Cancellation of the free youth climate ticket!
The Austrian federal government has officially announced the cancellation of the free KlimaTicket Ö designated for young adults aged 18, as part of a package of austerity measures aimed at reducing the budget deficit. This decision was made on Friday evening by the Ministry of Transport, managed by Peter Hanke (SPÖ - Austrian Social Democratic Party).
This decision ends a project that was considered one of the most significant achievements of former Minister Leonore Gewessler, who belonged to the Green Party and served as Minister of Climate Protection. Gewessler strongly criticized this measure, considering it a blow to the freedom of youth in Austria, stating that this ticket was an investment in the future, to encourage young people to use public transport and participate in climate protection.
According to the ministry, only 25,000 young people benefited from this free ticket out of about 89,000 eligible since its launch in July 2024, which is only a quarter of the expected number, leading the government to see that the return does not justify the cost.
Although the government initially allocated 120 million euros for this project, the actual costs were much lower, as the free ticket was only used by one-fifth of those entitled to it at the beginning of this year.
In a statement, Dominic Oberhofer, a member of the NEOS party in the Austrian parliament, pointed out that this initiative cost the state about 15 million euros in 2024 alone, and he explained that in light of the current financial crisis, it is no longer possible to offer such "financial gifts."
On the other hand, the tickets that have already been issued remain valid until the end of their specified duration. Young people under the age of 26 can obtain the discounted KlimaTicket Ö Jugend for 884.20 euros annually, which is less than 2.50 euros per day.
Güßler criticized the paradox of continuing to fund expensive projects like the Lobauautobahn tunnel and supporting foreign transport companies through diesel subsidies, while support for the youth is being cut. She concluded by saying: "This is unfair."