Hikes in Swedish public transport prices as more people are being urged to leave their cars at home

Wednesday, 01 August 2012
In the past 10 years, Sweden was known as an environmental leader because there was little emission of environmentally destructive gasses. Though many Swedish people had cars, many also choose to use the public transport, which was the affordable.

But today, as the authorities have been driving a more aggressive environmental agenda such as imposing congestion charges in Gothenburg and Stockholm, which supposed to force more people to use public transportation, it turns out that the prices of public transport in Sweden has just been increasing.

Over the past ten years, on average, the price for using public transport by commuters has increased by 43 percent according to a report conducted by radio Sweden.

A monthly communal commuting ticket on public transport now cost a considerable sum. In ten years, the ticket has become 43 percent more expensive. During that period, inflation has risen by 13 percent, which does not correspond to the price increase, reports radio Sweden

Price increases varies over different parts of the country. In Blekinge, the price increase is 74 percent - from Skr560 to Skr975. The lowest increase is for Östergötland - where it cost the Skr890 a decade ago, and is now on Skr1025 today.

In Norrbotten, the monthly transport pass is the most expensive. There, travellers would pay Skr2,354 to be able to travel throughout the county. However, not many people are buying the ticket because the county is so large and many are chose to travel only in certain parts.

Conservation and environmental groups have voice their concerned about the prices rise but have not taken any serious step to question the authorities as to why they want to "have their cake and eat it." How can the government be imposing congestion charges and various forms of quarantine aimed at reducing driving and emission and the yet increase public transport cost which supposed to have been the attractive alternative. The effect is that people which run back to their cars.

Public transport in Sweden is paid for by taxpayers' money - roughly half of it, while the other half is got through fare paying passengers.
by Scancomark.se Team

What do you think about this article and us? Please leave a comment!