Bucharest public transportation company to give student passes only via mobile app

Discounted transport passes for students in the Bucharest-Ilfov region issued by the Bucharest Transport Company (STB) can now only be obtained through the YouthTB mobile application.

The YouthTB app allows the purchase of metropolitan subscriptions valid during the school year on all surface public transport lines in the Bucharest-Ilfov region, regardless of the transport operator, without the need to have a transport card.

To benefit from a free subscription, the user must be up to 26 years old and have the status of a student enrolled in an accredited educational institution in Bucharest or Ilfov county. The confirmation of the student status is done automatically through the application, based on the personal identification number filled in during the account registration.

Students who cannot use the app or are not confirmed eligible by the Ministry of National Education can still obtain passes but only in exceptional cases. A form is available at all STB ticket sale points and can be downloaded from the company's website. Once filled out, the form can be submitted at any ticket office. Importantly, the form must be completed for each pass purchased.

It is unclear what will happen with the reimbursements given by universities for students who do not have a subscription and buy one after this change. Students pay RON 40 (EUR 8.2) out of RON 80 (50% discount) and this amount can be reimbursed at the university secretariats, according to Edupedu.ro.

To get reimbursements, students need a copy of the transport card, ID card, and a bank statement. It is likely that students will be asked for a print-screen proof instead of a copy of the physical metropolitan transport card.

(Photo source: (STB on Facebook)