--- description: Luxembourg is set to become the first country in the world to offer free public transport starting next summer title: Luxembourg Set to Offer Free Public Transport image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt4f79c1e109c1ad86/698940b58fd2ee6e3935d4ef/gettyimages-539276042.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  * [World](/section/world/) ## World Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close # Luxembourg Is Set to Become the World's First Country With Free Public Transport by [Kamakshi Ayyar](/author/kamakshi-ayyar/) ## Kamakshi Ayyar Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Dec 6, 2018 9:31 AM CUT  View over the Grund quarter at Luxembourg, Luxembourg. View over the Grund quarter at Luxembourg, Luxembourg.Arterra—UIG/Getty Images by [Kamakshi Ayyar](/author/kamakshi-ayyar/) ## Kamakshi Ayyar Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Dec 6, 2018 9:31 AM CUT Next summer, commuters in the tiny European country of Luxembourg may be able to use buses, trams and trains for [free](https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/dec/05/luxembourg-to-become-first-country-to-make-all-public-transport-free "undefined"). The newly re-elected coalition government led by Xavier Bettel plans to waive fares and make the country the first in the world to offer free public transport, the [_Guardian_](https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/dec/05/luxembourg-to-become-first-country-to-make-all-public-transport-free "undefined") reports. The move is aimed at alleviating traffic congestion and furthering Bettel’s campaign vow of being environment-friendly. Sandwiched between France, Belgium and Germany, from which almost 200,000 people enter it daily to work, the _Guardian_ reports. That’s a lot of people, many with their own cars, in a very small space. For perspective, the country can be [driven across](http://www.bbc.com/travel/story/20181202-schengen-a-tiny-village-that-changed-european-travel "undefined") in a little over an hour. Luxembourg city has some of the world’s worst traffic congestion, according to the _Guardian_. The move is in keeping with Luxembourg’s new transport initiatives. Earlier this year, a new initiative allowed people under 20 years to travel for free and commuters to only pay €2 (about $2) for up to two hours of travel, which covers most of the tiny country. There are a few [issues](https://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/luxembourg-free-trains-public-transport-trams-buses-when-a8668496.html "undefined") to be sorted out before fares are abolished, such as what to do about first- and second-class train compartments. ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/5472079/luxembourg-free-public-transport/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/5472079/luxembourg-free-public-transport/"},"headline":"Luxembourg Is Set to Become the World's First Country With Free Public Transport","datePublished":"2018-12-06T09:31:11.000Z","dateModified":"2026-02-23T22:12:38.448Z","description":"Fares are due to be abolished starting next summer","url":"https://time.com/5472079/luxembourg-free-public-transport/","keywords":["onetime","overnight"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt4f79c1e109c1ad86/698940b58fd2ee6e3935d4ef/gettyimages-539276042.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Kamakshi Ayyar","jobTitle":null,"url":"https://time.com/author/kamakshi-ayyar/"}],"articleSection":"World","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt4f79c1e109c1ad86/698940b58fd2ee6e3935d4ef/gettyimages-539276042.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"View over the Grund quarter at Luxembourg","caption":"View over the Grund quarter at Luxembourg","creditText":"Arterra—UIG/Getty Images","representativeOfPage":true}],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/section/world/","name":"World"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/5472079/luxembourg-free-public-transport/","name":"Luxembourg Is Set to Become the World's First Country With Free Public Transport"}}]}] ```