Travellers who want to explore the largest country in central Europe in an affordable and sustainable way can sign up for a Deutschlandticket (“Germany ticket”).
For a price of €63 (£55) per calendar month – or about £1.85 per day – you can travel anywhere in the country on all but the fastest trains. You could explore from the Baltic coast to the Black Forest; roam around the nation on some spectacular lines; and visit great cities such as Cologne, Munich and Berlin. The ticket also covers unlimited local transport. Think of it as an Interrail ticket for Germany – and, as with those unlimited pan-European travel passes, it does not include all fast trains.
Yet it also has the great advantage of not requiring any planning or buying individual tickets. Once you have the Deutschlandticket, you can hop on any (non-express) train, tram, bus or even ferry where they are part of the transport system, as in Hamburg.
The deal is aimed at people living in Germany on a subscription model, with auto-renewal each month – not ideal for occasional visitors. Happily, there is a straightforward way around the issue.
These are the key questions and answers.
What is the background?
As Germany emerged from the Covid pandemic, the government decided to get people moving again with an amazing €9-per-month unlimited travel promotion. In June, July and August 2023, it caught the public imagination – and also caused some significant overcrowding as travellers sought to benefit from the best transport deal in European history.
The pass has been brought back and the ticket is now seven times the original price – but that still represents outstanding value. You can save money on a simple journey from Berlin to Erfurt and back.
So how do I get one?
You can buy a Deutschlandticket only during the first 10 days of the month for which you need it – ie any time from 12.01am German time on 1 April, to 11.59pm on 10 April, and in following months.
The ticket is valid through the month in which you buy it. If your planned journey straddles two calendar months, you will need to buy two consecutive tickets (the second one, while you are in Germany).
For people from outside Germany the best source of the Deutschlandticket, I believe, is the transport organisation based in Bremen: Verkehrsverbund Bremen/Niedersachsen (VBN).
Don’t worry – no need to type that into a computer. Just search online for FahrPlaner (yes, only one “n” in the name). Tap “Tickets” and then select “Deutschlandticket”. A few more taps and some personal data, plus credit card details, and you will be sent your ticket.
On completion of the transaction, VBN says: “From now on, you will automatically receive a new ticket every month.”
But I don’t want an open-ended subscription …
Relax. You can expect within minutes to get an email reading: “If you would like to cancel your Deutschlandticket at the next possible date, please use the following link.”
The link says CANCEL SUBSCRIPTION in big letters. Once completed you should get a confirmation email reassuring you that no further payments will be taken.
How slow are the trains?
This not a deal for people in a hurry since the Deutschlandticket does not allow travel on the fastest IC/ICE (InterCity/InterCityExpress) trains. But if you are prepared to make do with slower InterRegonal Expresses (IRE) and local trains, you can travel thousands of miles for only dozens of pounds.
Between Frankfurt and Hamburg, the fastest ICE trains take 3h35m. The fastest journey for Deutschland ticket holders is more than twice as long, with three changes of train.
Yet you can accelerate your journey with judicious use of cheap FlixTrains – for example, covering the ground from Berlin to Hamburg in two hours for just €12.50 (£10.50) if you book in advance. That will halve the journey and give you more time for exploration.
Beyond Germany …?
The ticket extends to stations just across the border in neighbouring countries:
- Austria (Salzburg)
- Denmark (Tønder)
- France (Lauterbourg)
- Poland (Swinoujscie)
- Switzerland (Basel).
Is this the best travel deal in Europe?
Not quite. Luxembourg abolished all public transport fares five years ago. But Germany’s offer certainly beats other major countries.
