The Station Charge System: Transparent, Clear and Stable

Article: The Station Charge System: Transparent, Clear and Stable

The German Railway Regulation Act (ERegG) stipulates legal bases for calculating station charges.

On 27 December 2023, DB Station&Service AG was merged into DB Netz AG which was immediately renamed DB InfraGO AG. DB InfraGO AG is thus the universal successor to DB Station&Service AG – and thus assumes its legal status in each and every respect.

This will not result in any changes to station charges and the charging system for the 2023/24 timetable period, as the German Federal Network Agency already approved the 2024 station charges prior to the merger.

A change to the charging system will be necessary from 2025 onwards due to the new company structure. In 2024, we will also provide information through this channel.

The resulting charges were reviewed by the Federal Network Agency and approved in accordance with Section 33 of the ERegG. The ban against discrimination under railway law and Section 33 (2) of the ERegG prohibit charges other than the approved charges from being arranged.

The charging principles are described in Section 5 of the Special Section of the Infrastructure Usage Conditions Passenger Stations (INBP).

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 INBP 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.

Calculating station charges for local rail passenger transport services

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 charge from the previous category pricing system (SPS 11) is used as the starting point for adjusting station charges in accordance with the ERegG.

In other words, the price in effect for the category in 2017 as of 1 January 2017 for the 2017 calendar year is used as the basis for the 2018 station charge in that price class.

In accordance with the specifications of the ERegG, the 2017 charge is adjusted uniformly by the rate of change in the total amount of regionalisation funds available to the federal states. This rate is 1.8%.

Example: 2017 charge + 1.8% = 2018 charge

Charges for local rail passenger transport services for the coming years will be adjusted using the same rate of change.

Example: 2018 charge (2017 price + 1.8%) + 1.8% = 2019 charge

2019 charge (2019 price + 1.8%) = 2020 charge etc.

The published List of Station Prices indicates each station's price class. Station charges apply for one calendar year and have been approved by the Federal Network Agency.

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

Section 37 (3) of the ERegG does allow for charges that deviate from the charge for local rail passenger transport described if an agreement exists between DB InfraGO AG (possibly as legal successor to DB Station&Service AG) and a passenger transport authority.

Calculating station charges for long-distance rail passenger transport and other transport services

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

To synchronise station charges for long-distance rail passenger transport as best as possible with charges for local rail passenger transport, the current year's station charges for long-distance rail passenger transport are also updated based on the same system of long-distance rail passenger transport charges per price class and passenger transport authority area (and including the existing transport service factor).Charges have also been changed consistently based on the rate of change of regionalisation funds made available to the federal states and the arrangements affecting charges as per Section 37 (3) of the ERegG.

Example: 2017 charge (including the transport service factor) + 1.8% (current rate of regionalisation funding) + x% based on arrangements as per Section 37 (3) of the ERegG (in the relevant passenger transport authority area) = 2018 charge

Charges for long-distance rail passenger transport services for the coming years will be adjusted using the same rate of change.

Example: 2019 charge + 1.8% (rate of regionalisation funding) + x% based on arrangements as per Section 37 (3) of the ERegG (in the relevant passenger transport authority area) = 2020 charge

This system will be continued in 2021.

The charge for each station is listed in the List of Station Prices. Charges are valid for one calendar year.

Allocation to a price class

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 will be continued in 2021.

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. Further explanation of the price classes and former station categories is available on the internet at www.deutschebahn.com/preisklassen.