Since September, low-income households in the Amsterdam region have been able to use public transport for free thanks to a new scheme from the Amsterdam Transport Region.
These households, who often struggle with the rising cost of living, can apply for up to six free public transport tickets. Each ticket allows for 1,5 hours of travel on the metro, tram or bus of the carriers GVB, Connexxion or EBS. The tickets are intended as financial relief for people on low incomes and are valid until 1 September 2025.
This scheme is an initiative to make the rising costs of public transport more accessible for people with a low income. The number of households that have difficulty making ends meet is growing, partly due to inflation and rising energy costs. For many families, the threshold for travelling by public transport has therefore become increasingly higher. The municipal government wants to lend a helping hand with this gesture, so that these households can also continue to travel freely within the region.
winning
The application procedure for the tickets has been deliberately kept simple. In contrast to other schemes where income data often has to be provided, this is based on trust. Applicants do not have to prove their income, which lowers the threshold for people who normally have difficulty with bureaucratic procedures.
There are enough for all households earning up to 130% of the minimum income. But: gone is gone.
"We see that public transport is becoming increasingly expensive and for some families and others it is really difficult to afford," says Melanie van der Horst, alderman for Traffic, Transport and Air Quality in Amsterdam. "In addition to the cards that are available online, the cards are distributed via several key figures." Van der Horst emphasizes that the scheme was created to remove financial barriers and to give people on low incomes the opportunity to use public transport without worries. The free cards are not only available online, but are also distributed via social organizations and key figures within the community, such as food bank employees.
Last year there was a similar campaign in which free public transport tickets were distributed, but it was completely sold out within a day. This year there are 95.000 bundles of tickets available, which is a big step forward compared to last year. In addition, extra attention is paid to people who are less digitally skilled. For this group, the tickets are also distributed via food banks and other social institutions. In this way, the Amsterdam Transport Region hopes to reach everyone who is eligible for this support measure.
Kenny Zschüschen, director of Venzo&Swazoom Welzijn, emphasizes the importance of the broad distribution of the cards within the community. “We are going to distribute these cards via the Social Pact in Amsterdam-Zuidoost,” he says. “That is a network of 37 parties. They have warm contacts with low-income households. And those low-income households can get access to the free public transport cards via the parties of the Social Pact.” Zschüschen is convinced, just like last year, that the campaign will be a great success and that the cards will have a great impact on the families that need them most.
rising costs
This action comes at a time when there is criticism from various quarters about the rising costs of public transport in the Netherlands. Although the use of public transport is promoted as a sustainable and environmentally friendly way of travelling, the rising prices often hit low-income households hard. The free public transport tickets not only offer financial relief, but also give people on low incomes more freedom to move around the region without worrying about the costs.
The efforts of the municipality and the transport region to distribute these cards widely, demonstrates a broader social commitment to offer everyone equal opportunities. The coming months will show how many households make use of this offer, but the signals from the field are already positive. The cards are a welcome support for many who might otherwise not have had the means to travel by public transport.
Transport region Amsterdam
Vervoerregio Amsterdam is a collaboration of 14 municipalities, in the field of traffic and public transport. This means that they work together on the roads in these municipalities, and that they ensure that the region has good public transport. In the Amsterdam region, they are the client of carriers GVB, Connexxion and EBS.
