Which workers will get a discount on Germany’s €49 ticket?
From Monday, eager public transport users in Germany can get their hands on the €49 monthly ticket. But some employees will be able to get the ticket at an even more discounted price.
What's going on?
Valid throughout Germany, inexpensive and simple: the €49 ticket is intended to make local and regional transportation in Germany more attractive and to encourage many new passengers onto buses and trains.
READ ALSO: €49 ticket goes on sale across Germany: What you need to know
For millions of commuters in Germany, the transport deal will be even cheaper, thanks to a job ticket scheme. A monthly pass could cost €34.30 or less - if the employer participates.
What is a Jobticket?
Discounted transport tickets are already available to many workers throughout Germany. As a special employee perk, some companies organise deals with local transport companies in exchange for purchasing tickets in bulk. They then sell these 'Jobtickets' to their employees at a discounted rate.
When it comes to the €49 ticket, participating employers will be able to offer their workers a discounted ticket for €34.30 - or even cheaper if they decide to offer higher subsidies.
READ ALSO: How employees in Germany could get a discount on the €49 ticket
The prerequisite is that employers pay at least 25 percent as a subsidy and there will be an additional five percent discount from the federal government until the end of 2024.
Federal Transport Minister Volker Wissing has said that "Employers have the opportunity to create additional incentives and provide their employees with the Deutschlandticket as a job ticket."
Which employers are offering the discount?
According to the Rheinische Post, several large organisations have already announced that their workers will be able to buy the discount job ticket.
The Bayer Group, for example, has said that all workers will be able to buy the ticket at the discount price of €34.30 per month.
Vodafone and Ergo are also planning to introduce similar discounted versions of the ticket.
A Vodafone spokesperson told the Rheinische Post that the company is currently in negotiations on making "advantageous offers for our employees", while Ergo has said that it is aiming to offer a €20 'eco-subsidy' towards the Deutschlandticket for its employees. With an additional five percent discount from Rheinbahn, that would make the final price €26.55 for Ergo workers.
Deutsche Post will be offering between €18.55 and €28.55 in subsidies for those who are "eligible for subsidies," a spokeswoman said. Exactly who will be eligible is unclear, but it is likely to be most employees. Post workers will have to sign up for a six-month subscription to qualify for the discounted ticket.
Public broadcaster WDR in Cologne has also announced that its employees will be able to get hold of the monthly ticket for just €15 per month.
While companies such as Henkel and Thyssenkrupp are still reviewing whether to offer discounted tickets for their employees, some companies have clearly said that they will not be subsidising the Deutschlandticket.
Telekom, which currently offers a discounted travel ticket for its employees, has said that it won't be offering a reduced rate Deutschlandticket, and will even be phasing out its current discount from May 1st because the Deutschlandticket "is a much more flexible and also less expensive alternative".
Though these are the large companies which have so far publicly announced that they will be making discounted versions of the €49 ticket available for their employees, there are likely to be many more organisations with such offers on the table.
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What's going on?
Valid throughout Germany, inexpensive and simple: the €49 ticket is intended to make local and regional transportation in Germany more attractive and to encourage many new passengers onto buses and trains.
READ ALSO: €49 ticket goes on sale across Germany: What you need to know
For millions of commuters in Germany, the transport deal will be even cheaper, thanks to a job ticket scheme. A monthly pass could cost €34.30 or less - if the employer participates.
What is a Jobticket?
Discounted transport tickets are already available to many workers throughout Germany. As a special employee perk, some companies organise deals with local transport companies in exchange for purchasing tickets in bulk. They then sell these 'Jobtickets' to their employees at a discounted rate.
When it comes to the €49 ticket, participating employers will be able to offer their workers a discounted ticket for €34.30 - or even cheaper if they decide to offer higher subsidies.
READ ALSO: How employees in Germany could get a discount on the €49 ticket
The prerequisite is that employers pay at least 25 percent as a subsidy and there will be an additional five percent discount from the federal government until the end of 2024.
Federal Transport Minister Volker Wissing has said that "Employers have the opportunity to create additional incentives and provide their employees with the Deutschlandticket as a job ticket."
Which employers are offering the discount?
According to the Rheinische Post, several large organisations have already announced that their workers will be able to buy the discount job ticket.
The Bayer Group, for example, has said that all workers will be able to buy the ticket at the discount price of €34.30 per month.
Vodafone and Ergo are also planning to introduce similar discounted versions of the ticket.
A Vodafone spokesperson told the Rheinische Post that the company is currently in negotiations on making "advantageous offers for our employees", while Ergo has said that it is aiming to offer a €20 'eco-subsidy' towards the Deutschlandticket for its employees. With an additional five percent discount from Rheinbahn, that would make the final price €26.55 for Ergo workers.
Deutsche Post will be offering between €18.55 and €28.55 in subsidies for those who are "eligible for subsidies," a spokeswoman said. Exactly who will be eligible is unclear, but it is likely to be most employees. Post workers will have to sign up for a six-month subscription to qualify for the discounted ticket.
Public broadcaster WDR in Cologne has also announced that its employees will be able to get hold of the monthly ticket for just €15 per month.
While companies such as Henkel and Thyssenkrupp are still reviewing whether to offer discounted tickets for their employees, some companies have clearly said that they will not be subsidising the Deutschlandticket.
Telekom, which currently offers a discounted travel ticket for its employees, has said that it won't be offering a reduced rate Deutschlandticket, and will even be phasing out its current discount from May 1st because the Deutschlandticket "is a much more flexible and also less expensive alternative".
Though these are the large companies which have so far publicly announced that they will be making discounted versions of the €49 ticket available for their employees, there are likely to be many more organisations with such offers on the table.
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