Austrians tattoo their way to free train tickets via body billboards.

Consumers define “value” in their own unique ways, but what Austrians will do to get free public transport tickets is something else.

To promote its environmentally-themed KlimaTicket (i.e., climate ticket), Austria’s climate minister recently green-lit a public transportation program that gave free transport around the country for one year. In exchange, takers would need to get an Austrian rail card image or logo tattooed on their skin.

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“This action gets under your skin,” the Austrian public transport ministry said on Instagram. “Carry environmental protection with you and wear one of our KlimaTicket motifs@electricloveautTattoo 2023.”

“If you are one of the first three courageous people to have your logo or a KlimaTicket card engraved, you will receive a KlimaTicket valid for one year for free,” the agency noted. “Which motive would you get stung?”

The KlimaTicket is an Austrian public transport ticket that enables users to pay an annual fee for regular access. The annual costs amount to approximately 1,095 euros annually, or about three euros daily. According to government statistics, 245,000 tickets are sold annually.

The marketing campaign landed at two local festivals that took place in mid-summer – the Frequency Festival and the Electric Love Festival. The first three festival attendees at each venue could earn free passes by getting the KlimaTicket tattoo with the banner “This action gets under your skin,” an ad slogan developed by Austrian climate ticket promoter One Mobility GmbH.

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"The feedback at the festivals was extremely positive," said Jakob Lambert, managing director of One Mobility GmbH. "The campaign is extremely well received by the target group, there are extremely many visitors who want to beautify their bodies with tattoos."

Not everyone was so supportive of the tattoo ticket gambit.

“I know my way around when it comes to questionable tattoos, often created spontaneously in a party mood,” noted National Council of Austria member Henrike Brandstoetter on Twitter/X. “(Yet) the Klimaticket tattoo is above all not worth it. Offering people money for putting advertising under their skin – and from a minister – reveals an unacceptable view of humanity.”

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