Public transportation - Ramelow: Cap company car privilege for Germany ticket
Thuringia's Minister-President Bodo Ramelow (Left) considers a price increase for the Germany Ticket next year unacceptable. A price hike is a provocation if financing options for price stability are not even sought, Ramelow stated at a campaign event of the Left in Erfurt. He proposed limiting the use of the government car privilege at least - and thus restricting it to mid-range cars and not applying it to premium cars and large SUVs anymore. "Then there would be money for the Germany Ticket", Ramelog added.
The government car privilege is a tax advantage for people who can also use their government cars privately. According to estimates, it costs the state a billion euros annually in lower tax revenues. However, government cars are an important market segment for some of the large German car manufacturers.
The transport ministers had agreed in the past week that the price for the Germany Ticket should remain at around 49 Euros this year. However, the transport ministers of the states have announced a price increase for the Germany Ticket in 2025. It is still unclear how expensive the Ticket will be in the context of the federal budget consolidation.
- Bodo Ramelow, the Minister-President of Thuringia and a representative of the Left Party, voiced his opposition to the proposed price increase for the Germany Ticket in 2023.
- At a campaign event in Erfurt, Ramelow criticized the potential price hike, arguing that it would be a provocation if financing solutions for price stability were not even explored.
- In light of the proposed price increase, Ramelow suggested limiting the government car privilege, which currently applies to high-end cars and large SUVs, to mid-range vehicles only.
- This adjustment to the government car privilege, Ramelow argued, could provide funds for the Germany Ticket, a nationwide railway ticket that has remained at around 49 Euros this year but is scheduled for a price increase in 2025.
- The ongoing discussions about the Germany Ticket's price increase are significant for local traffic in Germany, as the ticket's affordability plays a crucial role in encouraging usage and promoting sustainable transportation.
