Budapest leaders make public transport free for under-14s

City

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The municipal council of Budapest on Wednesday voted unanimously to make public transport in the city free for children under the age of 14 from September 2, according to a report by state news wire MTI.

The resolution noted that just 28% of people traveling in the capital have opted for public transport because of the pandemic. Passenger numbers have dropped 30-40% from 2019, while revenue from tickets is down 40%, which translates as a HUF 30 billion drop in turnover.

The city council expects to "break even" on the measure as allowing under-14s to travel free of charge is expected to attract more fare-paying parents. Just one in ten of the 121,000 students under 14 must be accompanied by an adult for the step to pay for itself, according to the resolution.

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