Frankfurt – November 03, 2026 -- Payments with Germany's girocard cost transit operators just under 1% of turnover on average, against 2.2% for international debit cards and 2.5% for credit cards, according to a Deutsche Bundesbank study cited in a new girocard public transport survey.

Fifty-two percent of riders would use check-in/check-out ticketing

The infas quo survey of 1,129 respondents, commissioned by girocard in September 2026, found that 52% would use a check-in/check-out system. Of all respondents, 36% would like to check in and pay with their girocard. In a mobility app, 47% would choose the girocard as payment method if it were offered.

The debit card is in a pilot phase for in-app payments. It can be integrated into check-in/check-out systems in future.

Half of passengers already buy tickets online

Half of respondents (50%) buy tickets online: 31% via an app and 19% via the operator's website. Another 22% still use on-site vending machines. Almost daily users of bus or rail include commuters (41%), people under 30 (40%) and big-city residents (39%).

Riders want simple (87%) and fast (81%) purchasing, with a clear pointer to the cheapest fare for a given trip (81%). Defective machines (50%) and unclear ticket selection (36%) remain the main irritants.

Fifty-seven percent of riders want a domestic or European payment system

A majority of 57% say it matters that ticket payments run through a nationally or European-anchored payment system. The girocard is a card scheme "made in Germany" that meets this preference.

The cost comparison draws on the Bundesbank study "Costs of Payment Instruments in Retail 2025," which ranks the girocard as the cheapest payment method relative to turnover.