Slovakia is extending its temporary 50% fare cut from trains to regional buses and city transport, as the government responds to high fuel prices and tries to encourage more people to use public transport.
Train fares for paying passengers will be halved from October 1. Regional buses and public transport in Slovakia’s eight regional capitals are due to follow from October 12.
The discounts will initially last for 30 days. The government has allocated EUR 5.3 million for trains and almost EUR 13 million for buses and city transport.
The measure is aimed mainly at people who normally pay full fares.
Eligible students and pensioners already travel free on many state-subsidised trains in Slovakia, while some passengers already qualify for reduced fares on buses and city transport.
Bus and city transport passes valid for up to one month will be included. Three-month and annual passes will not, meaning some regular commuters who have already bought longer passes will miss out.
The Union of Slovak Cities has criticised the exclusion, saying the measure overlooks passengers who use public transport throughout the year.
There will be some regional differences. Trnava and Trencin regions plan to halve regional bus fares from October 1 rather than wait until October 12. Trnava says it will cover the discount itself until state funding begins.
The government hopes the measure will persuade some drivers to switch to public transport.
Local authorities and transport experts have questioned how much difference price alone will make. Transport expert Rastislav Cenky said that “speed, reliability, regularity, frequency of connections” and sufficient capacity were more important factors than ticket prices.
Slovakia’s railways are also dealing with construction and infrastructure problems that continue to disrupt some routes.
State passenger operator ZSSK says it can add carriages or extra trains if passenger numbers rise.
The measures come just a few weeks before Slovakia’s regional and local elections. (The Slovak Spectator)