public services free travel

• Free Travel Pass

Contact Information

The Free Travel Scheme is administered by the Department of Social Protection (DSP) and all queries about the scheme should be directed to the Department by emailing [email protected] or calling 071 915 7100.

More details on the Free Travel Scheme can be found on their website.

About the Free Travel Pass 

The Free Travel Pass allows holders to travel free of charge on public transport services in Ireland including Bus Éireann, Dublin Bus, Go-Ahead Ireland, Iarnród Éireann, Luas, TFI Local Link and Kilkenny Services operated by City Direct. The Free Travel Pass is also accepted by many commercial bus services.

You can find a full list of all operators and routes where the Free Travel Pass is accepted on gov.ie .

If you are using a PSC Free Travel Card, please hold the card to the validator until you hear a beep or see the green light.

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Public Services Card

What is a public services card, using your psc to apply for social welfare payments online, registering for a public services card, where to apply for a public services card.

A Public Services Card is usually issued when you are allocated a PPS number . If you apply for, or are currently getting a social welfare payment (including Child Benefit) you will be asked to register for your Public Services Card.

If you don’t yet have a Public Services Card - see 'Where to apply' below.

What information does this card display?

The front of the card holds your name, photograph and signature, along with the card expiry date. The back of the card holds your PPS number and a card number. It also holds a magnetic stripe to enable social welfare payments such as pensions to be collected at post offices

If you are entitled to free travel the card will also display this information in the top left-hand corner. If FT-P is written on the card the holder is personally entitled to free travel. If FT+S is written on the card the holder can travel with their spouse, partner or cohabitant. If FT+C is written on the card the holder can have a companion (over 16) travel with them for free.

If you have a Public Services Card, you can set up a MyGovID verified account to access a range of public services online .

Your mobile phone number must be verified by the DSP to set up a MyGovID verified account .

If you have a Public Services Card and want get your mobile phone number verified by the DSP, you can call: 0818 927 999.

Face-to-face registration for a Public Services Card is called SAFE (Standard Authentication Framework Environment) registration.

The Department of Social Protection will send you a letter with your SAFE registration appointment. SAFE registration takes about 15 minutes to complete and usually takes place in your local Intreo Centre . It is important that you attend for your appointment. It will help to avoid any potential difficulty with access to social welfare payments in the future. During this appointment your photograph will be taken and your signature recorded for your new Public Services Card, which will be posted to your home address. You will also be asked for the answers to some security questions.

You must bring certain documents with you to your appointment to prove your identity and address. You should also bring the letter you got confirming your appointment and, if you have one, your mobile phone. Having your mobile phone with you means that your number can be verified by the Department. You will need phone verification to access public services online . If you currently have a Social Services Card (a swipe card used to collect social welfare payments), bring that with you too.

You must prove your identify to receive a social welfare payment or benefit. If you comply with the SAFE registration process when requested, you are considered to have authenticated your identity. If you do not comply with the SAFE registration process your social welfare payments (including Child Benefit) and/or your social welfare entitlements (such as Free Travel) may be suspended.

Documents to bring to your SAFE registration appointment

1.Evidence of identity:

*If you are an Irish citizen or UK citizen and do not have a passport or driving licence as identification, you may still be issued with a Public Services Card. Additional information which can be verified to confirm your identity may be gathered at your appointment interview.

For Irish citizens born in Ireland, birth details can be verified online in most cases with the General Register Office. However, in some cases, it is not possible to locate the birth registration, so the person will need to return with a copy of his/her birth certificate.

If you wish to get a copy of your Irish birth certificate for SAFE registration purposes, you can get it from the Registrar at a reduced rate when you show your SAFE invitation letter or appointment notification.

You can read more about Public Service Identity on welfare.ie .

2. Evidence of address (applies to everyone, whether an Irish, EU or non-EU citizen):

You need to show evidence of your address. You can use any of the following documents to do this (the document must show your name and address and not be older than 3 months):

• A household utility bill
• An official letter/document
• A financial statement
• Property lease or tenancy agreement
• Confirmation of address by a third party such as a school principal/administrator, accommodation/property owner*or manager.

*If you are staying with friends or relatives an original household bill plus a note from the bill holder confirming your residency at the bill address is acceptable. This note can be written on the bill itself.

