Germany 

Public Transport 

The public transport system in Germany offers you a wide range of options that can be used for long-distance travel and for getting around the country.

DB long-distance trains in Germany - IC, EC, ICE, ECE, FlixTrain and others.

Ferries as a form of public transport in Germany are common in two cities: Hamburg and Berlin. In Hamburg, HADAG operates seven ferry routes across the Elbe. In Berlin, BVG oversees six city ferries, including the city's cult favorite, Line F24, a rowboat crossing the Müggelspre.

Ferries operate mainly between mainland Germany and its islands, serving both tourism and freight traffic. Car ferries also operate across the Baltic Sea to the Nordic countries and the Baltic States. Train ferries operate across the Fehmarnbelt, from Rostock to Sweden (both carrying passenger trains) and from the port of Mukran in Sassnitz on the island of Rügen to numerous destinations on the Baltic Sea (freight traffic only).

Public transport in Germany operating within the country

S-Bahn

S-Bahn is short for Schnellbahn or Stadtschnellbahn - urban rapid transit railway, and as the name suggests, it is the fastest form of public transport. It is a kind of urban-commuter rail system that connects suburbs and suburban areas with the city center, as well as the main train station. The S-Bahn is indicated by a white "S" on a green background.

U-Bahn

The U-Bahn or Untergrundbahn is the German version of the subway, both underground and above ground. The symbol for the U-Bahn in Germany is usually a white "U" on a blue sign.

Cities with U-Bahn systems are:

Tram  - Straßenbahn

They run on rails alongside regular roads and have several stops in city centers. In Germany, tram stops are often combined with bus stops and are marked with the word "Tram" on a red background. Bus Buses are the backbone of many German cities, connecting remote places and operating at night when other forms of transport stop running (although S-Bahn and U-bahn trains usually run all night on weekends in larger cities).

Bus

Bus stops, which are usually located about every 300 metres, are marked with a green "H" (for "Haltestelle" - stop) on a yellow background.

 

There are over 39 bus companies operating in Germany. 15 companies offer intercity bus lines, 4 companies drive airport shuttles, 5 companies operate regional and local lines, 10 bus companies offer bus rental and 5 companies offer bus tours. The bus companies are located in 13 cities throughout the country. The majority of companies can be found in Munich and Frankfurt.

15 intercity bus companies operating in Germany are very different in size. The largest German company FlixBus connects more than 2168 cities.  Below we have listed some of the most popular bus companies in Germany. Full list of bus companies in Germany can be found here.

Regional trains

Some networks also include regional trains, usually operated by Deutsche Bahn, the company that runs most rail services in Germany. Regional trains are either RB (Regionalbahn), with few stops, or RE (Regionalexpress), which are faster and make fewer stops.

Regional trains:

  • Regionalbahn
  • Regional Express,
  • Interregio Express 
  • Suburban trains

Bike sharing schemes are becoming increasingly popular, although they are often run at a municipal level. Notable bike sharing companies in Germany include: Call a Bike (operated by Deutsche Bahn) metropolradruhr nextbike.

Famous German ticket - Deutschlandticket - price announced for 2025

Germany’s nationwide public transport ticket, the Deutschlandticket, will cost 58 euros per month from 2025. It currently costs 49 EUR per month. 

You can travel throughout Germany with the “Deutschland-Ticket”, also known as the “€49 Ticket”. 

The Deutschlandticket  allows holders unlimited access to public transport and regional trains across Germany.

Can foreigners buy this ticket?  Yes, this is possible. Tourists and foreigners can book a Deutschlandticket through Deutsche Bahn, for example.

You can use the "Deutschland-Ticket" to travel with buses, trams, U-Bahn, S-Bahn and regional trains throughout Germany.  It is valid on regional trains (RE, IRE, RB, S-Bahn) in 2nd class carriage. It is not valid on long-distance DB trains (IC, EC, ICE, ECE) and other providers such as FlixTrain.

The ticket costs €49 per month and is only available as a month subscription. It is non-transferrable, that means you may not lend it to anyone. In addition, you cannot take other people with you on the ticket. Only children up to the age of 6 travel for free.

