The Station Charge System: Transparent, Clear and Stable

A distinction is still maintained between the transport segments within the meaning of Section 36 (2) No. 2 of the ERegG (local rail passenger transport services, "SPNV") and long-distance rail passenger transport services ("SPFV"). The INB uses long-distance rail passenger transport as the umbrella term for all other transport services not covered by Section 36 (2) No. 2 of the ERegG with regard to station stops.

Station charges for local rail passenger transport services are determined using price classes that replace the previous station categories. Price classes are determined by the station's category allocation in 2017 according to the previous category assignment system.

Example: Berlin Central was a category 1 station in 2017 = price class 1 in 2018 and in the following years until today

Stations are grouped by price class due to the legal requirement of annually adjusting station charges for local rail passenger transport by the adjustment rate for regionalisation funds. 

The station price applicable on 01.01.2021 is the "jumping-off point" for the adjustment of station prices in accordance with the ERegG.

In accordance with the provisions of the ERegG, the price from 2021 will be updated uniformly at the rate of change of the total amount of federal funding for regional and local transport services to which the federal states are entitled pursuant to Section 5 (6) of the Regionalization Act. According to the current legal situation, this corresponds to a value of 1.8% p.a.

The adjustment of charges in local rail transport will continue to take place annually by means of dynamization. Up to and including 2022, the dynamic adjustment rate was 1.8% from regionalization funds. In 2026, station charges will be adjusted by 3.0%, as regionalization funds will increase by 3.0% in accordance with Section 5 Paragraph 6 of the Regionalization Act. This 3.0% increase was approved by the Regulatory Bodyand corresponds to DB InfraGO's supplementary application in the 2026 charge approval procedure. In its main application, DB InfraGO had requested a higher rate of increase for regional rail charges, arguing that the price cap in Section 37 Paragraph 2 of the ERegG is contrary to European law.

The allocation of the respective station to a price class can be seen from the published station price list. The station charges are valid for one calendar year and are approved by the German Federal Network Agency.

Special case: agreements between DB InfraGO AG (possibly as legal successor to DB Station&Service AG) and a passenger transport authority

The charges described above for local rail services may deviate on the basis of an agreement pursuant to Section 37 (3) ERegG between DB InfraGO AG (possibly as legal successor to DB Station&Service AG) and a regional authority or local transport authority for local rail services.

Charges for long-distance rail passenger transport are calculated similarly to the way charges are calculated for local rail passenger transport.

In order to ensure the greatest possible alignment with the charges for local rail passenger transport, the station charges for local rail passenger transport for the current year have also been updated on the basis of the charges for long-distance rail passenger transport for each price class and public transport authority area using the same system. The charges were also dynamized uniformly in accordance with the rate of change in the federal funding for regional and local transport services available to the federal states, plus a percentage mark-up to reduce the cost recovery gap between station charges and the upper charge limit within the meaning of Section 32 (1) ERegG and Section 36 (1) ERegG. The surcharge was approved by the German Federal Network Agency for the first time with the fees valid from 01.01.2023.

The respective charge for the respective station can be found in the station price list. The charges determined in this way apply for one calendar year.

The some 5,400 stations are allocated to a price class, and thus to a station charge, based on the category to which they were allocated in the previous category system. The 2017 category is equivalent to the 2018 price class. The 2019 price class is equivalent to the 2018 price class and by the same logic the 2020 price class is equivalent to the 2019 price class. All stations were grouped into price classes for 2020 based on their categorisation in 2017. This system was continued for 2025 and will remain in place beyond that.

New stations that open after the 2017/2018 timetable change will be allocated to a category and price class using uniform criteria nationwide in accordance with the previous category system.

Each station is allocated to a price class (formerly category) according to standard national features; as a rule, top-category stations (formerly category 1 and 2) are primarily major junction stations, while the lower categories (formerly categories 5 and 6) are usually stations with lesser traffic significance or infrastructure or, in the case of category 7, simply stops.