3. Additional helpful documents

If you have any of the items listed below, you should bring them along with you as they may also help to confirm your identity. If you do not have any of these, you should bring other documents or forms of photo ID instead*.

• Free Travel Pass
• Medical card
• European Health Insurance Card
• Credit/debit card
• Student card

*The following items are not acceptable as proof of identity for the purpose of SAFE registration: Baptismal certificate, work ID card, Garda form ML-10, Garda age card, photocopied certificates or documents and expired documents generally.

Lost or damaged Public Services Cards

If your Public Services Card is lost, stolen or damaged, you should immediately contact the Public Services Card Helpdesk at 0818 837 000.

Changing the name on your Public Services Card

If you want to change your name on your PSC, you must attend a SAFE Registration Centre in person with the relevant documents (see below) as a new signature is required for your PSC.

Change of name by use and repute

To change the name on your PSC, you must show 2 years' usage of your new name. To do this, you must submit at least 2 of the following documents, dating back for at least 2 years:

• Official communication with a government department
• Educational certificate
• Bank statement or card
• Utility bill
• Student or employee identification card (or similar)

Changing your name following marriage or civil partnership

To change your name on your Public Services Card following a marriage or civil partnership, you must submit:

• Photo ID in your pre-marriage/civil partnership name (for example PSC, passport or driving licence), and
• Your marriage or civil partnership certificate.

Returning to your pre-marriage or pre-civil partnership name

To change your name on your Public Services Card back to your pre-marriage or pre-civil partnership name, you must submit:

• Divorce, dissolution or legal separation agreement documents, or
• Correspondence from a solicitor showing that a separation, divorce or dissolution has been initiated.

Name changed by deed poll

If you have changed your name by deed poll , you must submit a deed poll registered with the Irish High Court.

Renewing your Public Services Card

Public Services Cards issued up to November 2018 are valid for 7 years. Public Service Cards issued after November 2018 are valid for 10 years.

Public Services Cards that were urgently renewed during the COVID-19 public health emergency may only be valid for 3 years.

You can renew your card by attending a PSC registration centre. You can also renew your PSC online .

To get a Public Services Card (PSC), you need to attend a PSC Centre. PSC Centres offer either an appointment or walk-in service.

If your local PSC Centre offers a walk-in service, you need to go to the centre during the opening hours for that centre. Find contact details to make an appointment and opening hours for walk-in centres on gov.ie .

Client Identity Services

Shannon Lodge Carrick-on-Shannon Co. Leitrim N41 KD81

Related documents

• Services for medical card and GP visit card holders Family doctors (GPs) provide certain services to medical card and GP visit card holders free of charge. 1878.9536
• Hepatitis C and the Health Amendment Act Card Services that are available to people who contracted Hepatitis C through the use of Human Immunoglobulin-Anti-D or through receiving blood products or blood transfusions in Ireland. 1549.719
• The European Health Insurance Card The European Health Insurance Card gives you access to medically necessary, state-provided healthcare during a temporary stay in another EU/EEA country. Find out more. 1472.6216

If you have a question about this topic you can contact the Citizens Information Phone Service on 0818 07 4000 (Monday to Friday, 9am to 8pm).

You can also contact your local Citizens Information Centre .

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10 ways to travel for free in the U.S.

Get creative and see the world without spending a dime

It might seem too good to be true, but there are many legitimate and easy ways you can travel for free in the U.S. With post-pandemic revenge trips on the rise, the costs of travel has risen—up 11 percent from last year!—outpacing the rate of inflation in the U.S., according to NerdWallet's Travel Inflation Report .

Traveling for free can allow you to take the vacation of your dreams even if the economy, travel prices, and your wallet aren't cooperating. For instance, some destinations offer  gratis airfare as a way to attract visitors. Hong Kong Tourism Board's Hello Hong Kong campaign is giving away 500,000 free flights and its HK Goodies is providing one million free welcome gifts. While Taiwan's Tourism Bureau will give 500,000 international tourists NT$5,000 ($165) once they arrive in the country to use toward accommodation, food, and other travel expenses.

Finances, or a lack thereof, don't have to prevent you from packing up and seeing the world this year. From working on farms in exchange for room and board to getting paid to travel while house sitting and pet sitting to embarking on cultural exchanges and contributing your time and talent to an NGO, here are 10 ways to travel for free.

RECOMMENDED: The best cheap family vacations in the U.S.

