Luxembourg to make public transport free

Luxembourg is to become the first country in the world to allow free travel for everyone on public transport.

The tiny European country’s coalition government, which was re-elected last week, has pledged to scrap fares on trains, trams and buses by the beginning of 2020.

The Guardian reports that the capital, Luxembourg City, has 110,000 residents – but another 400,000 commute in for work. This means that congestion is a major problem, with research suggesting that city drivers spent an average of 33 hours in traffic jams in 2016.

The newspaper says that free transport for every child and young person under the age of 20 has been in place since the summer, while secondary school students can use free shuttles between school and home.

US senator – and former presidential candidate – Bernie Sanders, welcomed the government’s decision, tweeting: “Congratulations to Luxembourg for taking the important step of making their public transportation free. At a time when scientists are warning us that we must take immediate and aggressive action to curb our carbon pollution emissions, public transit is already an excellent way to give people the option to get out of their cars and into buses and trains.”

Earlier this year, Estonia announced that it was flirting with the idea of free public transport nationwide, after implementing it in the capital, Tallinn.

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