Tickets for long-distance train journeys with Germany's Deutsche Bahn will cost more from December, as the company responds to the rising cost of energy.

Train prices to go up in Germany by an average of 4,9 percent

From December 11 prices for long-distance journeys on Deutsche Bahn IC and ICE trains will increase by 4,9 percent, the company announced this week. On top of this, prices of the company’s Flexpreis tickets, which gives customers flexibility when choosing their train, will increase by an average of 6,9 percent.

Travellers can get a discount on their Flexpreis tickets, but only if they have one of the company’s 25, 50 or 100 BahnCards, the subscriptions for which will also be increasing in price by an average of 4,9 percent.

The only tickets which will not be impacted by the price rises are the Sparpreis and Supersparpreis fares.

Why have Deutsche Bahn increased train ticket prices?

Like many companies, Deutsche Bahn have said that they are being forced to increase prices due to rising inflation. According to the Federal Statistical Office (Destatis), in September the inflation rate rose to 10 percent in Germany, primarily as a result of the rising cost of energy and food. The train company has pointed out, despite the increase, the rate at which their prices are rising is still well below the current rate of inflation.

The popularity of the 9-euro ticket throughout the summer months may have reignited German residents' love of long-distance train travel, as Deutsche Bahn is now seeing a return to passenger numbers as they were before the coronavirus pandemic. However, rising energy prices mean that the company’s additional costs are estimated at 2 billion euros this year.