Luxembourg becomes first country to offer free public transport

Luxembourg is to become the first country to offer a free public transport system, as the government tries to reduce particularly dense car traffic.

Some cities have taken similar partial measures, but the transport ministry said it was the only time such a decision had encompassed an entire country.

Public transport will be free from Saturday in a move that will affect approximately 40% of households and save each one about €100 per year. The measure is part of a broader plan to reduce congestion.

"The government wants Luxembourg to become a laboratory for mobility," says Mobility Minister François Bausch, who points to the grand duchy's fast-rising population, with a rise of 40% in 20 years.

Up to 200,000 workers, almost half of Luxembourg's workforce commute from Belgium, France, and Germany.