You can purchase the “Deutschland-Ticket” digitally as a mobile phone ticket or as a chip card. The subscription can be cancelled monthly, i.e., you can cancel it at the end of a month.

  • In Hesse, the discounted ticket costs €31. It is a ticket for people who receive Burgergeld.(link)social benefits, housing benefit, or asylum seeker’s benefits in the state of Hesse.
  • In Hamburg, students obtain the ticket for €19 and trainees can benefit from a "bonus ticket" for €29 while the rest of the expense is paid for by the workplace. People with a low income can buy the ticket in Hamburg for €19.
  • In Hanover, people who receive social benefits from the state (holders of the so-called “Region-S-Karte”)pay €30.40 for the „Deutschland Ticket“.
  •  In Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, trainees and volunteers can buy the „Deutschland Ticket“ for €29. The same price applies to seniors aged 65 and over.
  • In NRW, from 2023/2024 school year, the „Deutschland ticket“ will cost €29 for schoolchildren and trainees. People who receive social benefits from the state should pay €39 for the ticket from autumn.
  • In Saarland, students, trainees and those working as volunteers can get a „Deutschland ticket“ for €30.40 euros (the so-called “Junge-Leute-Ticket”).
  • In Stuttgart, there is a so-called „TicketPlus“: For an extra €9.90 per month you can take other people with you or lend your ticket to someone else.

  • Only a few states and cities have decided to offer a cheaper "Deutschland Ticket" or additional tickets:

    • In Bavaria students can get the "Deutschland Ticket" for €29.
    • In Dresden, only in the „Verkehrsverbund Oberelbe“, you can take an adult and up to four schoolchildren (up to the age of 15) to board public transportation with you for an additional €10 per month.

Other federal states or cities have not yet announced any concrete decisions for such measures. 

Please note: The "Deutschland-Ticket" is in your name and is only valid with an official photo ID. This can be an identity card, a disability card, a passport, a substitute ID card (e.g., travel document for foreign nationals) or a driver licence valid in Germany.

For students: Ask the AStA (General Student Committee) at your university whether you can switch to the “Deutschland ticket“. Some colleges offer an upgrade.

*  You can purchase the “Deutschland-Ticket” digitally as a mobile phone ticket or as a chip card.

There are many different tickets for public transport in different federal states of Germany, cities and towns

Each locality offers its own prices and discounts, as well as bonuses. You can choose and evaluate the feasibility of purchasing a particular ticket yourself. For this purpose, we publish for you several important links to public transport systems in different cities of Germany.  There are different types of tickets. Some are valid for a few hours, either one-way or round trip. Some are valid for a day - Tageskarte, a week - Wochekarte or a whole month - Monatkarte. In addition, there are different "fare zones" that indicate how far you can travel with the ticket.

Travel zones

Travel zones are an important part of the German public transportation system. As most systems are integrated, the main thing determining the price of your ticket is how many zones you will be travelling through. Public transport maps are clearly divided into zones (Waben): zone A is typically focussed around the city centre, zone B a little further out, zone C beyond that, and so on. No matter how many times you change from a bus to a U-Bahn to a tram to complete your journey, the same ticket will be valid as long as you stay within the correct zone(s). If you stray outside of the zone(s) for which the ticket is valid, you could be fined.

Where can you buy a Travel ticket?

DB website

DB Navigator APP

For train passengers, the national railway company, Deutsche Bahn, has an app of their own. DB Navigator allows passengers to search for itineraries, book their tickets, and check train compositions.

DB travel centres

Tickets are also sold at some kiosks or in certain shops, which can be identified by the symbols or logo of the transport company.

Deutschland Ticket APP

Ticket machines

You can buy train tickets in advance online or directly at the station. There are ticket machines where you enter your destination and get the price. Once you pay in cash or with an EC card, your ticket will be printed. You can usually buy tickets on the bus directly from the driver.

Ticket machines may look different in each city.

Travel booking platforms

These travel booking platforms search for multiple providers to find you the best deals on train travel, bus trips, flights and ferries in Germany, Europe and beyond. Many also offer last-minute deals: 

Buying a ticket directly from the bus driver

On many buses, the drivers sell tickets directly. On many buses, you can only pay with coins or small notes (5 or 10 euros). On larger buses, it may happen that the bus drivers are not able to give you change.

