Luxembourg is first country to make all public transport free
Luxembourg is to become the first country to offer a free public transport system, as the government tries to reduce particularly dense car traffic. Luxembourg is to become the first country to offer a free public transport system, as the government tries to reduce particularly dense car traffic.
From March 1, 2020 all public transport-trains, trams and buses-in the country is now free. The government hopes the move will alleviate heavy congestion and bring environmental benefits. To end traffic jams, Luxembourg in 2017 opened the first section of its planned tram service from the capital’s southern outskirts to its airport to the north.
Private cars are the most used form of transport in the country. According to a 2018 survey by TNS Ilres, cars accounted for 47% of business travel and 71% of leisure.
Buses are used for only 32% of trips to work, followed by trains, which account for 19%. In comparison, in Paris, 69% of workers use public transport, according to Insee, the French statistics institute.
Luxembourg, by area one of Europe’s smallest sovereign states but one of four EU seats, including the European Court of Justice, is staffed by commuters who travel daily from neighboring France, Belgium and Germany.
To cope with the many commuters, Luxembourg plans to invest 3.9 billion euros in railways from 2018-28, upgrade the bus network and add more park-and-ride sites on the border.
Despite these investments, the government expects 65% of commuters to still get to work by car in 2025, down from 73% in 2017. Luxembourg is the first country to roll out free transport, but some cities, including Estonian capital Tallinn, have also experimented with the idea.
