{"id":4789,"date":"2024-04-24T17:41:00","date_gmt":"2024-04-24T10:41:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.eurogroupconsulting.com\/?p=4789"},"modified":"2025-09-02T21:10:13","modified_gmt":"2025-09-02T14:10:13","slug":"free-public-transport","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.eurogroupconsulting.com\/en\/publications\/article\/gratuite-transports-en-commun","title":{"rendered":"What are the challenges of free public transport?"},"content":{"rendered":"
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By\u00a0Jean de Boisfleury,\u00a0<\/span><\/strong>Director\u00a0<\/span>and<\/span>\u00a0Lo\u00efck ULLIAC<\/span><\/strong>, Consultant\u00a0<\/span><\/p><\/div><\/div>

Ecological challenges, particularly those linked to the reduction of greenhouse gases, call for greater use of public transport. But in a tight budgetary context, we still need to identify the levers that will make these modes of transport truly attractive.<\/p>

In a few pioneering conurbations, free public transport has begun to take hold. But under what conditions? Is it really compatible with the \u00absupply shock\u00bb called for by the French government?\u2019Union des Transports Publics<\/a>\u00a0? And what about nationwide deployment?<\/p><\/div><\/div>

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European and French pioneers<\/h3>


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To meet the challenge of making public transport more attractive, Patrice Vergriete, then mayor of\u00a0Dunkerque<\/strong>, Chairman of the\u00a0urban community of Dunkirk<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0Opal Coast Metropolitan Cluster<\/a>, was a pioneer in introducing free public transport in its conurbation in 2018.<\/p>

Before he did,\u00a0Tallinn<\/strong>\u00a0became in 2013,\u00a0the first european capital<\/strong>\u00a0to introduce completely free public transport for its residents.<\/p>

In 2020, the\u00a0Luxembourg<\/strong>\u00a0was developing this model across the country. Its main sources of funding are\u00a0public budgets, tax revenues and other government funding sources.<\/strong><\/p>

Today, the subject is making its way into public debate in France. Since last December, residents of the M\u00e9tropole de\u00a0Montpellier<\/strong>\u00a0benefit in turn. This transformation of the model prompted a number of political reactions on a national scale, and gave a new dimension to the subject of free public transport. Today, the model of free public transport, which can be either total or based on criteria (place of residence, age, etc.) depending on the choice made by the metropolis concerned, has become the norm in France.\u00a0a dozen conurbations with more than 100,000 inhabitants.<\/strong><\/p>

From\u00a0Dunkerque<\/strong>\u00a0in 2018, with others following suit. So, good or bad idea? What are the keys to success and anticipation in this transition to free service?<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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Arguments<\/h3>

Supporters of free access<\/h5><\/div><\/div>

By making public transport totally or partially free of charge in their conurbation, political decision-makers bring a number of arguments to bear:<\/p><\/div><\/div>