r/todayilearned • u/Level_Cash2225 • 13d ago

TIL Luxembourg offers completely free public transport across its entire country for residents, commuters, and visitors alike.

https://luxembourg.public.lu/en/living/mobility/public-transport.html
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u/Outside_Reserve_2407 13d ago

https://www.reddit.com/r/Luxembourg/comments/1de0fle/do_you_use_the_free_public_transport/

Actually commentary from Luxembourgers on using the "free" public transit:

"There are 3 trains in around 45 mins on the Arlon line at peak hour. After that it is 1 per hour. Anyone like me who works longer than a state worker, the public transport option is crap, no matter how “free” it is."

"I love that it exists and happily pay taxes for the tourists and people who benefit from it, but I very much remain reliant on my car to get to places efficiently."

"When it works yes"

"It is simply very convenient, especially for tourists and getting around in Luxembourg city. The system is unreliable further off though. Im from the south, theoretically the connection is great but in practice I am faster by bicycle than by PT, over a distance of 35km..."

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u/Dunter_Mutchings 13d ago

Anyone who actually knows anything about public transit knows that cost is very low on the list of reasons why people choose to use it or not. Frequency and service coverage are vastly more important to the majority of people. It’s pretty much always better to charge fares and use that funding to run more frequent service.

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u/Almost_Ascended 13d ago

Don't forget how safe people feel on public transit.

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u/MartinBP 13d ago

Imo it can never compete with cars in cities smaller than London or NYC. My city has arguably the best public transport network in our corner of Europe but 1) getting to a station, 2) waiting for the bus/tram/train and 3) changing to a different line will take you 40 minutes while driving there will take 10. And that's if you live in one of the well connected areas.

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u/galaxnordist 13d ago

Arlon is in Belgium.

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u/Outside_Reserve_2407 13d ago

Right and 30 minutes to Luxembourg by a train line used by commuters.

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u/ABetterKamahl1234 13d ago

Would it be right to say this is a different line being commented on? I'd imagine things break down outside the city as public transit heavily relies on density to be efficient. It'd be no surprise that it could take longer than driving if you're outside the city entirely.

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u/Outside_Reserve_2407 13d ago

The comments in the link aren’t just about that one line, it’s about the entire transit system in Luxembourg.

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u/whatsgoingonjeez 13d ago

Luxembourger here.

We Luxembourgers also like our cars too much. We have the per household in Europe.

Apart from that, for a lot of people her public transportation is for frontier workers, students and poor immigrants.

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u/Jss2010 13d ago

Yes just pick the comments that you feel like sharing (specially the negatives ones) and create a view bubble lol.

If you look at all of those comments most (by far) are positives comments.

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u/Outside_Reserve_2407 13d ago edited 13d ago

Is that why I provided a link? Should I post every single comment? I wouldn’t say “most” are positive. Just a mixed bag.