This European city made public transport free a year ago. Here’s what happened next.
Ian Smith, 23 December 2024, EuroNews
Montpellier introduced free public transport to combat the climate crisis and to ease the cost of living for its residents.
Public transport usage in Montpellier has increased by a third after it was made free one year ago, new figures reveal.
The city of 510,000 inhabitants says it has seen 110 million trips on its public transport network since the scheme was introduced on 21 December 2023, compared to 84 million trips in 2019.
“Free public transport means taking action for our children’s and grandchildren’s future in the face of the challenges of climate change, by making CO2-free mobility accessible to all,” Michaël Delafosse, the mayor of Montpellier, and Julie Frêche, the vice president of the Montpellier metropolitan area, said in a joint statement.
How did Montpellier make public transport free?
The plan to make public transport free to all residents has been gradual. In 2020, it was free at the weekends, and the following year, it became free for under-18s and those over 65.
Two years later, the ambitious move to make it universal came into force, making Montpellier the biggest European city to introduce such a measure.
[Montpellier has about 300,000 residents as of 2024. Ed.]
Only residents are eligible, and they must sign up using a photo ID and proof of address in exchange for a free transport pass. The pass must be scanned on every journey so the city can track usage statistics.
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