Deutschlandticket sozial: an overview

All of Germany in a single ticket. With the Deutschlandticket sozial, eligible persons can use buses and trains nationwide – for just 53 euros per month. That means Bürgergeld (citizen’s benefits) recipients and other entitled users save 10 euros off the standard Deutschlandticket price. 

Find out more here about who is eligible for the Deutschlandticket sozial, where and how you can apply for it and other important information.

News: Price adjustment for the Deutschlandticket social

  • From January 1, 2026, the price of the Deutschlandticket will change to 53 euros per month.
  • If you already have a Deutschlandticket social, the new price will be automatically taken into account. You don't need to do anything.
  • All other features of the Deutschlandticket social remain unchanged.

Subsidised national ticket: the key information at a glance

The Deutschlandticket sozial:

  • is a reduced-price Deutschlandticket for eligible persons.
  • is available exclusively to persons with proof of entitlement.
  • costs 53 euros per month.
  • is only offered on a subscription basis.
  • has no minimum term of contract.
  • can be cancelled from one month to the next.
  • can be ordered only from one particular transport company (dependent on place of residence).
  • is valid for all local and regional public transport in Germany.

Are you eligible but don’t want to subscribe? You can still buy a regional monthly ticket, such as the TeutoEmsTicket, WeserWerreTicket or MobiTicket, for travel in your own administrative district or municipal area. Find further information here.

Deutschlandticket sozial: who is eligible?

The Deutschlandticket sozial is exclusively available for eligible persons. These include recipients of: 

  • Arbeitslosengeld II (unemployment benefits, type II) 
  • Bürgergeld (citizen’s benefits) 
  • Sozialgeld (social assistance) 
  • Sozialhilfe (income support) 
  • Wohngeld (housing benefit) 
  • Benefits according to the Sozialgesetzbuch VIII (Social Security Code VIII) 
  • Benefits according to the Asylbewerberleistungsgesetz (Asylum-Seekers’ Benefits Act)
  • Benefits according to the Bundesversorgungsgesetz (Federal War Victims Relief Act) 

If you aren’t sure whether you are eligible for the Deutschlandticket sozial, please inquire with your municipality. 

How do I get the Deutschlandticket sozial?

The Deutschlandticket sozial is a subscription ticket and must be ordered. It cannot be purchased at ticket machines or from bus drivers. Our step-by-step instructions will lead you smoothly through the ordering process.

Step 1: Apply for proof of entitlement (customer card)

You may only order the Deutschlandticket sozial if you possess proof of entitlement. You obtain this from the municipality in which you legally reside. 

 

  • In the Minden-Lübbecke, Herford, Gütersloh and Lippe administrative districts, proof of entitlement is issued in the form of a customer card. With this customer card, you can order the respective regional monthly ticket for eligible persons (TeutoEmsTicket, WeserWerreTicket, MobiTicket one/Lippe) as well as the Deutschlandticket sozial. If you already have a customer card for the purchase of a WeserWerreTicket, TeutoEmsTicket or MobiTicket, you can use your customer card to order a Deutschlandticket sozial. You don’t need to apply for an additional customer card. 
  • In the city of Bielefeld, you can order the Deutschlandticket sozial if you have a Bielefeld-Pass (Bi-Pass) or proof that you regularly receive support from the war victims’ welfare (Kriegsopferfürsorge).

Step 2: Select the correct transport company

  • With the customer card, you can obtain the Deutschlandticket sozial from the appropriate transport company.
  • Please note that you may only order the Deutschlandticket sozial from one specific transport company. Which company is the right one for you depends on where you live. Click here to find the relevant company for your place of residence.

Step 3: Choose how you wish to order

If you live in the Minden-Lübbecke, Herford, Gütersloh or Lippe administrative districts, you may choose one of two ways of ordering:

If you live in Bielefeld, you can order the Deutschlandticket sozial at the customer centres of the transport company moBiel or at the Stiftung Solidarität.

Step 4: Observe ordering deadlines

  • When ordering the Deutschlandticket sozial, a deadline applies: you must order by the 15th of a month to get your Deutschlandticket sozial for the following month.
  • If you missed the ordering deadline, click here to find out what you can do.

Step 5: Present your customer card

When you order the Deutschlandticket sozial, you must present your proof of entitlement (customer card). Depending on which ordering option you choose, you may do this in one of the following ways: 

  • By online order: you can upload a photo or PDF scan of your customer card directly online here. 
  • By order form: send a copy or scan of your customer card with the order form by post or email. 
  • In person at the customer centre: take your customer card with you to the customer centre and present it there. 

 

Please note: your Deutschlandticket sozial is valid only for as long as your customer card is. You must therefore renew your customer card at your municipality in due time and submit it to the responsible transport company before the expiry of your current customer card. Otherwise, the Deutschlandticket sozial can no longer be used once your current customer card expires. Find out more here.

