The launch this summer by Deutsche Bahn and German regional companies to offer a €9 ticket has put the spotlight back on the idea of low-cost travel on public transport. The ticket allows unlimited use of all regional transport for one month. The German government's initiative is a fantastic publicity stunt for public transport. But it is not the first initiative of its kind in Europe.
Le Luxembourg is in fact the forerunner of this initiative. Since 2020, all public transport in the country has been free for all.. The offer includes the CFL (railway company) network as well as inter-city buses and trams in the capital. Only 1st class tickets are charged.
This policy is having a positive effect. According to LUSTAT, the Grand Duchy's statistics office, 16.6 million users used Luxembourg's rail and bus lines in 2021, an increase of 14.5% compared with 2020. Admittedly, the figure is down on the pre-Covid period. But 2021 will also be marked by people moving home and working remotely. For the Luxembourg Minister for Transport, François Bausch, " the government wants to make Luxembourg a mobility laboratory" .
Luxembourg, a model country for free mobility
The second state to take the plunge next October, Malta has announced that its bus network will be free throughout the island. However, the measure is less radical than in Luxembourg, as only Luxembourg residents will benefit. Visitors will still have to pay the price of services. Visit Estonia, the country's major cities, including the capital Tallinn, offer free transport servicesbut again only to their residents.
Other European cities also offer drawer" free transport. This is the case of Amsterdam and Manchester. For the former, only the ferry lines are free. The rest are not, which is a shame because public transport in Amsterdam has become particularly expensive. On the other hand, three free bus routes (Free Bus) criss-cross the metropolis in the north-west of England, particularly from stations.
Visit SwitzerlandTravellers who pay the tourist tax (in a hotel or tourist accommodation) can use public transport free of charge. This measure applies to the cities of Basel, Bern, Geneva and Lausanne.. Only Zurich has not adopted it...
38 towns offering free public transport in France
Free public transport takes shape in France to varying degrees depending on the area. Medium-sized towns such as Aubagne, Cahors, Châteauroux, Dinard and Niort led the way. The trend is now spreading to the major cities.
Dunkerque is the most progressive city in France for public transport. With almost 200,000 inhabitants, it is in fact the largest city in France to have made all its public transport free of charge since 2018. It's extremely easy to use. You can get on and off the bus as you please, without needing a ticket. Dunkirk has been emulated by Calais and Douai, who have also introduced free public transport for all..
Other conurbations have adopted a free public transport "à la carte. And so, Rouen introduced free public transport every Saturday from the end of 2020. A ticket is required - to be purchased in a branch or on the Astuce network app. But it is not counted at the time of purchase. Nancy and Nantes offer a similar measure to all users - both residents and visitors - every weekend. No ticket is required to use buses or trams in these two cities.
In the south, Montpellier has decided to move towards free transport in stages. Public transport is already free for all residents at weekends with a Weekend Pass (which is only issued to travellers who live in the conurbation). In 2023, public transport will be completely free of charge. But still reserved for residents only of the Occitanie metropolis.
With 38 regions offering free public transport services, France is the leading European country in this field.
