One year of free public transport for the children of Rotterdam

Time to pack your bags! In a push to make rail travel more accessible to families, the municipality of Rotterdam will start its first free travel trial for kids from the new year onward! 

As of January 1, 2022, all children registered in Rotterdam aged 4 to 12 can travel for free on the metros, trams, buses, and the EBS bus line, according to the OV Magazine. That’s right — free! (Dutchies, rejoice!) 

The future is greener & a whole lot more fun 🌳🎢

This trial likely won’t be the last of its kind as cities around the EU craft new ways to facilitate a post-car future. While rail travel remains rather expensive for families, the municipality of Rotterdam hopes to change this. 

READ NEXT | Born between 2001 and 2004? Next year you could be travelling through Europe — for free!

Alderman Judith Bokhove of Mobility, Youth and Language, thinks that this move could aid children in familiarizing themselves with public transport and enable them to discover their city in new ways. Not to mention giving parents a bit of break 😅   

No good deed without its costs 

The city council approved a budget of 1.9 million euros on Thursday for the implementation of this one-year trial alone.

Faouzi Achbar, the Denk (Think) party chairman who proposed the initiative, told AD that he is optimistic about the implications of this move as he believes they are providing a positive incentive, rather than taking prohibitive measures.

Which other cities would you like to see take similar action? Tell us below 🤗

Feature Image: AllaSerebrina/Depositphotos

Caitlin Elston-Weidinger 🇩🇪🇺🇸
Caitlin Elston-Weidinger 🇩🇪🇺🇸
Though Caitlin was born in Berlin, she was raised between the beaches of Florida and mountainous Oregon but has opted for a university career in the cosy Netherlands. Four years into her Dutch journey, you’ll find Caitlin ranting about politics, upcycling jewellery for her online store, or roaming around with her analogue camera.

1 COMMENT

  1. “The city council approved a budget of 1.9 million euros…”. This means the program is NOT free.

    A more appropriate headline/take would be, “ The city of Rotterdam is spending €1.9 million so children can ride buses and other public transportation without paying. For a country with a rich tradition of riding bicycles this seems extremely counterproductive. What’s next with the city Council, will they now put in “rolpad” in schools so the children no longer have to walk between classes?

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here

Related posts

Latest posts

BREAKING: International Criminal Court in The Hague issues arrest warrants against Israel PM and Hamas leader

The International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague has just issued arrest warrants against three important figures from Israel and Hamas.  According to the NOS,...

Your guide to all the ‘lekker’ Dutch festive food and drinks you can enjoy this holiday season

Christmas is right around the corner, which means: it's time for the feasting on Dutch festive food to begin! 🎄 You might be wondering...

Best internet and SIM deals in the Netherlands: Free gifts, discounts, and more

’Tis the season… for Black Friday tech deals! From free TVs to discounts up to 70%, these are the best internet and SIM offers...

It's happening

Upcoming events

The latest Dutch news.
In your inbox.