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Public transportation fares could sink a student's budget

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Public transportation fares could sink a student's budget

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A single ticket with a two-hour duration is DKK 22 (almost € 3). There are other options, like the multipass (10 tickets for DKK 195; € 26) or the monthly pass (DKK 290; €52). You can always risk it to ride the bus/tram for free (if no one catches you). But that can end up costing a DKK 100 fine (€ 134).

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Photo credit: Steven Depolo (Creative Commons Licences)

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The total inclination point is up to 34 metres, according to Google Maps. For those who live in Risskov, the northern area, the challenge is even greater. The total inclination of the longest slope in the city, going from Nordre Ringgade (where the main campus is) to Randersvej (where the ground starts to get flat), is  47 meters high.

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Choosing a bike, despite being cheaper, comes with a challenge in hilly Aarhus. The hills make it impossible to arrive without sweating or feeling exhausted. For students living in Aarhus C (south of campus) the heavy part of the journey starts when they're trying to get to campus.

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Every day hundreds of students bike their way to Aarhus University campus, located in Vestre Ringgade between Langelansgade and Randersvej, to attend classes. This scene is one of the most regular sights in Aarhus, which is considered one of the best and safest cities to bike. According to Aarhus Municipality, almost one in four people use their bicycle to move around the city. It has the highest bicycle usage compared in the modal split (meaning  the percentage of travellers using a particular type of transportation) to other cities within the Baltic Sea region.

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For Danish students, who are more accustomed to the ground and weather conditions, the distance is more important. "I definitely consider cycling as the cheapest option, but if it is more than 4 kilometres I would take the bus," says Kenneth Tai.

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There are still some sunny days in Aarhus' weather forecast but everyone is very much aware that winter is coming. That said, students are confident that their bike investment is going to save them from paying the high fares of having to ride the bus or the tram. "I guess I'll see when the snow comes or when the roads are frozen, maybe I'll have a different opinion. I'm very stubborn, I paid for the bike so I'm going to use it", says Giulia Nevini, a 20-year-old student from Italy. Affordability is key to her stubbornness.

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"I don't want to spend so much money in one day"

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"I don't want to spend so much money in one day"

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"I'm just telling myself: 'It's okay, it's okay, just be strong, and hold it stronger'", says Shrouk Ghonim, a student from Egypt who has only been using her second-hand bike for three weeks but is already familiarized with the tricky aspects of biking as a foreigner. This includes the ever-changing Danish weather. Still, this is a small price compared to the bus/tram fares. No matter the struggle.
For those choosing to buy instead of renting a bike, Ghonim has a treasured piece of advice: every Tuesday, Reuse offers a free-of-charge check your bike service.

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"Taking the bus is painful in Aarhus", described Emily, an exchange student from Germany, as she stood in front of the Student House, one of the most frequented places for scholars. She would prefer to ride a bike every day, but she lives "too far away" to consider it. She estimates that the regular use of public transportation costs her almost 50 euros (372 DKK) a month. On account of the “expensive” fare, most students opt to buy or rent a bike instead.

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Students, especially those that come from abroad, are conscious of the importance of environment-friendly practices and healthy habits. At the core of this decision, however, is their budget. "I’ll be saving around 180 DKK (€ 24) per month by not taking the bus”, claims Nitesh Khatiwada, a student from Nepal.