Starting next year, young people in Austria will receive a climate ticket that is valid throughout Austria on their 18th birthday. You can then use the bus and train for free for a year.
The Austrian government wants to provide 18-year-olds with a free annual ticket for all public transport. The so-called climate ticket, which allows unlimited use of local and long-distance transport, costs 1,095 euros per year at the standard rate. Passengers up to 25 and over 65 pay 821 euros.
In the future, young people will have three years from their 18th birthday to take advantage of the free climate ticket. The coalition of the conservative ÖVP and the Greens is providing 120 million euros per year for this, as shown in the draft budget for 2024.
Making train travel more attractive
With the free card, which is due to be introduced next year, the government wants to inspire young people to use public transport. 18-year-olds are in a phase of life “in which all sorts of decisions have to be made and in which mobility behavior is also shaped,” said Climate Minister Leonore Gewessler from the Green Party.
In addition to the climate ticket for travel in Austria, attempts are also being made at European level to make rail travel more attractive: As part of the “DiscoverEU” program, the European Union is giving away free Interrail tickets for 18-year-olds. 36,000 free tickets will be raffled off to citizens of EU countries as well as people from Iceland, Liechtenstein, North Macedonia, Norway, Serbia and Turkey.
Source : Tages Schau