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How To Travel For Free In The US:

1.  Combine your work with travel

From travel nurse to flight attendant to travel blogging, there are many careers that can provide a long-term work-life balance that includes continuous travel. Travelnursing.org provides skilled nursing placements in all 50 states. The website connects wannabe travel nurses with up to four recruitment agencies that fill short-term work assignments that last between eight and 26 weeks.

Don't have a nursing degree? Au Pair World and InterExchange are platforms that connect host families and au pairs from around the world.

Travelers can sail the seven seas while working in hospitality, entertainment, retail, spa, photography and more aboard a cruise ship. Job board All Cruise Jobs and individual cruise line career websites list paid jobs in all areas of the cruise industry while CrewSeekers , Yacrew , and Find a Crew list opportunities for amateur and professional yacht and superyacht crews.

2.  Take a working holiday

Have commitment issues? Whether you want to work for a few days, a week, or longer, working holidays offer the chance to work short-term or seasonally in exchange for free room and board and, oftentimes, airfare too. Season Workers lists temporary and seasonal work at ski resorts and summer camps while Yoga Trade facilitates yoga-based exchanges globally by connecting yoga instructors to jobs, and Adventure Work posts adventure and ski resort jobs.

Looking to work with an NGO, contribute to a sustainable project, or experience a cultural exchange? Workaway is a platform for arranging homestays and cultural exchanges. Workawayers work for about five hours per day in exchange for accommodation and food.

Some of the most popular working holidays are teaching English abroad in programs like the Japan Exchange and Teaching Program . Founded in 1987, the government-run JET Program has placed more than 70,000 participants in schools and government offices throughout Japan. Participants' salary begins at $25,500 annually and airfare, visa, insurance, and orientation are provided (housing help is given but participants pay full costs). TEFL and Dave's ESL Cafe are job listings websites specifically for English teaching jobs abroad.

Several countries like Australia , Ireland , New Zealand , and Singapore offer working holiday visas to Americans, which allow young adults the ability to work legally while also having the chance to travel and explore the country.

3.  Become a sitter

While you will have to pay for your travel to and from these destinations, house sitting and pet sitting let you live like a local for free while watering the plants, picking up the mail, and cuddling with furry friends. Online communities, including HouseCarers and MindMyHouse , connect homeowners with housesitters while Animal Aunts and TrustedHousesitters match house sitters and pet sitters who want to care for cats, dogs, horses, birds, fish, and reptiles.

4.  Swap houses or couch surf—or both!

Looking for something more low-key? Live like a local for free with Couchsurfing , an online community of 12 million people in 200,000 cities who have been sharing their couches and love for their locales since 2004, and the newer, nonprofit Couchers . Want a place all to yourself? Consider a house swap, where you trade your place for someone else's. HomeExchange has members in more than 130 countries, HomeLink has been running its worldwide home-swapping network since 1953, and Love Home Swap offers classic or points-based swaps in 100-plus countries.

5.  Offer to move someone's car

Turn miles into money and a free road trip by transporting automobiles of all makes, models, and sizes across the U.S. Driving for a vehicle relocation company like Auto Driveaway or Transfercar is an easy way to help companies move their vehicles cross country. For Auto Driveaway, applicants must be 23 to 75 years old and have a driver's license and a clean driving record. For Transfercar, drivers help rental car companies relocate their cars and RVs and must be 18 years old (21 years old in some states) and have a driver's license that is valid in the U.S. and Canada.

6.  Plan around a work trip

Business travel + leisure = bleisure. If you have a job that requires you to hit the road from time to time, incorporate your next vacation into your work trip. When booking trips for work, try to fly out a day before or after to squeeze in some vacay time. On a tight schedule? Resist the temptation to stay in after a long day of work. Go out to eat, take a stroll, and visit attractions like museums that are open into the evening. Also, book an early morning flight to your destination so you can squeeze in a half day of sightseeing and book an afternoon or evening flight on your last day for last-minute shopping or touring. If you don't already have a job that includes business travel, consider switching to a career in sales, hospitality, and event planning, which often require some travel.

7.  Cash in those points!

There are many ways to convert everyday spending into free travel. Get credit cards like the Delta SkyMiles American Express card, which comes with annual benefits like a free companion ticket, Delta Sky Club access, and fee credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck, and the Chase Sapphire card, which provides an annual travel credit, points on Lyft, and generous points for travel and dining purchases. The points earned on these credit cards can be converted to plane tickets and hotel stays. Joining hotel loyalty programs is another way to rack up free nights.

