Free practice tickets for students: This is how children start school safely!

Free practice tickets for students: This is how children start school safely!

In North Rhine-Westphalia, support for local public transport (ÖPNV) is progressing - especially in view of the upcoming start of school on August 27, 2025. Students and their parents can look forward to special campaigns aimed at making the journey to school safer and easier. In various transport associations, including Aachen and in the Westfalentarif area, free special tickets are offered so that parents can practice with their children how the route to school works. The main aim of this initiative is to make the transition from primary school to secondary school easier and provide a feeling of security. According to [wa.de].

But that's not all: The city of Aachen has also launched the “Discoverer Free Ticket”, which helps fourth graders get used to their new route to school before the summer holidays. These vouchers can easily be exchanged for tickets and are a great way to take away children's fear of the unknown. School institutions play a central role here, as students receive flyers with the tickets in their primary schools. Other transport associations in North Rhine-Westphalia, such as the various ones in the Ruhr area, do not yet offer such extensive offers, which could increase the demand for a nationwide introduction. This is also made clear in a report by tagesschau.de, where it is pointed out that the success of these initiatives depends on nationwide and regular practice days depends.

Call for equal opportunities in education

In view of the rising cost of living and the dependence of many families on public transport, the State Parent Association of Integrated Schools in North Rhine-Westphalia e.V. (LEiS-NRW) is calling for the introduction of a free student ticket. According to leis-nrw.de, such a ticket would not only significantly reduce the financial burden on low-income families, but also equal opportunities in education support financially. Harald A. Amelang, chairman of LEiS-NRW, said that families could save several hundred euros a year by introducing a free student ticket, and these savings could then be invested in education or leisure activities.

A free ticket would also reduce private transport, which is an important argument in view of the climate crisis. Fewer cars on the road means fewer CO2 emissions and helps improve air quality. The positive experiences in other federal states show that attractive public transport can help promote more sustainable mobility habits at a young age and thus make a long-term contribution to climate protection.

The importance of regular exercise days

Several studies show the importance of such offers. Around 37% of primary school students and 60% of secondary school students regularly use public transport to get to school. It is important that the children not only complete one day of practice, but also have the opportunity to familiarize themselves with using public transport several times. Federal Parenthood emphasizes that much more than a single day of practice is necessary. Instead, at least two appointments per school year as well as parent information evenings should be offered to ensure that children and their parents are well prepared for the start of school.

It will be exciting to see how NRW responds to the demands of parents and associations. With the right support, we can ensure that routes to school become safer and children's mobility becomes more equal.