Complimentary parent-child admission tickets available in various regions of North Rhine-Westphalia
In the heart of Germany, the Westphalia Tariff Association has announced a new initiative aimed at promoting safe and environmentally-friendly school travel. The parent-child ticket is a round trip between a child's home and school, valid from August 11th to September 5th, within the second class of public transport within the Westphalia Tariff Association.
This ticket is designed to replace "parent taxis" or car journeys to school, and it is only valid for school days during the period it is offered. Interested children can exchange the voucher for a ticket at the secretary's office of the primary school or at the customer center of the local transport company Aseag at the bus station.
It's important to note that this ticket is not available at machines or in an app, but is distributed through schools. The ticket is integrated into a flyer that needs to be cut out and validated before the journey in the bus, train, tram, or at the station.
The goal of the action is to help children practice safe behavior on their school journey, convey a sense of security, and relieve the environment by reducing car journeys to school. On the outward journey, the ticket is only valid when accompanied by a child, but on the return journey, the adult can travel alone.
The home and school addresses should be entered in advance on the back of the ticket. The ticket is valid for children aged between 6 and 14. This initiative is not a nationwide policy, as availability and ticket conditions vary regionally and by transport provider.
In some regions, such as Hamburg (HVV), children under 6 years old generally travel free of charge on public transport. In other regions, children aged 6 to 14 often travel free or at reduced fare with parents or grandparents on Deutsche Bahn regional trains. However, these free travel rules are also subject to local public transport associations' conditions.
In the Rhine-Sieg Transport Association (VRS), for instance, children under six years old and children under seven years old who are not yet attending school always travel for free. However, there is currently no such offer as that of the Westphalia Tariff Association in the VRS.
The city of Aachen offers a free 'discoverer ticket' for families whose children are transferring to secondary school. The voucher for the 'discoverer ticket' is distributed to fourth-graders via their primary schools. This ticket allows children to get to know their new school route relaxed and with their parents by bus and train.
In the past, some transport companies in the Rhine-Ruhr Transport Association (VRR) have initiated actions to allow practicing traveling by bus and train. However, the VRR does not offer a comparable ticket to the Westphalia Tariff Association's parent-child ticket.
Parents are encouraged to check local public transport authorities for exact offers and requirements to ensure their children can travel safely and affordably to school. The new Westphalia Tariff Association's parent-child ticket is a step towards promoting sustainable and safe school travel in the region.
[1] Source 1 [2] Source 2 [5] Source 5
- Pursuing personal growth and learning, this new initiative by the Westphalia Tariff Association focuses on education-and-self-development, aiming to promote safe and environmentally-friendly school travel for children, thus encouraging discipline and social skills.
- Parents who are concerned about their child's personal growth and learning can opt for the Westphalia Tariff Association's parent-child ticket, a resource that not only promotes sustainable travel but also fosters independence and responsibility in children.
