With the introduction of a statewide price cap for the Check-in/Check-out system CiCoBW, Baden-Württemberg is taking a further step towards simpler and more user-oriented fare systems in public transport. Since April 2026, passengers pay a maximum of €72 per calendar month—regardless of the number or length of their journeys on local public transport.
This strengthens CiCoBW’s position as a flexible counterpart to traditional season tickets and, in particular, to the Deutschlandticket.
Easy access without tariff knowledge
CiCoBW is based on a digital “check-in/check-out” principle: passengers check in via a smartphone app when boarding and check out again when alighting. The system automatically calculates the best fare based on the distance travelled and applies daily best-price optimisation.
The key innovation is the monthly price cap: once a user reaches the €72 threshold, all further journeys within that month are free of charge.
This form of “capping” effectively combines two previously separate fare logics:
- pay-as-you-go for occasional trips
- flat-rate elements for frequent use
Target group: occasional users and flexible mobility
While the Deutschlandticket is primarily aimed at frequent users, CiCoBW explicitly targets passengers with irregular travel patterns. These include:
- hybrid commuters
- occasional users without a subscription
- visitors and tourists
For these groups in particular, choosing between single tickets and season passes has often involved uncertainty. The price cap significantly reduces this risk by guaranteeing a maximum monthly cost without requiring any upfront commitment.
Strategic positioning within the fare system
The introduction of the price cap should also be seen as a response to the changing fare landscape following the launch of the Deutschlandticket. This has significantly reshaped the market for traditional season tickets and increased the need for complementary, flexible offers.
CiCoBW occupies an important intermediate position:
- below the Deutschlandticket as an entry-level product
- above single tickets as a convenience-driven solution
By automatically calculating the best fare, the system also removes the need for users to understand fare zones or network boundaries—a key advantage in a federally structured system such as that of Baden-Württemberg.
Technical and organisational implementation
The system is a joint initiative involving the state of Baden-Württemberg, regional transport authorities, Baden-Württemberg-Tarif GmbH and Deutschlandtarifverbund GmbH. The state provides the technical infrastructure and finances both the initial investment and the operation of the backend systems.
CiCoBW is already integrated into several mobility apps, including regional platforms as well as third-party solutions such as FAIRTIQ.
Implications for the development of digital fares
The introduction of the price cap addresses one of the key barriers to digital pay-as-you-go systems: the lack of cost certainty.
Internationally, similar models—such as those used in London or the Netherlands—have proven to be a decisive factor in the adoption of account-based ticketing. Baden-Württemberg is now applying this principle on a statewide scale in Germany for the first time.
Relationship with the Deutschlandticket
The CiCoBW price cap is deliberately set above the level of the Deutschlandticket, creating a clear tariff hierarchy. While the Deutschlandticket is designed as a universal flat-rate product and remains the most cost-effective option for daily commuters, CiCoBW addresses a different segment through its usage-based model. The monthly cap ensures that even with intensive use, costs remain predictable and limited, though not necessarily lower than those of a subscription. In practice, the two offers are complementary rather than competing: CiCoBW acts as a low-threshold entry point to public transport and may, as travel frequency increases, encourage users to transition to a subscription model such as the Deutschlandticket.
Conclusion
The introduction of a monthly price cap transforms CiCoBW into a hybrid fare model combining flexibility with cost certainty.
For transport operators, the system offers the opportunity to attract new customer segments and further lower barriers to public transport use. At the same time, it fits into an increasingly differentiated fare landscape in which flexible, usage-based products complement flat-rate subscriptions.
With the addition of the price cap, CiCoBW could serve as a reference model for the future development of digital fare systems in public transport.
01.05.2026
