Markets and strategy

The Germany-Ticket has been an integral part of local public transport since its introduction in May 2023. The Germany-Ticket was purchased at least once about 23 million times in the first two years after its introduction, and about 13.5 million people were using the ticket permanently by the end of 2025.

The sustainable further development and long-term success of the Germany-Ticket depend to a large extent on stable financing and confidence in the continuity of the service. In this way, sustainable modal shift effects can be achieved in passenger transport.

An effective modal shift in favor of public transport and the achievement of climate protection targets also requires intermodally competitive and continuous mobility chains from door to door. To achieve this, existing system boundaries must be overcome, services must be better connected and public funds must be used efficiently. Many contracting organizations are already working on future-oriented concepts for more customer-friendly, intelligent, cross-modal and demand-oriented service planning.

DB Regional is continuously developing its portfolio, consisting of the two strong mobility pillars of rail and road. In the coming years, this will be increasingly necessary to ensure the smooth interaction of rail and road services in the context of substitute transport, given the need for large-scale infrastructure modernization. Special efforts are being made to keep customers affected by construction work on public transport and to get them to their destinations reliably and as comfortably as possible despite construction work.

DB Regional is pursuing this path with a systematic focus on operational stability, profitability and sustainable growth. This is based on a small number of clearly defined principles for competitive market positioning:

• Expansion of responsibility and entrepreneurship on a local level
• Strengthening of personnel and vehicle robustness
• Renegotiation and optimization of existing contracts
• Conclusion of robust new contracts
• Performance-oriented corporate culture

These principles characterize DB Regional’s day-to-day activities and embody clear responsibility, measurable, consistent goals and a reliable performance promise to customers and partners. Competition and entrepreneurship go hand in hand to continuously improve quality, further reduce performance failures and thus improve profitability.

DB Regional sees itself as a reliable partner for operationally and economically stable and sustainable mobility solutions – in urban and rural areas, by road and by rail. With a clear performance promise, a distinct performance culture and a consistent focus on the needs of its customers, DB Regional is creating the foundations for sustainable growth, innovation and satisfaction among passengers and client bodies.