Stib to launch €12 annual student pass on 1 July

Starting on 1 July, all school pupils as well as college and university students in Brussels are entitled to an annual Stib pass for €12. The same fee will be applied in February of next year to all people between the ages of 18 and 24.

The government of the Brussels Capital-Region is spending €14 million a year to subsidise the passes in order to convince young people to take public transport. The hope is that when they are used to taking public transport when studying or working, they will continue to use it past their 25th birthday.

The €12 annual pass applies to all pupils and students who either live or study in Brussels. In terms of the pass being extended to all 18- to 24-year-olds next year, that will be for residents of the capital only.

“We want to of course get as many people as possible using public transport,” said Brussels mobility minister Elke Van den Brandt (Groen). “This offers a solution to Brussels traffic problems as well as the high levels of pollution with which we are faced. So we want to encourage people from a young age to use public transport.”

Last year the region had announced that the MIVB network would be free for anyone under the age of 25. The €12 pass is a compromise among political parties, but the opposition is still not happy. Liberals MR and Christian-democrats CDH are convinced it will be mean less investment in transport infrastructure and higher taxes.

Photo courtesy Stib