© dpa
In future, school pupils in Berlin will be issued with a standardised pupil ID card, which will also serve as a free ticket for local public transport.
The ID cards are produced centrally and sent to the schools by the BVG, according to the education authority.
"We are merging two previously separate documents, streamlining procedures and reducing bureaucracy," said Senator for Education Katharina Günther-Wünsch (CDU) when presenting the scheme. Ute Bonde (CDU), Senator for Transport, said this would make everyday life much easier for pupils and parents. Parents and guardians will no longer need to apply separately for a so-called travel permit, and school secretariats will no longer have to deal with the annual issuing or renewal of these passes.
According to the education authorities, the procedures for the new pupil ID card are currently being trialled as part of a pilot project at ten schools in Berlin with up to 7,000 pupils. The plan is to roll this out to all state schools during the second term of the 2026/2027 academic year. An app for a digital pupil ID card is also due to be launched at that time.