Getting Around Germany: Public Transport and the Deutschlandticket

This guide is for internationals who have just moved to Germany and want to get around without a car. After reading it, you will understand how local tickets work, what the Deutschlandticket (the nationwide monthly ticket) covers, how regional and long-distance trains differ, and what happens at a ticket check.

• How local public transport works
• Buying and validating a ticket
• The Deutschlandticket
• Regional trains, long-distance trains and coaches
• Ticket checks, fines and house rules
• FAQ

How local public transport works

In German cities, public transport means buses, trams (called Straßenbahn in some cities), underground trains (U-Bahn) and suburban trains (S-Bahn). According to Handbook Germany’s guide to public transport, you need a ticket for all of them. Each city has its own transport company, so ticket machines, ticket types and rules differ from one place to the next.

What is available depends on where you live. Larger cities usually have a train station and a bus station. Smaller villages often have only a bus connection, and some have no public transport at all.

Buying and validating a ticket

Tickets are sold at machines, at some kiosks and shops that display the local transport company’s logo, and in some cities through a mobile app. Many bus drivers also sell tickets, but often only for cash. On many buses you can pay only with coins or small notes of €5 or €10, because the driver may not be able to give change for larger notes.

Some tickets are valid for a few hours, either for a single trip or for a return. Others last a day (Tageskarte), a week (Wochenkarte) or a whole month (Monatskarte). Fare zones (Tarifzonen) set how far a ticket lets you travel.

In many cities, a ticket valid for a few hours or a day has to be validated at a machine before use. These machines are on train platforms and inside some buses and trams. A ticket that already shows a date and time stamp usually does not need validating.

Children, pupils, students, senior citizens and people receiving benefits from the Social Welfare Office (Sozialamt) or the Jobcenter (job and benefits office) can get discounted tickets. These are sold at machines and in designated shops, where you can also ask which documents you need to show.

The Deutschlandticket

Since May 2023, the Deutschlandticket has covered buses, trams, U-Bahn, S-Bahn and regional trains throughout Germany. It replaced the earlier €9 ticket. It is not valid on long-distance buses or on IC, EC and ICE trains. As of 2026 it costs €63 per month. It is sold only as a subscription, which you can cancel monthly, at the end of a month.

The ticket is issued in your name and cannot be lent to anyone. You cannot take other people with you, except children up to the age of 6, who travel free. The ticket is valid only with an official photo ID: an identity card, a disability card, a passport, a substitute ID card (for example a travel document for foreign nationals) or a driving licence valid in Germany. It comes either as a mobile phone ticket or as a chip card.

You can subscribe on the websites of regional transport companies, on the Deutsche Bahn (DB) website, in the DB Navigator app, at DB travel centres or through the Deutschlandticket app. Some existing subscriptions with a regional transport company are converted automatically. Others are not, and the holder has to act to switch.

Discounts depend on the federal state (Land). Some states offer cheaper Deutschlandtickets or extra tickets for people receiving state benefits, schoolchildren, trainees or students, and the regional transport company can tell you what is available. University students can ask their AStA (General Student Committee) whether they can switch to the Deutschlandticket. Some universities offer an upgrade.

Regional trains, long-distance trains and coaches

Handbook Germany’s travel guide explains that Deutsche Bahn connects almost all cities and towns by rail. Express trains (ICE and IC) run between major cities. Regional trains are slower but also stop in smaller towns, and in many regions other regional train companies serve small towns and villages. Timetables are available online and on large yellow posters at stations.

You can buy train tickets online, at the ticket counter in the station or at a ticket machine. At the machine you enter your destination, see the price and pay in cash or by EC card (German debit card). Conductors usually check tickets on board. On some trains you can buy a ticket after boarding, but the handbook says to find out beforehand whether this is possible. The earlier you book, the better your chance of an affordable fare. Group tickets (Gruppenticket), state tickets (Länderticket) and weekend tickets (Wochenendticket) are often cheaper than regular tickets. A BahnCard (rail discount card) lowers prices for people who travel by train regularly.

The travel guide says that on trains, children up to 5 years old travel free and need no ticket. Children aged 6 to 14 also travel free, but only with someone aged 15 or over who has a ticket. This is not the same as the Deutschlandticket rule above, so check the conditions of the company you are travelling with.

Long-distance coaches connect most large cities. They leave from a Busbahnhof or Zentraler Omnibusbahnhof (ZOB) (central bus station), and the best place to buy a ticket is the coach company’s website. Another option is ride-sharing (Mitfahrgelegenheit) through platforms such as BlaBlaCar.

Ticket checks, fines and house rules

Ticket inspectors may wear a uniform or ordinary clothes, but they must identify themselves. They usually announce a check with Fahrscheinkontrolle (ticket inspection) or Die Fahrscheine bitte (tickets, please). If you have no valid ticket, you must show ID, and the inspector takes your name and address to issue a fine notice. The fine varies by city and is currently between €40 and €80. Running away does not help, because inspectors follow and can call the police.

A fine notice can also arrive by post. Its subject line contains Beförderungserschleichung or Erschleichung von Leistungen, both meaning riding without a valid ticket. Being caught several times, or not paying a fine, can lead to criminal charges. A court can then impose a higher fine or even a prison sentence, and a conviction can affect a person’s right of residence. Questions about your own residence status belong with the foreigners’ authority (Ausländerbehörde) or a migration advice service.

Each transport company has its own conditions of carriage (Beförderungsregeln). These cover things like where prams and bicycles can go, which door to board by and whether you can eat and drink on board.

FAQ

Can I use the Deutschlandticket on ICE or IC trains?

No. The Deutschlandticket covers buses, trams, U-Bahn, S-Bahn and regional trains. It is not valid on IC, EC or ICE trains or on long-distance buses, which need a separate ticket.

How do I cancel the Deutschlandticket?

The Deutschlandticket is a subscription that you can cancel monthly, at the end of a month. The source pages do not describe how to cancel, so the company that sold you the subscription will explain the steps.

Which ID must I carry with the Deutschlandticket?

You need an official photo ID. This can be an identity card, a disability card, a passport, a substitute ID card such as a travel document for foreign nationals, or a driving licence valid in Germany.

Is there a cheaper Deutschlandticket for students or people on benefits?

Some federal states offer discounts or extra tickets for people receiving state benefits, schoolchildren, trainees and students. What is available depends on the state. Your regional transport company can tell you what applies, and students can also ask their AStA.

Sources: handbookgermany.de · handbookgermany.de

Last verified: 1 November 2026 against the pages linked above. Rules and fees change; the responsible authority always has the final word.

This is general information, not legal or immigration advice. For your own situation, ask the foreigners’ authority (Ausländerbehörde) of your city, a recognised migration advice service or a lawyer (Rechtsanwalt).