The first country in the world to make public transport completely free

Since March 1, 2020, Luxembourg has officially become the first country in the world to completely free public transport for its citizens.

The move was made to help reduce inequality between rich and poor. Three years on, people in the country have become accustomed to a system of commuting that is so easy, they even call themselves “happy commuters.”

For the past three years, anyone living in Luxembourg has been able to use public transport such as trains and buses without paying a penny, except for premium carriages. Tourists to Luxembourg will also be able to travel for free.

Luxembourg officially became the first country in the world to make public transport completely free.

Luxembourg, with a population of 650,000, despite lacking long-distance highways, has the highest car ownership rate in Europe, according to AFP analysis. Therefore, encouraging people to use public transport also helps to restore clean air and reduce traffic congestion.

Gauthier Moumkama - French resident living in Luxembourg: "Even residents living near the border, especially those from Belgium, Germany and France, will travel easily. There is no service like this in France".

Luxembourg, along with the rest of the European Union, is trying to transform itself into a carbon-neutral economy by adopting green technologies in transport, energy, factories and farms. Prime Minister Xavier Bettel’s government has invested €800 million a year in public transport. It also has the most well-funded electric vehicle network in Europe per capita, at a cost of €500 per person per year.

Mr. François Bausch - Deputy Prime Minister of Luxembourg: "The tram system works continuously to meet the needs of the people. The cars are of high quality, run on their own priority lines and will not get stuck in traffic. And the same is true on the rail network".

Before this regulation was implemented, public transport fares in Luxembourg were also relatively cheap: a ticket to travel between any two points in the country, regardless of the distance, cost 2 euros, or about 46,000 VND. Making public transport free for citizens is part of a major project to change the face of Luxembourg's transportation, with the government planning to modernize the rail network and improve cross-border transport, including train, tram and bus infrastructure.

According to VTV.vn

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