All areas of public transport should benefit – from long-distance trains to free travel for schoolchildren. “In this way we ensure that ticket prices remain stable and that people continue to reach their destinations safely and easily with public transport,” said Climate Minister Leonore Gewessler (Greens). Specifically, the additional costs of the federal transport companies (ÖBB, GKB and Raaberbahn) are to be covered with up to 70 million euros. “Thus, the energy costs are not passed on to the customers and the ticket prices can remain stable,” said Gewessler and Finance Minister Magnus Brunner (ÖVP) in a broadcast.
The federal government is also providing 30 million euros to cover the additional costs in the area of free travel for schoolchildren and apprentices. This money will be used to top up the family burden equalization fund to finance free travel. At the same time, the infrastructure usage charge for passenger and freight traffic will be reduced to the minimum permissible under European law.
The package is to be decided on Wednesday in the Council of Ministers and then implemented immediately. “As the federal government, we relieve commuters and enable cheap access to public transport,” says Brunner.
Source: Nachrichten
