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More than 2000 subscriptions have now been requested. Seniors can still sign up and travel for free for almost another year.

On September 19, 2022, the Free Public Transport trial for 66 plus started in the province of Utrecht. People over the age of 66 with a low income could apply for a free public transport season ticket from that moment on. More than 2000 subscriptions have now been requested. Seniors can still sign up and travel for free for almost another year. The province held a poll among the first 600 participants.

This survey showed, among other things, that 33% of all participants are not aware of the possibility of the existing age discount that people aged 65 and over can get for public transport. A fairly large part of the target group has lost money as a result. 60% of the participants want to use the Free Public Transport season ticket to visit family and friends. An almost equally large group, 59%, cite 'medical visit' as the goal. The costs of public transport are highly overestimated by a large group of elderly people (91%). Finally, almost half of all participants (46%) expect to use public transport 'much more often' after receiving the Free Public Transport season ticket.

With the Free Public Transport subscription it is possible to make free use of the bus, tram, local bus and flex services of U-OV and Syntus Utrecht throughout the province of Utrecht. Travelers can travel after 09.00:XNUMX on weekdays and all day on weekends and public holidays.

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For who?

Older people who have reached the age of 66, live in the province of Utrecht and have no more to spend than € 17.700 per year, can make use of this offer from 19 September. Everyone who can demonstrate with an income statement from the Tax and Customs Administration that he/she meets these conditions and has registered will receive a free public transport season ticket that will be loaded onto their personal public transport chip card. The trial with free public transport runs until December 9, 2023. People who register now can travel for free for almost a year.

They can get the free public transport subscription on the website www.gratisreizenouderen.nl to request. Here is explained what steps people have to take to apply for the subscription. When people cannot access the internet or need help with the application, they can go to the library where an Information Point for Digital Government (IDO) is present. The list of participating libraries is also available on the website. Explanatory leaflets are available from libraries and the U-OV service shops at Utrecht CS and Syntus Utrecht at Amersfoort station.

The initiative for this action comes from the coalition agreement of the province of Utrecht, in which a trial with free regional public transport has been announced. This is intended to give elderly people with a tight budget more freedom of movement and opportunities to establish social contacts. The campaign with free travel is made possible with a financial contribution of 1,3 million euros from the province of Utrecht.

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