Route-planning and Ticketing apps

  • Citymapper is available in a handful of German cities, including Berlin, Cologne, Dortmund, and Hamburg. Citymapper is available for Android, iOS, and in your browser.
  • FAIRTIQ is an alternative ticketing app. It works with local public transportation authorities in Germany, including Aschaffenburg, Flensburg, Göttingen, Halle, Lörrach, Mittelthuringen, and Oberelbe. FAIRTIQ is available for Android and iOS.
  • Google Maps has probably the widest availability of them all, with integrated timetables and route-planning across most of the country. Google Maps is available for Android, iOS, and in your browser.
  • Öffi covers almost all local and regional transportation networks in Germany. Öffi is available for Android.
  • Omio is a great tool for comparing and booking different transport options, especially trains, buses, and flights.

More about public transport in some German cities:

  • Deutsche Bahn – Germany’s national train company
  • BVG – public transportation in Berlin
  • DVB – public transportation in Dresden
  • GVH – public transportation in Hannover
  • HVV – public transportation in Hamburg
  • LVB – public transportation in Leipzig and Halle
  • MVB – public transportation in Magdeburg
  • MVV – public transportation in Munich
  • RMV – public transportation in Frankfurt am Main
  • RSAG – public transportation in Rostock
  • VBN – public transportation in Bremen
  • VGN – public transportation in Nuremberg
  • VRN – public transportation in Rhein-Neckar
  • VRR – public transportation in Rhein-Ruhr
  • VRS – public transportation in Cologne and Bonn
  • VVS – public transportation in Stuttgart

The Deutschlandticket is also valid abroad

Travelling abroad is made possible by the fact that the tariff borders of two national railways are generally not on the actual national borders, but at railway stations. This means that the fare border moves into the neighbouring country, which means that the German fare applies up to the station in question. There are such border stations in all of Germany's neighbouring countries.

Whether the €49 ticket is valid until the first stop after the border, however, cannot be answered across the board for all border stations. Even though the Deutschlandticket has simplified the public transport fare structure, the 60 transport associations in Germany still exist and some of them have different regulations regarding their fare limits and possible journeys abroad. On the following routes, however, travellers can travel abroad safely with the 49-euro ticket without having to buy an additional ticket.

‍Travellers can reach these countries with the Deutschandticket:

  • Austria
  • Belgium
  • Denmark
  • France
  • Luxembourg
  • Netherlands
  • Poland
  • Switzerland
  • Czech Republic

Austria

  • RE5 of the Bayerische Regiobahn (BRB): Munich - Salzburg
  • RB54 of the BRB: Munich - Kufstein
  • S3 of the Austrian Federal Railways (ÖBB): Freilassing - Salzburg
  • Außerfernbahn: Pfronten-Steinach - Vils - Reutte (Tyrol) - Ehrwald - Griesenau

‍Rail travellers can get to neighbouring Austria with the Bayerische Regiobahn (BRB): from Munich to Salzburg or Kufstein with the Deutschlandticket and the BRB. You can also travel to Austria with the Austrian Federal Railways on the route from Freilassing to Salzburg with the 49-euro ticket. According to Deutschlandtarifverbund GmbH, the 49-euro ticket is also valid on the Außerfernbahn line from Pfronten-Steinach via Vils and Reutte in Austria to Griesen.

Belgium

Belgium

  • ASEAG line 24 to Kelmis

‍There is only one connection to Belgium with the Deutschlandticket and that is by bus from Aachen. There is no local rail connection from Germany to Belgium. The 49-euro ticket is therefore only valid in Belgium on the ASEAG bus route 24 from Aachen to Kelmis in the Belgian province of Liège.

‍In other border regions where there is a transition fare, such as on the lines to Heerlen (RE 18, 44) and Eupen (14), the ticket is only valid as far as the last stop in Germany, according to the Aachener Verkehrsverbund.

