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Free public transport
Public transport not funded by fares from passengers From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Free public transport, often called fare-free public transit or zero-fare public transport, is public transport which is fully funded by means other than collecting fares from passengers. It may be funded by national, regional or local government through taxation, and/or by commercial sponsorship by businesses. Alternatively, the concept of "free-ness" may take other forms, such as no-fare access via a card which may or may not be paid for in its entirety by the user.
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On 29 February 2020, Luxembourg became the first country in the world to make all public transport in the country (buses, trams, and trains) free to use.[2][3][4][5] On 1 October 2022, Malta made its public transport free on most routes, though unlike in Luxembourg, this applies only to residents.[6]
As some transit lines intended to operate with fares initially start service, the organisation may elect not to collect fares for an introductory period to create interest or to test operations.
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Types
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City-wide systems
Several mid-size European cities and many smaller towns around the world have converted their public transportation networks to zero-fare. The city of Hasselt in Belgium is a notable example: fares were abolished in 1997 and ridership was as much as "13 times higher" by 2006.[7] Tallinn, the capital city of Estonia with more than 420,000 inhabitants, switched to free public transport in 2013 after a public vote.[8]
In the U.S. state of Washington, 14 rural transit systems have adopted zero-fare policies, either permanently or through pilots in the 2020s.[9] Fares for passengers aged 18 and younger have been free on most local and inter-city transit systems in the state since September 2022. The program was part of a larger statewide transportation package and also includes inter-city Amtrak trains operated by the state, as well as the Washington State Ferries system.[10]
Kharkiv in Ukraine is the largest city in the world with free public transport with a population of 1,420,000 residents, where free public transport for everyone has been introduced in 2022.
Since 2025, local transport in Belgrade, a city with 1,380,000 inhabitants, has been free.[11]
Local services
In July 2017, Dubai announced it would offer free bus services for a short period of time on selected days.[12]
In the northwestern United States, some tribal governments offer free bus service on their respective reservations, including on the Muckleshoot,[13] Spokane,[14] Umatilla[15] and Yakama Indian Reservations.[16]
Emergency relief
During natural disasters, pandemics, and other area-wide emergencies, some transit agencies offer zero-fare transport.
United States
Sonoma–Marin Area Rail Transit commuter rail temporarily offered free service for those needing transportation alternatives during the 2017 Tubbs Fire and 2019 Kincade Fire.[17][18]
Some agencies, including the Central Ohio Transit Authority and King County Metro, offer free public transport during snow emergencies to reduce the number of vehicles on the street.[19][20]
COVID-19 pandemic
During the COVID-19 pandemic, several agencies paused the collection of fares to alleviate concerns that the virus could be transmitted on surfaces, to keep travelers from coming into close contact with employees, or to allow rear door boarding on their vehicles. These agencies are mostly located in smaller cities where the farebox recovery ratio is low as they could afford to implement this policy without a major hit to revenue.[21] A study was conducted to detail the ways that fare collection during the pandemic varied geographically and demographically. During this time, 63.5% of the 263 public transit agencies studied had suspended fare collection. Geographically, the alleviation of fares was common around urban centers like San Francisco, Los Angeles, Seattle, New York City, etc and less obvious in northwestern states.[22]
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Benefits
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Operational benefits
Transport operators can benefit from faster boarding and shorter dwell times, allowing faster timetabling of services. Although some of these benefits can be achieved in other ways, such as off-vehicle ticket sales and modern types of electronic fare collection, zero-fare transport avoids equipment and personnel costs.
