A starting circuit arrangement for starting at least one discharge lamp by applying an electrical starting voltage pulse to the discharge lamp, the starting circuit arrangement has: at least one source circuit arrangement for providing an electrical primary voltage pulse, at least one starting circuit for providing the starting voltage pulse, and at least one inductive coupling element for inductively coupling-in the primary voltage pulse into the starting circuit for the purpose of generating the starting voltage pulse. The inductive coupling element has a transformation ratio for a voltage transformation which is selected from the range of from 1/25 to 1/400. A method for starting a discharge lamp by applying a starting voltage pulse using the starting circuit arrangement is also disclosed.