Denmark

  • RB66: Süderlügum - Tønder

‍Travellers from Schleswig-Holstein cross the border to Denmark. The Deutschlandticket is valid on the regional train RB66 from Niebüll to Tondern, known as Tønder in Danish. However, it is not possible to cross the border from Flensburg, the largest German city on the Danish border, with the D-Ticket. Even though Pattburg (Padborg) is only just over the border, it does not count as a border fare point, meaning that travellers with the Deutschlandticket can only get as far as Flensburg on the route to Pattburg.

France

  • Alsace Express: Mainz - Wissembourg
  • Wine Route Express: Koblenz - Wissembourg
  • Line S1 of the Saarbahn: Saarbrücken - Saargemünd
  • Line MS2 of the Saarbahn: Saarloius - Creutzwald
  • Line 184 of the Saarbahn: Bous - Carling

‍Travellers can also travel to France with the 49-euro ticket. The ticket is valid on the Alsace and Wine Route Express excursion trains operated by Vlexx GmbH. These trains take travellers from Mainz or Koblenz to Wissembourg in France.

‍Rail travellers in Saarland can use the D-Ticket on the Saarbahn within the saarVV on the routes from Saarbrücken to Saargemünd, from Bous to Carling and from Saarlouis to Creutzwald and thus travel across the border to France. However, the 49-euro ticket is not valid on buses on route 30 to Forbach and route MS to Saint-Avold, not even on domestic services on the German side.

‍From Baden-Württemberg, the federal state with the longest German-French border, travellers cannot reach France with the Deutschlandticket. The rail connection to Strasbourg can only be used with special tickets. The Deutschlandticket or a TGO season ticket do not allow cross-border travel to Strasbourg. However, there is one exception: travellers may use the D tram line between Kehl and Strasbourg on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays with a season ticket (i.e. all tickets valid for one day, one month or one week, including the D-Ticket). This exception does not apply to regional trains between the two cities or to other tram lines.

‍You can't get to Mulhouse from Baden-Württemberg with the D-Ticket either, as the French border town in the border triangle of Germany, France and Switzerland is not included in the Freiburg regional transport network.

Luxembourg

Luxembourg

  • Bus 410 of the Verkehrsverbund Region Trier (VRT): Bitburg - Luxembourg
  • Bus 455 of the VRT: Bitburg - Vianden
  • Bus 460 of the VRT: Gerolstein - Clervaux
  • Trains of the VRT to Luxembourg

‍Deutschlandticket users can travel to Germany's smallest neighbouring country on the buses and trains of the Trier Region Transport Association in Rhineland-Palatinate. The ticket is valid on the cross-border bus routes 410, 455 and 460 as well as on the VRT train to Luxembourg. The advantage of travelling to Luxembourg is that the journey with the Deutschlandticket does not have to stop at the first stop after the border, as public transport in Luxembourg is generally free for everyone.

The Netherlands

 

  • RE13: Hamm - Unna - Hagen - Wuppertal - Düsseldorf - Mönchengladbach - Viersen - Venlo
  • RE19: Düsseldorf Hbf - Duisburg - Oberhausen - Dinslaken - Wesel - Bocholt / Emmerich - Emmerich-Elten - Zevenaar - Arnhem
  • RB61: Osnabrück - Ibbenbüren - Rheine - Oldenzaal - Hengelo
  • SB58: Emmerich Bf - Nijmegen HAN
  • The D-Ticket is also valid on some bus lines in the Netherlands

‍The 49-euro ticket is particularly attractive for journeys to the Netherlands, where travellers have a wide range of connections from the Aachener Verkehrsverbund (AVV) and the Verkehrsverbund Rhein-Ruhr (VRR) at their disposal.

‍For example, rail travellers can take the RE 13 from Hamm via Düsseldorf and Mönchengladbach to Venlo or the RE 19 from Düsseldorf via Duisburg to Arnhem. From there, travellers can continue to Utrecht, Amsterdam or Rotterdam with the Dutch tariff of the Nederlandse Spoorwegen. The RB61 also runs from Osnabrück in Lower Saxony via Rheine to Hengelo.

