Malta placed second in a Greenpeace ranking of public transport ticketing systems across 30 European countries, scoring full points for its free service across the island.

Valletta, meanwhile, topped a separate list, together with Estonia’s Tallinn and Luxembourg’s capital, ranking European cities’ ticketing simplicity, prices and social discounts.

This first report on so-called ‘climate tickets’ claims that such a ticketing system is gaining ground in Europe.

The environmental group defines ‘climate tickets’ as affordable, long-term tickets that are valid on all means of public transport in a country or region. By making public transport affordable for all, people can switch from private cars to greener forms of mobility, helping tackle the climate crisis.

It looked at the systems adopted by the EU’s 27 members, Norway, Switzerland and the UK, and, separately, their capitals, scoring points for the simplicity of the ticketing system, the full price of long-term tickets, discounts for socially disadvantaged groups and the VAT rate.

Luxembourg, which scored full points, became the first country in Europe to make all public transport – including trains – free. As of 2020, travellers do not need tickets to travel on public transport.

Malta placed second with 88 out of 100 points. As of last October, the island made all public transport in the country free of charge, except express bus lines and ferries.

Despite public bus transport being free, tickets still exist, and passengers need to get a free personalised ticket.

Luxembourg (100) and Malta (88) – the two EU states with the smallest population according to the latest Eurostat data – were followed by Austria (81 points), Germany (69 points) and Cyprus (63 points).

At the very bottom of the list, Bulgaria did not score a single point, while Croatia and Greece got two points each.

Croatia received its sole two points for a pilot project offering free transport for primary and secondary school students and Ukrainian refugees on all trains. Norway tied with Latvia third from bottom, with three points. Greece scored its only two points because VAT has been temporarily reduced until June 30 to 13%.

Norway scored its only three points for the moderate VAT rate of 12%. The Scandinavian country has a dense railway network, but there is no climate ticket, nor an annual ticket for all railway lines.

Dublin, London, Amsterdam, Paris with lowest scores

In its concluding remarks, Greenpeace says its analysis shows there is no ideal climate ticket. 

“Only a handful of countries have introduced something that could be called a climate ticket or something close to it. 

“Cities are generally more progressive than countries… almost all cities have long-term tickets or subscriptions for all means of transport, and all cities offer discounts for socially disadvantaged groups. However, in some cities, the regular ticket is clearly too expensive.”

Dublin (36), London (40), Amsterdam (48) and Paris (56) got the lowest scores in the city rank, while Valletta, Luxembourg and Tallinn got full points (100).

Although London allows people aged over 66 to travel for free after 9am on weekdays, its ticket fared as the most expensive across Europe.

The price of a regular public transport ticket, following price level adjustment would cost a Londoner €4.11 a day. This is the most expensive across the continent, followed by €3.16 in Dublin and €2.34 in Paris.

Excluding cities with free public transport, Prague, Bratislava and Rome’s tickets are the cheapest at 60c, 67c and 68c respectively.

Rome might increase the prices substantially this year, however, Greenpeace notes that many countries and cities have made public transport more affordable in recent weeks, months and years.

“In doing so, these progressive countries and cities have set a Europe-wide trend towards climate tickets. The political and public discussion about climate tickets has started in many countries, including Belgium and France. 

“Even if the introduction of climate tickets, as in Austria or Germany, takes some time and always requires public funding, reducing the costs of public transport can be a quick and easy way to shift people from cars to trains and buses, and it helps combat the cost-of-living crisis and growing transport poverty. What all countries can do very quickly is reduce or abolish VAT on public transport as a first step to make tickets cheaper.”

Legally, the VAT on public transport tickets can be reduced to zero, as is already the case in Denmark, Malta, and (temporarily) Finland, the report adds.

Greenpeace ranking