Public transport to be free for over 65s (and under 10s) in Aix-Marseille
The new measure will apply to 240,000 children and 500,000 over-65s
The measure will come into force in Aix-Marseille from September
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Public transport in the Aix-Marseille metropolitan area in south-east France is to be free for those over 65 and under 10s from this September in a new €10 million project, the department president has said.
Martine Vassal, president of the Bouches-du-Rhône département and the Aix-Marseille metropolitan area, announced the change on January 30.
The measure will come into force from September 1 this year, and will apply to the area’s buses, trams, metros and coaches, as well as the maritime shuttles (in season) and the TERs (within Marseille city limits).
The free travel will be available to around “240,000 children under the age of 10 and 500,000 people over the age of 65,” said Ms Vassal. She added that the cost to the metropolitan area is estimated at €7 million - €10 million.
Ms Vassal said that the measure was particularly “important at a time when many households are suffering a significant loss of purchasing power as a result of inflation”.
Those travelling for free will still need to get a ticket and validate it, but it will be free of charge.
Children under age six are already permitted to travel for free on the network, as are those in the forces (military, police, firefighters and prison guards). People with very low income and/or disabilities are also already permitted to travel for low fares.
Other free transport areas
It comes after the Montpellier metropolitan area (Hérault) - which has 500,000 inhabitants spread over 31 communes - became the first French local authority of its size to make its public transport free for all in December 2023.
Read also: Montpellier to be first French city to make all public transport free
Similarly, the town of Aubagne, on the eastern outskirts of Marseille, introduced free public transport for all its users in 2009.
Around 50 other towns across France also offer free public transport, including Dunkirk, Calais, Bourges, and Compiègne. The largest of these towns, Dunkirk, has had free public transport since 2018.
Paris and the Ile-de-France region do not have free transport, but authorities this year introduced a new ‘flat fee’ ticket to simplify travel across the department and encourage public transport use.
