The pupils, students and over-65s travel for half the price from this April31/3/2022|Press releasesFrom 1 April, the state will provide a 50% discount for pupils, students under 26 and passengers over 65 on regional and long-distance trains and buses. Children up to the age of six will still travel free of charge, while disabled people will continue to travel at a 75% discount. The government has maintained the discounts to encourage the use of public transport. "The 50% discount in public transport is attractive, socially sensitive, more responsible to the state budget and does not divert passengers from trains and buses to individual transport," says Martin Kupka, the Minister of Transport. Adjusting the discount from 75% to 50% will reduce the state budget deficit by up to 1.9 billion CZK annually, depending on the number of public transport passengers in the coming years. Since the introduction of flat discounts in September 2018, the state has so far paid over 14 billion CZK in compensation to carriers. The newly adjusted discounts will cost the state budget up to CZK 3.9 billion. Consequently, we will introduce discounts for people with 3rd degree disabilities as well. In January this year, the government asked for the most appropriate form of a general disability certificate, which is now being prepared. "We expect that its introduction will take place in the second half of the year," said Kupka. Summary of the new discount fares From 1 April 2022, pupils and students up to the age of 26 and senior citizens aged 65 and over will have a 50% discount on trains and buses. Children up to the age of six will still travel free of charge This responsible discount saves money, is socially sensitive and does not divert passengers from transport - so it represents a high standard of support for public transport We favor families with children over and above the existing discounts - we are unifying the conditions for travelling with young children on the train and on the bus; all children up to 6 years of age are free of charge In the second half of the year the discount will be extended to persons with a 3rd degree disability who have not yet been entitled to a discount - this is targeted assistance as opposed to across-the-board discounts Discounts will continue to apply for children, students, and passengers over 65 years of age; the 75% discount will remain for holders of ZTP and ZTP/P cards On the one hand, the 50% discount preserves significant savings for passengers and thus the state's support for public transport, on the other hand it will bring significant savings to the state It is estimated that the adjustment of the discounts will reduce the annual costs of the state budget by up to 1.88 billion CZK; the newly adjusted discounts will cost the state budget up to 3.9 billion CZK The purpose of maintaining the discount is to encourage public transport over individual transport, which is necessary to get back to pre-pandemic levels after the fall in public transport passengers during the pandemic The changes of the discounts are necessary because of the reduction of the national debt and the reduction of the state's operating expenses for this and future years The complete abolition of the discounts would place a burden on the region´s budgets, which would have to pay at least part of the rebates from their budgets