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Baden-Württemberg launches new budget transport ticket for young people

The southwestern state of Baden-Württemberg unveiled its new 'Jugendticket' on Wednesday, giving young people in the state unlimited travel for just €1 a day.

Published: 1 March 2023 17:30 CET
Baden-Württemberg Jugendtick
A press photo for the launch of the Jugendticket in Baden-Württemberg. Photo: picture alliance/dpa | Christoph Schmidt

The budget transport ticket – which is initially due to run until 2025 – is aimed at both young people and students and trainees in the southern state. 

Young people can purchase it up to the age of 21, while those in further education or who are undertaking volunteer work can nab themselves a ticket until the age of 27. 

Both of these groups can purchase an annual travel card that will be valid on both regional and local transport throughout the state for €365 per year – or €1 per day. 

According to the state website, the ticket will also be accepted by every one of the 19 transport operators who are active in the state. 

Other states around Germany – including Bavaria and Hesse – have previously rolled out identical deals for youngsters in their state, while some regions offer comparable monthly tickets or discounts for students and young people. 

The plans for the Jugendticket were originally set out in the coalition agreement for Baden-Württemberg’s governing coalition – comprised of the CDU and the Green Party – after state elections in 2021. 

It was funded with a €327 million cash injection from the state, which covers 70 percent of the costs, and money from local district councils. 

READ ALSO: How employees in Germany could get a discount on the €49 ticket

From March 1st, young people and students can get hold of the Jugendticket at ticket office around Baden-Württemberg, but also have the option to get hold of an ‘E-ticket’ online.

The state website explains that students and young people who already have a subscription may be able to switch to the Jugendticket and get their money back for the remainder of their Abo.

However, this will apparently depend on which transport operator the subscription is with.

A €49 ticket rival?

The launch of the Jugendticket comes just two months before Germany is set to roll out its own nationwide travel offer: the €49 ‘Deutschlandticket’. 

The deal was conceived by German transport ministers as a budget-friendly successor to the hugely popular €9 ticket, which was available for three months last summer as an energy relief measure.

The new ticket enable people to travel all across Germany for a €49 rolling monthly Abo, and, much like its predecessor, will be valid for local and regional transport but not long-distance IC and ICE trains.

However, in recent weeks, student groups have criticised the deal for being too expensive and have called on the government to offer further discounts.

READ ALSO: ‘Deutschlandticket’: What you need to know about Germany’s new €49 travel ticket

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WILDLIFE

Southern Germany sees explosion of mosquitos after floods

First flooding, and now a plague of mosquitos: hoards of the annoying bloodsuckers are spreading on Lake Constance. Here's what to expect if you are visiting the region.

Published: 24 June 2024 16:57 CEST
Southern Germany sees explosion of mosquitos after floods

After severe floods in southern Germany, conditions are ripe for mosquito populations to explode, according to an expert in the region. 

Rainer Bretthauer, environmental and climate protection officer at the city of Radolfzell on Lake Constance, told DPA that the popular holiday location is already seeing signs of a mosquito plague.

 Bretthauer said that the floods have offered perfect conditions for egg laying, resulting in masses of mosquito offspring.

People living around the area or visiting should be prepared, Bretthauer said. He suggested, for instance, wearing loose-fitting and long clothing.

Timing also plays a role when you’re outside. “They tend to bite during twilight hours when the temperature is higher than 18C,” he said. 

Mosquitos ‘not a bad thing for wildlife’

While growing mosquito hoards may ruin peoples’ camping trips and planned lake vacations, for local wildlife, the mosquitos are a good thing, according to the Nature and Biodiversity Conservation Union (Nabu).

“All the insects that are now developing are a very important food source for many fish species and also for birds,” said Eberhard Klein from Nabu in Constance.

Around 50 species of mosquitoes are known in Germany. Some of them are counted among the so-called floodwater mosquitoes, which increasingly hatch after flooding.

According to experts, these mosquitos are particularly zealous blood hunters, as they have to reproduce quickly before the favourable conditions disappear again.

Floodwater mosquitoes like to lay their eggs on moist soil, often in riparian zones and floodplains. There they can survive in the soil for several years.

When these zones flood and the temperature is favourable, the eggs develop and hatch mosquitos. Therefore large-scale flooding, as seen recently in Southern Germany, can lead to mass hatching.

Mosquito borne illness is spreading to Europe as temperatures warm

Warming temperatures brought by human-caused climate change have allowed mosquito populations to extend further northward in Europe, including disease-carrying species that were previously limited to regions closer to the equator.

For example, the Asian tiger mosquito is not native to Europe but has already been observed in much of southern and central Europe, including Germany.

Tiger mosquitos are particularly concerning because they are known to spread diseases such as dengue fever, chikungunya and Zika virus. Mass outbreaks of these infections have been rising globally. Last year local Dengue outbreaks were recorded in France, Italy and Spain.

With reporting by DPA

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