Lindner sets condition: 49-euro ticket or money for rail
The Germany ticket is a complete success. The federal government and the states subsidize the offer to the tune of 1.5 billion Euros each year. But isn't that both? No, says Finance Minister Lindner.
Federal Finance Minister Christian Lindner is linking necessary investments into the railway network to a higher price for the Germany ticket. "Sooner or later, politics has to decide whether we want to invest more in the railways or if the price of 49 Euros should remain," Lindner told "Welt am Sonntag". The ticket, which can be used throughout Germany in public transport, will not be abolished, according to Lindner. However, the price of 49 Euros is only guaranteed until the end of the year. Price increases cannot be ruled out thereafter.
In the current budget dispute, the traffic light coalition is considering where savings can be made in the future. Discussions about the price of the Germany ticket have been ongoing for some time. The offer is subsidized by the federal government and the states to the tune of 1.5 billion Euros per year.
At the same time, the Bahn is calling for billion-dollar investments from the federal government for its upcoming general overhaul. By 2030, the company plans to fundamentally modernize 40 heavily loaded tracks to become more punctual and reliable again. Work on the Riedbahn between Frankfurt/Main and Mannheim is set to begin in mid-July, for which the line will be closed for nearly half a year.
Ramelow proposes a special fund
A possible solution comes from Thuringia's Minister-President Bodo Ramelow: He proposes a special fund of 100 billion Euros for the modernization of the railway. "A lot of money is flowing into it at the moment, but the financing is not reliable," Ramelow told "Spiegel". "At least 100 billion Euros should be mobilized over ten years to modernize the core of the railway."
When asked if he would demand a special fund like the one for the Bundeswehr, Ramelow replied: "That would be my approach, yes. But it should be a solution independent of the federal budget."
The Finance Minister's proposal links higher train ticket prices to investments in the railway network. Bodo Ramelow, the Minister-President of Thuringia, proposes a special 100 billion Euro fund over a decade for railway modernization to ensure reliable financing.