Step 6: Receive your chip card

The Deutschlandticket sozial is issued to you as a chip card. 

To receive the chip card, you may choose to: 

  • have it sent to you by post free of charge
  • pick it up in person at the customer centre

If you choose to have the chip card sent to you, it will be sent one time only, in the last week before the month in which your Deutschlandticket sozial becomes valid. Your chip card will then be valid for as long as your customer card is valid, or until you cancel it.  

Step 7: Payment

  • Payment for the Deutschlandticket sozial is by SEPA direct debit only.
  • There are no other valid payment options.
  • The price of 53 euros for the Deutschlandticket sozial is debited from your bank account.

Find the correct customer centre here

The Deutschlandticket sozial is available only from certain customer centres. Which one is the right one for you depends on what administrative district or municipality you live in. Here you will find an overview of the customer centres for the administrative districts of Minden-Lübbecke, Herford, Gütersloh and Lippe, and for the city of Bielefeld. When you select your administrative district or municipality, the corresponding customer centre will be shown. If multiple customer centres are shown, you may choose between them.

Herford administrative district

Don’t forget: renew your proof of entitlement

Your proof of entitlement is issued to you in the form of a customer card. You can apply to your municipality to obtain the customer card. With it, you can then order the Deutschlandticket sozial.

Important: the customer card must be renewed.

Eine Frau zeigt ihre Kundenkarte, die sie für das Deutschlandticket sozial berechtigt.

Your customer card is only valid for a certain amount of time and must be periodically renewed. Otherwise, you will not be able to continue using your Deutschlandticket sozial, because it is valid only for as long as your customer card is. 

  • Therefore, apply to your municipality for renewal of your customer card before it expires. 
  • Then submit your new customer card in time to the transport company from which you ordered your Deutschlandticket sozial.  
  • To maintain the validity of your Deutschlandticket sozial, you must do this before the expiry date of your customer card.
  • Please note: you will not normally be sent a reminder that your customer card is due to expire.

What happens if you don’t renew your customer card: 

  • If you don’t renew your customer card in time, your Deutschlandticket sozial will be inactivated, making it no longer valid. 
  • If you continue to use the invalid Deutschlandticket sozial, you will be fined 60 euros in a ticket inspection, which you must then pay.

 

What the Deutschlandticket sozial includes

Number of persons
1
Preconditions for purchase

Available only to persons with proof of entitlement (customer card)
Number of journeys
Any number of journeys
Period of validity

All hours

Area of validity

Use of buses, trams, urban trains (Stadtbahn) and underground trains (U-Bahn), and 2nd-class use of local and regional trains (S-Bahn, Regionalbahn, Regional-Express), throughout Germany. Does not include long-distance trains (ICE, IC/EC) or private carriers.
Transferability

Non-transferable. May not be used by other persons.
Accompanying persons

Not included. Accompanying persons require their own tickets.
Carriage of bicycles

Not included. An additional ticket (FahrradTicket) is required for the transport of bicycles.
1st-class use

Not included. For 1st-class transport, an additional ticket is required at a surcharge.
Night buses

Not included. Local exceptions are possible. With the Deutschlandticket sozial, moBiel night buses within the city of Bielefeld may be used at no extra charge. For transport on moBiel night buses beyond the Bielefeld city limit, additional charges apply.
Minimum contract duration

No minimum period of contract. Can be cancelled monthly by the 10th of a month.

Payment method

Monthly SEPA direct debit

Regional tickets for eligible persons

Not everyone needs a ticket that is valid nationwide. Regional monthly tickets for eligible persons remain available for the Gütersloh, Minden-Lübbecke/Herford and Lippe administrative districts and the city of Bielefeld.

Bi-Pass Ticket

9 Uhr Bi-Pass Ticket

TeutoEmsTicket

WeserWerreTicket

MobiTicket Lippe

MobiTicket one
You aren’t sure which of the ticket offerings is the best one for you?
Here are the most important differences:

Regional monthly tickets for eligible persons:

  • are valid in buses and trains in a designated administrative district or municipality, e.g. the Lippe administrative district or the city of Bielefeld
  • are available on buses, from ticket machines, at points of sale and customer centres, online and via app (customer card required) 
  • can be paid for using cash or card (no SEPA direct debit) 
  • are valid for one month
  • are issued as a paper or digital ticket

The Deutschlandticket sozial: 

  • is valid for all buses and trains throughout Germany
  • is sold on a subscription basis only and must be ordered (customer card required) 
  • can be paid for only by SEPA direct debit
  • is valid for as long as the holder’s proof of entitlement is valid or until cancelled by the holder
  • can be cancelled from one month to the next
  • is issued as a chip card