Which countries in Europe have free transport?

On 29 February 2020, Luxembourg became the first country in the world to make all public transport in the country (buses, trams, and trains) free to use. On 1 October 2022, Malta became the second.



As of 2026, Luxembourg remains the global pioneer, having made all public transport—buses, trains, and trams—entirely free for both residents and tourists since 2020 (excluding first-class train travel). Malta followed suit in 2022, offering free bus travel to all residents with a Tallinja card. In Estonia, the capital city of Tallinn has provided free transit to its residents since 2013, though county-level free bus travel for adults was largely scaled back recently. Many other European nations offer targeted free transport: in the Netherlands, students enjoy free country-wide travel, while Spain has extended its "free commuter train" initiatives for multi-trip ticket holders on Cercanías and Media Distancia routes through much of 2025 and 2026. Additionally, several cities like Montpellier in France and Cascais in Portugal have implemented local free transit schemes for residents. For seniors (usually 65+), countries like Hungary, Romania, and the UK (via the Freedom Pass or similar) provide significant or total fare exemptions, making Europe the leading continent for zero-fare mobility experimentation.

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Two European countries stand out for their trailblazing free transport schemes. Estonia's capital Tallinn introduced free public transport in 2013. In 2020, Luxembourg became the first country in the world to scrap fares on all public transport.

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And after being crowned European Green Capital 2023, Tallinn is far from resting on its laurels so far as clean transport and other aspects of urban life go. Here's what it's making possible. Europe's richest country made public transport free: Could other countries do the same?

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For visitors to some European destinations, getting around town just got cheaper—and cleaner. Last month, Malta became the second country in the world to make public transportation free. Luxembourg was the first nation to scrap fares in 2020, with dozens more European cities having independently joined ranks.

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France: Public transport is already free in 39 cities and towns. Montpellier is not the only French city where residents do not have to pay anything for public transport. Since France handed over traffic management to municipal authorities in 2015, the concept has spread to 39 cities and towns.

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More than 50 cities and towns in Europe have now introduced free public transport, citing climate ambitions and social equality as their primary motivators.

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Switzerland! Yup, taking the bus or train in Switzerland will set you back quite a way with the most expensive public transport in the world (and we can't say we're surprised). A one-way trip, on average, will cost €3.56 (USD $3.97), while a monthly pass, on average, costs €79.14 (USD$88.26) — ouch!

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Among the poorest countries in Europe, Ukraine ranks as the poorest with a GNI per capita of $3,540. Moldova follows closely behind in the second position with a GNI per capita of $4,570. Albania is the third poorest European country, with a GNI per capita of $5,210.

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In 2022, Luxembourg recorded the highest level of GDP per capita in the EU followed by Ireland, Denmark, the Netherlands and Austria. Bulgaria had the lowest level of GDP per capita in the EU in 2022, followed by Greece, Slovakia, Croatia and Latvia.

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Spain has just extended its free train travel scheme through to December 2023. Earlier this year, free train tickets were introduced for short and medium-distance journeys. It started on 1 September and was originally meant to end on 31 December.

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Options for Moving to Europe: To legally reside in a European country long term, you need a foreign residence and/or work permit. The first step is usually applying for a visa from your home country. Once approved, that visa allows you to enter the country you're moving to with your U.S. passport.

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The best way to travel around Italy, if you mainly want to visit the cities like Rome, Florence and Venice, is by train. Italy has an extensive network of both fast speed inter-city trains and regional services that connect the smaller cities and towns.

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Cost of Public Transportation in Paris A credit card-like travel card that you can load tickets (think Oyster Card in London or SmarTrip card in DC). There is a 2€ fee to purchase this card. A single ticket for zones 1 and 2 costs 1.90€. A great idea is to buy a Carnet of 10 tickets for 14.50€.

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Children under 10 years old can ride public transit for free, but for adults there are other tickets for unlimited use for 24 hours (€7), 48 hours (€12.5), 72 hours (€18), and one month (€35 or €53 for a transferable, multi-person use ticket).

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