Amsterdam offering free public transport for people with lower incomes

Starting in April, people with lower incomes will be able to get a free ticket for use on the greater Amsterdam public transport system. The transport region hopes to compensate "people who desperately need this" due the higher rates in public transport.

The public transport tariffs of regional carriers will rise sharply next year, by an average of 7.24 percent. The higher prices are partly caused by higher energy costs and inflation.

The tickets available for free are those with which you can travel freely for an hour and a half in all buses, trams and metros in the Amsterdam area. From April, anyone earning no more than 130 percent of the minimum income level can apply for the tickets through a website.

Up to eight tickets can be ordered per home address, according to the transport region. That is enough to reach any and all destinations within the transport region, and return to the point of origin, for an average family, said Vervoerregio Amsterdam.

It is estimated that more than 95,000 households will be supported with the action, said Amsterdam’s alderman for transportation policy, Melanie van der Horst. "Of course it would be nice if all travelers could be compensated. For example, by abolishing VAT on tickets. We ask that the Cabinet get to work on this."

The free tickets can only be issued from April due to the preparation time needed, according to the transport region.