticket holders may, for instance, take a Bavarian regional train (BRB) to nearby Salzburg and Kufstein in Austria.

Similarly, Aachen transport association in Germany's far west, runs select services to the Netherlands and Belgium, which may be used with the 9-euro ticket.

If you are planning a trip abroad, be sure to consult the Deutsche Bahn website, or contact your regional transport association beforehand.

What about holders of public transport season tickets?

Anyone in possession of a monthly or annual public transport ticket will be contacted by the transport association in question and receive a refund. No ticket holder will have to pay more than €9 per month to use Germany's public transport network this June, July and August.

What about students with term-time travel passes?

Discounted travel passes for university students in Germany will be upgraded, allowing ticket holders to also use Germany's entire public transport network. They, too, will receive a refund.

What about holders of job tickets?

They will also receive a refund.

Can I take a bike?

No, taking a bike onto a train will still require an additional ticket.

Edited by: Sarah Hucal