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employment-taxAnswered

Why does Germany's commuting allowance care more about one-way distance than about what the trip actually cost you?

DF
David Fuchs
June 5, 2026 3,271 views 1 answer
GermanyPendlerpauschalecommutingBMF

Employees in Germany often assume the commuting allowance should follow fuel, tickets or whatever the journey genuinely cost. Please explain why the tax rule is distance-based instead, why that feels unfair to some commuters, and why the allowance is really about standardization rather than reimbursement.

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