Timetable change 2024: More trains, new problems and rising ticket prices!

Timetable change 2024: More trains, new problems and rising ticket prices!
with excitement, North Rhine-Westphalia looks at the upcoming timetable change on Sunday, which has both positive and challenging messages for rail travelers. After months of restrictions on long-distance transport, Deutsche Bahn brings a large part of its ICE connections back. This also mentions Welt.de . Transport Minister Oliver Krischer (Greens) welcomes this step as "good news for the rail travelers". Nevertheless, local transport remains affected by an acute lack of train driver, which means that around four percent of the planned train trips must also be canceled in 2025. Only buses are used on many routes, while over 30 lines are still affected by restrictions.
price adjustments and new connections
The positive developments are accompanied by an increase in ticket prices. From January 2025, the tariffs in NRW local transport will increase by an average of 6.0 percent, while long-distance transport prices increase by around 5.9 percent. The Germany ticket, the price of which is raised from 49 to 58 euros, as well as sueddeutsche.de . The new price increases include popular austerity prices, but they continue to require a bond to a specific train. Overall, driving prices are significantly more expensive, especially for flex prices, and changes to cancellation conditions mean additional costs for travelers.
But not everything remains the same: the change of timetable also brings new connections with it, such as additional trains between Berlin and Frankfurt am Main and new direct connections abroad, which promise more relaxing travel design. A daily direct connection from Berlin to Paris is offered. Despite these attractions, there are concerns about punctuality, since in November only 60.1 percent of the long -distance trains were punctual. These different aspects make the timetable change a significant day that will decisively influence the future of train traffic in NRW and beyond.