Luxembourg becomes first country to make public transport free
People in Luxembourg will never have to pay any fare anymore while traveling in rail, bus or tram from today.
People in Luxembourg will never have to pay any fare anymore while traveling in rail, bus or tram from today.
This is an unexpected attempt of the government of the Grand Dutchy to introduce this initiative. With this, they become the first country to abolish fares nationwide.
"Providing free transportation" was a prime policy by Luxembourg's ruling coalition, comprising the centrist Democratic Party, the left-wing Socialist Workers' Party and the Greens, reports the Independent.
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The objective of this step is to reduce the gap between rich and poor and encourage people to shift towards public transports. Because Luxembourg has more cars per capita than any other country in the European Union, and only one in five commuters use public transport.
Until now, the country was already offering free trains, buses and trams to everyone under 20, and to students aged up to 30.
The transport writer Nicky Gardner, who is on her way to the small nation for the event, said: "To give an entire country free transport is revolutionary. Apart from encouraging commuters to shift from their cars, it will slowly transform the attitudes of an entire population towards public transport."
