In Franconia, December marks not only the peak season for Christmas markets. The Christkindlesmarkt in Nuremberg already opened its stalls on Friday, and in many other towns across the region, the air is once again filled with the scents of mulled wine, gingerbread, and roasted almonds.
While many are gradually getting into the holiday spirit - whether at the market or at home - a number of important changes are taking effect at the same time, impacting consumers in their daily lives. Here is an overview of what’s new.
Timetable change at the railway: new connections and cuts in franconia
With the nationwide timetable change on 14th December 2025, numerous connections will be adjusted, including those around Nuremberg, Würzburg, Bamberg, and the metropolitan region. From Nuremberg, for example, travelers will be able to reach Berlin faster and more frequently. Nevertheless, the new schedule also frustrates some commuters, as Deutsche Bahn (DB) is reducing its service on the Nuremberg - Lichtenfels - Jena - Leipzig route.
This is not the only affected connection in Bavaria: a nightly IC train pair from Berlin via Augsburg to Munich will continue to run but will no longer stop in Fürth. Furthermore, the stop for the IC train pair „Königssee“ in Ansbach has already been discontinued and will remain so for the time being.
And that’s not all: Starting 14th December the route between Leipzig and Nuremberg will see just two instead of five Intercity connections per direction and day. Additionally, some trains have to be canceled due to construction work.
There are also changes in Nuremberg’s tram service: According to the VAG, tram line 8 will run again from the Doku-Zentrum via the main station and Rathenauplatz to Erlenstegen starting 14th December. Furthermore, the schedules of several bus lines will be adjusted.
December 2025: Important changes for pensioners
Starting in December 2025, all pensioners will be required to provide bank account details, as cash payments and postal disbursements will be completely discontinued. Those who have managed without an account until now must arrange a checking or basic account in time to ensure that their pension payments are not disrupted. At the same time, the supplement for people receiving disability pensions and pensions for the next of kin will be recalculated. From now on, this will be transferred directly and automatically along with the regular pension.
Online shopping: a new button aims to make things easier
The law for the so-called cancellation button is set to come into effect just before Christmas. The aim is to make revoking an online contract as simple as making the purchase itself, according to the plan. By mid-2026, retailers will be required to implement a clearly visible button on their websites that allows customers to initiate a cancellation directly. A form will collect the essential information, after which the provider will automatically confirm the process. This is intended to replace the need to write lengthy emails or to awkwardly word a cancellation by mail in the future.
Remote control of vehicles kicks off in Germany
Starting 1st December 2025, a legal framework will come into effect for the first time, allowing the remote control of cars with legal certainty. This marks the beginning of a five-year trial phase in which vehicles can be operated from central control centers, as reported by the federal government on its website. The technology is intended to enable, for example, carsharing vehicles to drive themselves to the next user or to deploy driverless taxis flexibly.