Public transport will now be free in Luxembourg

Authored by fastcompany.com and submitted by hojogohoo
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The move aims to help reduce inequality—even though the tiny country is known for its wealth, poverty is increasing. “The objective is to stop the deepening gap between rich and poor,” the country’s mobility and public works minister, François Bausch, told the BBC shortly after the plan was first announced. “For people on low wages, transport expenses matter. Therefore it is easier to make it free for everyone.”

The fares were already relatively inexpensive: a single ticket between any two points in the country cost 2 euros (roughly $2). Many riders also already had free fares—youth under age 20, students under 30, and those who get a “social inclusion income,” a basic monthly benefit payment for the lowest-income households. For that reason, some critics have argued that the change won’t have a meaningful impact; writing in the Conversation, researchers from the University of Luxembourg said that rising housing costs were a far bigger problem, and raised concerns that without ticket fares, the already outdated transit infrastructure would continue to decline.

Still, the agency that operates transit says that fares only covered 10% of its operating costs, and the government is already planning to modernize its rail network and improve connections across borders and between trains, streetcars, and buses. By 2025, it wants to be able to move 20% more people on public transit. It also hopes to lure people out of cars—the country has the highest rate of car ownership in the EU, and 60% of commuters drive to work now, versus less than 20% on public transit. It remains to be seen how much free fares can change that equation, though some similar changes have worked well: When the city of Dunkirk, France, made its own buses free, ridership spiked 60% on weekdays.

Agonizel on February 28th, 2020 at 11:59 UTC »

As I said in another similar post already:

The luxembourgish government flaunts its free transport which is nice, don't get me wrong.

Meanwhile the housing prices rose 10% in a year which means the previous average house prices of 650'000€ rose to around 700'000€. So if you purchase a 700'000k house in Luxembourg, it means YOU ARE AVERAGE. That's mad.

My girlfriend is an engineering major and I'm a work/organizational psychology major (HR on steroids): We have both "market-relevant" Degrees, but we consider purchasing a little appartment, because we do not have any economic capital and 700'000k is just too insane. I don't think it's normal that people who went trough the luxembourgish school system and obtained such diplomas should struggle with housing.

My point is: It feels like the government isn't fixing the right problems. It is like bragging about changing a lightbulb as the running sink is flooding the place. I would much rather have to pay for public transport than having to pay for those overinflated housing prices.

trustrustrust on February 28th, 2020 at 11:16 UTC »

There goes a little bit more into that than what is said in the article. Personally i probably wouldn't put it in uplifting news... sounds to me like sticking a plaster on a flesh wound and call it a day...

the country where all public transit is free

carpenterio on February 28th, 2020 at 10:05 UTC »

I wander if the shuttle to the airport will be free as well.