On July 14, 2022, GVB, the operator of public transport in Amsterdam, Duivendrecht, Schiphol, Amstelveen, Diemen and Vespe, announced the sale of daily passes for all types of public transport operated by it in Amsterdam at a price of 1 euro. Prior to that, such a ticket cost 8,5 euros. The offer is valid for the summer period. It will be possible to buy such a pass until August 26, and you need to use the purchased tickets until September 30. Offer valid only for residents of Amsterdam, Duvendrecht, Schiphol, Amstelveen, Diemen and Vesp.
Why are tickets cheaper?
GVB's goal is to encourage residents of the metropolitan area to use public transport more frequently. If the Dutch do not use a car for short journeys, it will be possible to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Ticket prices have been reduced as part of the company's green strategy.
GVB Commercial Director Ellen Swinkels said that the company has more and more high-quality and comfortable electric buses and trams. The idea of starting to use public transport again should seem attractive not only because of the reduction in environmental impact. The new ticket will allow you to move around Amsterdam for 24 euro for 1 hours - an amount that is not enough to pay for even one car parking.
Daily tickets for public transport can be purchased at service centers and stops of the GVB company. Location map of ticket sales points.
Should we expect cheap tickets for trains and electric trains?
Many European countries have announced free or low cost public transport programs in the summer. In June, a cheap train ticket (9 euros) for trains was launched in Germany, and in Spain, part of the routes on the railways will be free from September to December.
While GVB is offering something similar in Amsterdam, the government is refusing to subsidize such endeavors nationwide. The Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management explains this by saying that it doubts that motorists will switch to public transport. As a result, the same people who used to ride in it will ride, but they will pay less. The initiative itself will cost taxpayers at least four billion euros, and there is no extra money in the budget.
Representative of the Netherlands Railways (Nederlandse Spoorwegen (NS))
Oscar van Elferen said that the train fare reduction initiative sounds good to the company, but NS doesn't have the money to implement it on its own.
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Publication Date: 19.07.2022
