In Spain, the government already lowered public transportation prices by 50% to help people fight against inflation. Now, it will give 100% discounts.
Starting in September, people can use some trains that are operated by Renfe, a government owned company, for free.
The prime minister of Spain, Pedro Sanchez, announced that multi-journey local and medium-distance trips on government operated trains will be free from September 1 until December 31. Spanish broadcaster TVE says that the plan excludes single-journey, long-distance trips. Multi-journey tickets include a minimum of 10 round-trips.
The Spanish Ministry of Transport said that this plan encourages people to use public transportation for daily commutes. Public transportation is “safe, reliable, comfortable, economic and sustainable.” It will be helpful during this time of increased prices of fuel and energy.
This plan for Renfe trains was announced after the Spanish government already planned to reduce the cost of public transport on state-owned transportation.
Other countries in Europe are also reducing the cost of public transportation. Germany started offering a €9 ($9.50 USD) unlimited monthly ticket for local and regional transportation.
The offer in Germany will go until the end of August.
Last year, Austria also introduced a discount on public transportation called “climate ticket” (Klimaticket). The ticket can be used for all public transportation in the country. The purpose of the ticket is to encourage people to use public transportation and not drive their cars.
The “climate ticket” costs $1,267 USD (€1,095) for one full year. That’s about $3.50 USD per day.
VOCABULARY
- Public transportation (public transport) – Buses, trains, and similar vehicles that have set prices and move people around a city
- Fight against – to oppose; to counter; to do the opposite; to “fix”; to prevent
- Inflation – the cost of living increases; prices of many daily things like food go up
- Prime minister – the leader of a country chosen by a government party
- Local – connected or related to one area or region; district
- Broadcaster – a company that shares information by radio and/or television
- Ministry – a department of a government (education ministry, health ministry, etc.)
- Encourage – support; motivate; “push” someone to do something; promote
- Commute – the travel or journey between home and work or home and school
- Reliable – trusted; you know it will be good; dependable; certain; stable
- Economic – to cost less money; good value; efficient
- Sustainable – doesn’t use a lot of natural resources; not very bad for the environment; not too bad for nature
- Announce – to make information available to everyone; a declare; to say to everyone
- State-owned – a company or business that is owned by a government
Original story from CNN below:
