16.05.2024
The new free public transport pass for children and young people in the state of Bremen is nearing completion: The cards have been produced, an app programmed, and preparations for sending the passes have begun. The cards will be sent out at the end of May, along with the separate mailing of the activation security codes.
New design
To ensure delivery, the children's last names should be clearly written on the mailboxes. From June 1, 2024, the FreiKarte 2.0, pre-loaded with €60 by the state, will be usable at participating leisure facilities. Two innovations are particularly noticeable compared to the first FreiKarte in 2022 and 2023: a new design and the addition of a smartphone app. The design is the result of a survey among students via the "itslearning" platform. 14,000 students from 165 schools participated and voted.
Smartphone app complements free ticket 2.0
There's also an app for the FreiKarte (free card). It lists all participating establishments and is constantly updated. The card can be activated with the security code in the app, but this is still possible on the website freikarte.bremen.de. The app also allows users to keep track of previous redemptions and the remaining balance as of the previous day. And parents of multiple children can manage all the family's cards simultaneously within the app.
60 euros per year for everyone
Otherwise, the FreiKarte 2.0 is a continuation of the first card: It is sent automatically to all children and young people up to the age of 18 with their primary residence in the state of Bremen. It is loaded with €60 credit; at the beginning of 2025, it will be automatically topped up with another €60.
With this card, children and young people can pay for admission to numerous leisure activities in Bremen and Bremerhaven, such as cinemas, swimming pools, museums, laser tag arenas, and much more. In some cases, necessary equipment, such as specially required shoes, can also be rented with the card. Newborns and children and young people who have recently moved to the state of Bremen also receive the card: Their data is verified and the card is resent each month.
Free ticket – the information
The free public transport pass was introduced by the Bremen Parliament in 2022 to help children and young people return to a normal life after the restrictions of the COVID-19 pandemic. This initiative is now being continued, as studies show that children and young people are still suffering from the long-term effects of the pandemic. Regardless of their parents' financial situation, the free public transport pass continues to provide equal access to a wide range of leisure activities in Bremen and Bremerhaven.
The FreiKarte is a prepaid card given by the state of Bremen to all children and young people whose primary residence is in Bremen or Bremerhaven. With the FreiKarte, children and young people can pay at participating leisure facilities, for example, for admission to the cinema, swimming pool, theatre, or museum in Bremen and Bremerhaven. The card is loaded with €60 for the year 2024. It will automatically reload with another €60 in 2025.
Children with a block on information disclosure
If a disclosure restriction is in place for the child's data, no card will be sent via our service providers. In such cases, parents and guardians can use the contact form at freikarte.bremen.de to provide all the child's information.
Source: Free Hanseatic City of Bremen, Senate Chancellery, Press Release , May 16, 2024