Our prayers have been answered! The House of Representatives has seen the light and decided to cancel the planned fare increase for Dutch train, bus, and tram tickets.
Yup, that’s right. Those planned rate increases on 1 January were looming over our heads — but now, they have (rightfully) been banished.
€300 million to the rescue
Why was the Dutch government planning on increasing public transport fares by 10% in the first place?
The answer is fuel prices, an increase in personnel costs, and the loss of coronavirus-related support for public transport, Het Parool reports.
However, before any of this could actually happen, “a large parliamentary majority” — that is, the VVD, D66, CDA, PVV, SP, BBB, Volt, and SGP — have swooped in to save the day by supporting a change of plans.
Instead, the goal is for The House of Representatives to release €300 million to help stave off an increase in transport prices, as well as prevent “unprofitable” bus routes from being scrapped in 2024.
Trying to keep train prices on track
Train ticket prices, in particular — which are predicted to increase by 7% on January 1 — are an issue this “parliamentary majority” is aiming to combat.
Ideally, the NS will be gifted with an additional €120 million to keep ticket prices the same as this year, and our wallets can heave a sigh of relief. 🚝
READ MORE | What your favourite Dutch mode of transport says about you
Dutch politician Miriam Bikker also shows her support for this cause. Arguing that public transportation essentially makes the Netherlands go round. Without being able to commute to school or work, “the community crumbles”. 👀
Are you happy about this plan to keep transport fares the same? Share your thoughts in the comments below!