The German Bundestag has debated bringing back the popular 9-Euro ticket, but stopped short of making a final decision. On April 24, 2026, lawmakers referred the Left Party's motion to permanently reintroduce the ultra-cheap ticket to the Transport Committee, despite strong opposition from governing parties.
The 9-Euro ticket was introduced as a three-month emergency measure during summer 2022, allowing unlimited travel on all local and regional public transport throughout Germany, including buses, trams, U-Bahns, and regional trains, for just €9 per month.
Launched in June 2022 to help Germans cope with soaring energy costs triggered by Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the scheme cost the federal government €2.5 billion. The ticket proved wildly popular, with approximately 430,000 additional passengers using trains daily during the three-month period. The program ended on August 31, 2022, and was later replaced by the more expensive Deutschlandticket at €49 monthly (now €63).
The Left Party's motion (document 21/3658) calling for the 9-Euro ticket's permanent reintroduction has been referred to the Transport Committee for further examination. While this means the proposal is technically still alive, the strong opposition expressed during the parliamentary debate suggests slim chances of eventual approval.
The proposal is ambitious, going far beyond just reviving the 9-Euro ticket. It includes a zero-Euro ticket (completely free) for students, apprentices, and seniors, plus goals to double public transport passengers by 2030 and establish a mobility guarantee for rural areas. The long-term vision aims for nationwide fare-free public transport.
Luigi Pantisano from the Left Party argued that financing a permanent 9-Euro ticket would be straightforward. "With the 27 million euros in daily excess profits from mineral oil companies, we could finance the 9-Euro ticket for an entire year," he told the Bundestag.
He emphasized that people are working overtime and struggling financially while "the money is barely enough for the bus ticket." The Left Party positioned the 9-Euro ticket as a matter of social justice, proposing to fund it through taxation of corporate profits rather than user fees.
Michael Donth from the CDU/CSU faction delivered the strongest opposition, highlighting fundamental fiscal concerns. A permanent 9-Euro ticket would require substantial tax funding that would be unavailable for other critical infrastructure projects, he argued.
"Currently, the Deutschlandticket costs 63 euros per month," Donth noted. "That's two euros a day for public transport." He maintained that ticket price isn't the central problem facing Germany's public transport system, infrastructure quality and availability matter more.
The SPD's Martin Kröber pointed out the scale of the financial challenge: subsidizing a 9-Euro ticket would cost an additional €10 billion annually on top of the current €11 billion spent on public transport. He argued that focusing on infrastructure improvements should take priority. Wolfgang Wiehle from the AfD dismissed the proposal as "free travel at taxpayers' expense," characterizing it as unrealistic populism.
The 9-Euro ticket motion now sits in the Transport Committee for further examination. However, prospects for revival appear dim given the clear opposition from CDU/CSU, SPD, and AfD, parties that together hold a parliamentary majority.
The current Deutschlandticket at €63 per month remains Germany's main affordable public transport option. For the millions who fondly remember the summer 2022 9-Euro ticket, the message from this Bundestag debate is clear: while the proposal isn't officially dead, the political will to bring it back is severely lacking.
Unless there's a dramatic shift in political sentiment or coalition dynamics, Germans should not expect to see €9 monthly tickets returning anytime soon.
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