Passenger aggression may be reduced. In 2008 bus drivers of Société des Transports Automobiles (STA) in Essonne held strikes demanding zero-fare transport for this reason. They claim that 90% of the aggression is related to refusal to pay the fare.[23]
A randomized controlled trial conducted in Santiago, Chile, found that access to fare-free public transport increased overall travel by 12%, particularly boosting off-peak travel by 23% due to a rise in both public transport and non-motorized trips.[24]
Commercial benefits
Some zero-fare transport services are funded by private businesses, such as the merchants in a shopping mall, in the hope that doing so will increase sales or other revenue from increased foot traffic or ease of travel. Employers often operate free shuttles as a benefit to their employees, or as part of a congestion-mitigation agreement with a local government.[citation needed]
Community benefits
Zero-fare transport can make the system more accessible and fair for low-income residents. Other benefits are the same as those attributed to public transport generally:
- Road traffic can benefit from decreased congestion and faster average road speeds, fewer traffic accidents, easier parking, savings from reduced wear and tear on roads
- Increased public access, especially for the poor and low waged, which can in turn benefit social integration, businesses and those looking for work
- Environmental and public health benefits including decreased air pollution and noise pollution from road traffic
Research findings from Stroud & Bekhit (2023) about inclusivity gaps in FFPT research studies Research of fare-free public transport (FFTP) studies by Stroud and Bekhit (2025) reveals that only 25% of the studies significantly consider non-dominant groups of the population in their research, with extensive knowledge gaps about FFPT impacts on marginalized communities.[25]
Global benefits
Global benefits of zero-fare transport are also the same as those attributed to public transport generally. If use of personal cars is discouraged, zero-fare public transport could mitigate the problems of global warming and oil depletion. On average, cars emit one pound of CO2 per mile driven.[26] Public transport helps to reduce the number of vehicles being driven which results in decreasing carbon emissions. Cars are also responsible for emitting other pollutants such as antifreeze.[26]
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Countries with countrywide zero-fare transport
- Luxembourg was the first country to offer free public transport (trams, trains, and buses) for everyone across the entire country. Since 29 February 2020, all public transport has been free in the country, with the exception of the first class on trains.[27][28]
- Estonia wants to become entirely zero-fare. Counties in Estonia are allowed to make public transport free. Between 2018 and 2024, buses were free of charge in 11 of Estonia's 15 counties. Public transport in Estonia's capital, Tallinn, has been free to local residents since 2013.[29][30] As of January 2024, free local transport in the counties was largely abolished, but remains available for people up to 19 years of age and those aged 63 and over.[31]
- Malta became fare free for all residents on 1 October 2022.[32]
- There are UK-wide provisions for free bus travel for senior citizens (60-years-old and over in Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and Greater London, state pension age for England).[33][34][35] The Scottish government has also implemented free bus travel across the country for people under 22-years-old since 31 January 2022, while the Scottish National Blind Person Scheme allows free rail and ferry travel for blind persons.[36][37] The senior citizens bus pass also apply to rail and rapid transit (the Tube) in Greater London, Wales, and Northern Ireland.
- Romania has made public transportation including buses, subways and inter-country trains free for all pre-university students. However university students only have the option for a 50% discount on individual inter-country train tickets or inter-city subscriptions.[38]
- In the Netherlands, students with Dutch citizenship get free public transportation country-wide in trains, trams, buses and metro. Students who are studying at universities of applied sciences and universities need to finish their degree ten years after starting it or they will need to pay back the amount of money.[39][40]
- Throughout Spain, from 1 September to 31 December 2022, all multi-trip ticket train journeys on commuter services and medium-distance routes (less than 300 kilometres (190 mi)) were made free of charge.[41]
- Since March 2024, the Hungarian national railway company MÁV does not charge those of ages 65 and over and 14 and under for transportation.[42] Buses of the company Volánbusz can also be used free of charge from people of these same age ranges.[43]
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List of towns and cities with area-wide zero-fare transport
Europe
Asia
Americas
Brazil
Canada
United States
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Perception and analysis
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Fare-free transit has been repeatedly demonstrated to increase ridership—especially during non-peak travel periods—and customer satisfaction.[137] Several analyses[138][139][140] have shown ridership increased by as much as 15% overall and about 45% during the off-peak periods. The effects on public transport operators included schedule adherence problems because of the increased ridership and more complaints about rowdiness from younger passengers, though there is a reduction in altercations relating to fare collection.[138] When the University of California, Los Angeles covered fares for the university community, ridership increased by 56% in the first year and solo driving fell by 20%.[140]
In the United States, mass transit systems that collect fares are only expected to generate about 10% of the annual revenue themselves, with the remainder covered by either public or private investment and advertisements.[116] Therefore, politicians and social-justice advocacy groups, such as the Swedish network Planka.nu, see zero-fare public transport as a low-cost, high-impact approach to reducing economic inequality.[141] It has also been argued that transportation to and from work is essential to the employer in the managing of work hours, so financing of public transportation should fall to employers rather than private individuals or public funds.[142]
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See also
- Car-free movement
- Effects of the car on societies
- Movimento Passe Livre, Brazilian movement campaigning for free public transport
- Planka.nu Swedish membership network which pays the penalty fare if you get caught without paying ticket
- Reduced fare programs
- Transport divide
- Universal basic services
- Universal transit pass
- Urban vitality
- 9-Euro-Ticket (in Germany in June, July and August 2022)
Further reading
- Štraub, Daniel; Hess, Daniel Baldwin (2025). "Re-examining fare-free public transport for greater inclusivity". Transportation Research Interdisciplinary Perspectives. 33.
References
External links
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