Offer for 18-year-olds

Every fifth person uses the free climate ticket

The FPÖ and ÖVP announced on Thursday that they want to abolish the free climate ticket for 18-year-olds. So far, around one in five people have taken advantage of the offer. The actual expenditure would therefore probably be less than the calculated savings.

The abolition of the free climate ticket for 18-year-olds is expected to bring savings of 120 million this year. This sum was budgeted in the climate ministry. However, the actual expenditure would probably be lower. So far, one in five 18-year-olds has taken advantage of the ticket.

According to the Ministry, around 89,000 people per year are eligible. In 2024, 17,000 of them actually used the offer. Since the turn of the year, a Youth Climate Ticket (up to the age of 25) has regularly cost 884.20 euros. Previously it was 821 euros. This results in costs of around 14 million euros for the past year. To reach 120 million euros, around 136,000 tickets would have to be issued at the new price.

Who is entitled and for how long
The free climate ticket for 18-year-olds was introduced on July 1, 2024. Anyone who turned or will turn 18 on or after January 1, 2024 and is resident in Austria is eligible. The start date can be freely chosen between the 18th and one day before the 21st birthday. Anyone who did not redeem the ticket in the previous year can still do so.