School transport

Pupil transport is provided by the local authorities that run the schools, i.e. the independent towns and districts. They are responsible for the pupils living in their area.

Pupils at primary school and middle school (lower secondary level) are entitled to reimbursement of travel costs; this generally also includes the first year of vocational school (primary level). Pupils at upper secondary level (secondary level II) are not entitled to school transport.

The costs of school transport can only be reimbursed if the journey to school is at least 2 kilometres long: the journey to school for primary school pupils must be more than 2 kilometres long, for pupils in year 5 and above it must be more than 3 kilometres long. Only if the journey to school is particularly dangerous or the pupil is disabled can the costs for a shorter journey be reimbursed.

As a rule, the school authority must organise school transport via local public transport.

The costs for the journey from home to the relevant school are reimbursed. For secondary school pupils, the costs of travelling to the nearest school where the desired qualification can be obtained at the end of the intermediate level are reimbursed. If the parents decide to attend a school other than the responsible or nearest school, the maximum costs reimbursed are those that would have been incurred if the student had attended the responsible or nearest school.