Can’t pay for public transport? As of May 8, people with lower incomes in the Amsterdam region have the opportunity to get 8 free public transport tickets.
These tickets are intended for anyone who earns up to 130% of the minimum income and grants an hour and a half of travel time on buses, trams, and metros throughout the Amsterdam public transport region (Vervoerregio Amsterdam).
The Vervoerregio Amsterdam public transport system includes the city of Amsterdam and 13 other municipalities: Aalsmeer, Amstelveen, Diemen, Edam-Volendam, Haarlemmermeer, Landsmeer, Oostzaan, Ouder-Amstel, Purmerend, Uithoorn, Waterland, Wormerland, and Zaanstad.
Let op: this does not cover the use of the NS, the Netherlands’ national rail operator.
The rise in public transportation costs
This initiative comes at a crucial time, as there has been a significant increase in Dutch public transport prices over the past few years.
I cannot be the only one thinking the public transportation price in the netherlands is just too expensive
— CMDWS🍜🥢🌛⚖️ (@calvindws) September 28, 2022
This year alone, public transport prices rose by an average of 7.24% due to higher energy costs, wages, and inflation. This has resulted in many households struggling to afford the cost of transport tickets, reports RTL Nieuws.
The Amsterdam alderman for transportation, Melanie van Der Horst, noted that she hopes this program will “ease some of the financial burdens for the most severely affected group.”
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Alderman Marja Ruigrok in Haarlemmermeer, where Schiphol Airport is located, expressed the same sentiment as Van der Horst. In a press release, she stated: “It’s wonderful that we, as a transport region, can collaborate with our transport operators during these hard times for many people.”
Who qualifies for these tickets?
According to Van der Horst, approximately 95,000 families across 14 Noord-Holland municipalities qualify for the initiative.
Each household can request up to eight tickets annually through a dedicated website: www.gratis-ov.nl. This allows a family to reach all destinations within the transportation region and return home without the stress of having to pay for a ticket.
The tickets are also distributed through food banks, thrift stores, and other socially involved organisations.
What do you think of Amsterdam’s new initiative to help low-income households? Tell us in the comments below!
