Luxembourg Becomes First Country to Make All Public Transport Free

Luxembourg has become the first country in the world to offer a free public transport system, in a bid to reduce congestion from car traffic.

The government in the Grand Duchy has put the plans in place, meaning that all trains, trams and buses are now free to be used. Free travel would be available from February 29.

François Bausch, the minister of mobility and public works, describes the move as: “The social icing on the cake of the global strategy for a multimodal revolution.”

The last opportunity to pay the €2 flat fare was on bus number 6 from the Pletzer stop in the suburb of Helfenterbruck, at 11.59pm last night.

I would imagine that most would’ve just waited for the next bus.

A spokesperson for the Luxembourg government said: “As 2020 is a leap year and as the concerts and celebrations are happening tomorrow, it has been decided to make public transport free as from tomorrow, in order to allow everybody to join the public events free of charge.”

The change has not been welcomed by everyone. Several people have expressed the opinion that the change to free public transport is only going to lower the quality of the services.

“I’m not sure if making public transport free here in Luxembourg will take more people out of their cars,” said Claude Moyen, a teacher who regularly uses the train to get to work.