Travellers in Utrecht to benefit from lower fares after bus chaos

Utrecht residents who use public transport can look forward to lower public transport fares from October. Some travellers are also expected to receive compensation for the bus chaos caused by the operator switch. 

Cheaper transport tickets in Utrecht from October

From October through December, anyone travelling by bus or tram in the province of Utrecht will only pay a maximum of 50 euros per month for fares. This applies to passengers checking in and out with a debit card or OV-pas (successor to the OV-chipkaart), reports RTV Utrecht. 

An off-peak subscription, which allows unlimited travel outside of peak hours, will also be discounted from 30 euros to 15 euros during this period. Transport fares will be even cheaper during the Christmas holidays, from December 13 to 31, when travellers will only be expected to pay the boarding fare of a maximum 1,16 euros per ride. Low-income earners (35 cents), as well as elderly and young people (77 cents), will get a further discount.

"The advantage of this compared to free public transport is that it makes it less tempting to take very short trips by public transport instead of by bike or on foot," the provincial administrator André van Schie told RTV Utrecht. "The costs of this substantial discount in December are also lower than offering public transport completely free, meaning it can be offered for a longer period and more travellers can make use of it."

A special promotion also applies this summer. From July 18 to August 30, passengers can purchase a day ticket for bus and tram transport in the region for just 5 euros, instead of the usual 10 euros.

New Utrecht transport operators caused travel chaos 

Not only will fares be lowered, but travellers with annual subscriptions will also receive compensation. These passengers will receive a refund for one month, which could amount to anywhere from 40.80 euros to 278.80 euros. 

In December last year, transport operators Transdev and Keolis took over from Qbuzz in the Utrecht region, causing major chaos for travellers when buses were delayed or did not show up at all, reports NOS. Transdev was fined 1,7 million euros and Keolis 950.000 euros for this.

The money is being used to compensate travellers for the inconvenience and poor standard of public transport, which is still considered “far below” the required level. While “regaining passenger confidence will not happen overnight”, Van Schie has said that he "expects that this is a first step."

To combat staff shortages during the summer, which contribute to the poor service, Transdev is paying its workers higher wages; bus drivers working an extra shift are paid 170 percent and are paid 200 percent for working on weekends. Both transport operators also adjusted their timetables to operate fewer bus services to reduce the chance of delays and cancellations.