Luxembourg will make their public transport free of charge as of March 1st.
This is the first country which will remove fares from trains, buses, and trams; however, they won’t extend the concept to their on-demand service that’s used by disabled travelers.
This is one of the smallest countries in Europe with 602,000 citizens; however, their traffic jams are serious.
But, this is expected to change- the government is hopeful that this decision will decrease the congestion and boost the environment.
The Big Traffic in the Small & Rich Country
Luxembourg is one of the richest countries in Europe and boasts the highest per capita GDP in the EU.
It’s nearly the size of Rhode Island and you can reach France, Belgium, and Germany from its capital by car in 30 minutes or so.
But, the high costs for housing, particularly in the capital Luxembourg City, means that more than 180,000 of their workers commute from these neighboring countries on the daily.
According to University of Luxembourg professor Geoffrey Caruso, their country is a very attractive place for jobs.
However, their booming economy and job availability has caused traffic congestion problems.
Driving is their primary way of transportation and in 2016; the country had 662 vehicles per thousand people.
And, that year, the drivers in Luxembourg spent averagely 33 hours stuck in traffic.
What Will Free Public Transport Bring?
The public transport of Luxembourg covers their whole country and it costs $562 million on a yearly basis.
Every year, it brings them around $46 million from the tickets.
The government will put up the cost of making the public transport free as they’re doing very well and want their citizens to reap the benefits from their good economy.
But, Caruso worries that this decision will unintentionally move away their citizens from walking or cycling- they may think, ‘rather than walking 500 meters, I’ll get into the bus as it’s free’.
But, this new decision may signal vital changes concerning the reliance of Luxembourg’s citizens on driving.
He explains that given the cultural shift they’re in dire need of; public free transport may help motivate their citizens to leave their cars at home.
However, the disabled travellers will have to continue paying to use the purpose-built buses for people who can’t travel alone.
The Adapto system uses 26 bus companies to provide this service in their country.
According to the centre-right CSV politician Marco Schank, there should be no discrimination between other people and people with disabilities.
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