‍In addition to these three popular rail connections, numerous bus connections to the Netherlands can be used with the Deutschlandticket, such as the SB58 bus route from Emmerich to Nijmegen, the SB3 from Geilenkirchen to Sittard, route 29 from Neukirchen to Venlo, route 60 from Kleve to Millingen de Gelderse Poort, line 91 from Emmerich to ‘s-Heerenberg Molenpoort, line 25 from Stolberg to Vaals, line 27 from Herzogenrath to Kerkrade Eurode Park, line 33 from Fuchserde to Vaals, line 34 from Diepenbenden to Kerkrade, line 44 from Aachen to Kerkrade Crombacherstraße, line 64 from Heinsberg to Posterholt Vlodropperweg and line 350 from Aachen to Vaals Heuvel.

‍Poland

  • ‍RB23: Züssow - Swinoujscie Centrum (Swinoujscie centre)
  • RB65: Zittau - Hagenwerder
  • RE1: Dresden - Zgorzelec

‍People who would like to use the 49-euro ticket during their Baltic Sea holiday can even travel to Poland with the ticket. On the Usedomer Bäderbahn, they can use the D-Ticket to travel from Züssow via the classic holiday destinations of Heringsdorf and Ahlbeck to the terminus in the centre of Swinemünde in Poland.

‍The trains of the Berlin-Brandenburg Transport Association (VBB) also travel as far as Poland, for example the RB26 to Kostrzyn or the RB91 to Zielona Góra. However, travellers with the Deutschlandticket cannot cross the border here. If you want to cross the border, you have to buy a regular fare ticket from the last stop in the VBB area.

Switzerland

  • S6 of the Swiss Federal Railways (SBB): Zell (Wiesenthal) - Basel Bad
  • DB Regio: Weil am Rhein - Basel Bad
  • DB Regio: Erzingen (Baden) to Trasadingen / Schaffhausen / Thayngen

‍Even though it is not possible to travel to France from Baden-Württemberg with the Deutschlandticket, rail travellers can still travel to Switzerland with the D-Ticket. The ticket is valid on Swiss Federal Railways (SBB) trains from Zell im Wiesenthal to Basel Bad, as well as on DB Regio trains from Weil am Rhein to Basel Bad and from Erzingen (Baden) to Trasadingen, Schaffhausen and Thayngen.

‍On other cross-border lines, however, the ticket is only valid as far as the German border.

Czech Republic

Czech Republic

  • Trilex: Zittau - Hradek nad Nisou

‍You can get to the Czech Republic by train from Saxony. Travellers can travel from Zittau to Hrádek nad Nisou on the Trilex line L7 with a 49-euro ticket.

Let's repeat.

What public transport is included in Deutschlandticket ticket?
All. It is valid on regional trains (RE, IRE, RB, S-Bahn) in 2nd class carriage. It is not valid on long-distance DB trains (IC, EC, ICE, ECE) and other providers such as FlixTrain.
With this ticket you can travel on all local and regional buses, trams, underground, S-Bahn and regional trains for 1 calendar month throughout Germany. This includes city buses, trams, underground and suburban trains as well as regional buses and regional trains (Regionalbahn, Regional Express, Interregio Express). The Deutschlandticket is also valid abroad, close to the German border.

 

 

https://int.bahn.de/en/offers/regional/deutschland-ticket

https://handbookgermany.de/en/mobility

https://www.studying-in-germany.org/a-foreigners-guide-to-public-transport-in-germany/

https://www.expatica.com/de/living/transportation/public-transportation-in-germany-100920/

https://www.navit.com/en/49-euro-deutschlandticket-as-job-ticket

Ferry

Stena Line routs with Eurail Pass and Global Pass

  • Travel between Great Britain, Ireland, France, the Netherlands, Denmark, Germany, Sweden, Poland, and Latvia.
  • Save a travel day on your Pass when traveling with Stena Line. This benefit can be used with a valid Pass even if your travel days are over. 
  • Get up to 30% discount valid on Economy, Flexi and Premium passenger fares for both 1st and 2nd class Pass holders.
  • To make your travel more comfortable, you can add cabins, meals, vehicles, and other extras separately.
  • Traverse the Irish sea, Baltic sea, or North Sea with stunning sea views from the sun deck or panoramic ferry windows.