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Petrol and diesel in Germany are set to get up to 17 cents a litre cheaper from Thursday 1 October 2026, if parliament passes a fuel tax cut this week. The federal cabinet approved the draft law, and the Bundestag and Bundesrat are due to vote on it this week, public broadcaster ZDF reported on 22 September. The cut would run until 31 December.
It comes after pump prices hit record levels. Nationwide averages reached about 2.31 euros a litre for E10 petrol and 2.47 euros for diesel in mid-September, The Local Germany reports.
If you are driving in Germany this autumn, the change mostly affects when you fill up. Our guide to the best road trip routes in Europe covers drives where fuel is a large part of the budget.
- What: a 14 cent cut in energy tax, which with VAT means up to 17 cents a litre less for petrol and diesel.
- When: planned from 1 October to 31 December 2026.
- Status: cabinet approved; Bundestag and Bundesrat votes expected this week.
- Next step: a temporary fuel price cap planned by 1 January 2027 at the latest.
- Status date: ZDF report of 22 September 2026 and The Local Germany of 21 September.
Up to 17 Cents Off Petrol and Diesel From 1 October
The federal government and the states agreed the package on the evening of Friday 18 September, ZDF says. Of the 17 cents, 14 come from a lower energy tax and about three from the lower VAT that follows from it. The cut applies to both petrol and diesel.
A finance ministry spokesman told ZDF the cabinet approved the draft by written procedure and that the government clearly expects the relief to reach consumers. It will cost the federal government and the states about 2.5 billion euros, shared equally.
The start date depends on the law passing in time. Until it is passed and published, 1 October is the target rather than a certainty.
Will the Full 17 Cents Reach the Pump?
Germany ran the same tax cut in May and June 2026. ZDF says about 80 percent of it was passed on then. The Local, citing the Ifo Institute, reports that the saving on Super E5 and E10 was passed on in full, but that diesel drivers saw only about 12 cents of the 17 cents on average.
Prices went back up when that discount ended at the end of June. Expect the same at the start of January if the cut expires on 31 December as planned and no price cap is in force.
A Fuel Price Cap Planned for January
The government also plans a temporary, crisis-related cap on fuel prices, modelled on schemes in Luxembourg and Belgium, from 1 January 2027 at the latest. A spokeswoman for the economy ministry told ZDF she could not give firm dates, so the timing is not settled.
The Local says a dedicated authority would set the upper limit from international prices and costs such as transport and storage, so the cap could rise with global oil prices.
What Drivers in Germany Should Do
If your trip starts in the last days of September, buy only the fuel you need until 1 October, then fill up once the cut is confirmed in force. Do not make a detour just to wait for it.
Compare prices once the cut starts, since not every station passes it on in full. Stations just off the Autobahn are often cheaper than motorway service areas. If you are crossing into France, note that many French stations are short of fuel, so top up before the border.
| If you are… | What to do |
|---|---|
| Driving in Germany before 1 October | Buy only what you need until the cut starts. |
| Driving between October and December | Compare stations. Not all pass on the full cut. |
| Driving a diesel car | Expect a smaller saving, based on the spring round. |
| Crossing into France | Fill up in Germany before the border. |
| Planning a January trip | Budget for prices rising if the cut ends. |
Cheaper from October. Up to 17 cents a litre less, if parliament passes the law this week.
Partial pass-through. Diesel drivers saw about 12 cents of the cut last time.
January uncertain. The cut ends 31 December, and the price cap has no firm date.
When does Germany’s fuel tax cut start?
It is planned from 1 October to 31 December 2026, subject to votes in the Bundestag and Bundesrat this week.
How much cheaper will fuel be in Germany?
Up to 17 cents a litre on petrol and diesel, if the cut is passed on in full.
Did the last fuel tax cut reach drivers?
Mostly. ZDF says about 80 percent was passed on in May and June, with less for diesel.
Is Germany introducing a fuel price cap?
Yes, a temporary cap is planned by 1 January 2027 at the latest, but the date is not firm.