8.  Volunteer with an organization

Lending your time and talent to teach, work on a farm, or do other work in exchange for room and board and, sometimes, airfare is an easy way to see the world. There are several volunteer programs.

For more than 60 years, the Peace Corps has partnered with 60 host countries on hands-on, grassroots-driven projects like education and health campaigns. Founded in 1993 by President Bill Clinton, the government-run AmeriCorps arranges a variety of service projects, ranging from three months to one year across the U.S. AmeriCorps members receive transportation to their assigned campus and projects, accommodations, and a living allowance of $180 to $500 every two weeks.

Looking for shorter volunteer travel? The Worldwide Opportunities on Organic Farms ( WWOOF ) pairs WWOOFers with organic farm hosts in 130 countries. Active vacationers work on the farm for about 25 hours per week and, in exchange, get room and board in a rural setting, learn about farming and gardening, and engage in a cultural exchange. HelpX is similar to farm stays and ranches plus hostels and sailing boats that seek helpers in exchange for accommodation and food.

HelpStay lists 1,500 volunteer stays in 100 countries while Worldpackers and Go Overseas lists thousands of volunteer opportunities worldwide. Pueblo Inglés offers transportation from Barcelona, Madrid, or Munich, accommodations in a shared room, and meals in exchange for participants to speak English for up to 12 hours per day for one week with locals in Germany and Spain.

9.  Go on a heritage trip

Depending on your heritage, you may be able to take a free or heavily subsidized government or nonprofit-run "birthright" trip. Subsidized programs where participants pay a modest fee include Birthright Armenia , a homestay and volunteerism program from nine weeks to one year that includes accommodation and some travel reimbursement, the 14-day Domovina Birthright Program to Croatia for adults of Croatian descent 18 to 30 years old, Birthright Macedonia , which offers a three-week homestay and internship program, ReConnect Hungary , which offers several birthright and volunteer programs, and Taiwan Study Tour , also known as the "Love Boat" for the many romances that come from it, which is a three-week summer study tour for overseas Chinese.

Birthright programs that offer free trips include Birthright AFRICA , which offers a 10-day trip to Africa to U.S. citizens 13 to 30 years old of Black/African descent, and Birthright Israel , which offers a 10-day trip to Israel to eligible Jewish adults 18 to 26 years old.

10.  Get yourself bumped from a flight

If the crew on your next flight asks for volunteers willing to get "bumped" and give up their seats, you might want to take them up on the offer. When there are more passengers for a flight than there are seats, some passengers need to get "bumped" or denied boarding. Before getting involuntarily bumped, the airline must ask if there are any passengers willing to give up their seats in exchange for compensation like money or vouchers, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation .

Getting bumped from a flight is often an easy way to immediately rack up extra cash for your vacation in exchange for taking a later flight. Be sure to ask when the next flight is, if your ticket for that flight is on standby or confirmed, and if the airline will provide other compensation like meals and hotel. If the airline is also offering you a voucher for future travel, learn what restrictions there might be before you agree to get bumped.

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clock This article was published more than  2 years ago

8 ways to find free or subsidized travel in 2022

Grants, teaching programs and seasonal jobs can help unattached travelers looking to fund their adventures.

Even if you’re backpacking on a shoestring budget or hostel-hopping through Europe, you have to spend money to travel. There’s the price of eating and sleeping on the road, plus the financial toll of leaving your job, children, pets or other responsibilities behind.

Fortunately for people with flexibility in their schedules — and even more flexibility with their relationships — there are ways to finagle free (or even paid) travel, particularly for artists, scuba divers, animal lovers, teachers and lucky contest winners.

There’s always a catch, of course, whether it’s working your way through a trip or producing something to show from your experience by the end.

Here are eight ways to see the world on someone else’s dime.

You tested positive in a foreign country. Here’s what you should do.

Sign up to be a sitter

Have you always dreamed of visiting Boston but can’t afford a hotel? Do you want access to the slopes of Tahoe without paying peak-season rates? Generally responsible people can find gigs caring after homes and pets. Companies like Nomador and TrustedHousesitters connect people who love to travel with people who need help looking after their homes or pets in exchange for room and board. There are blogs dedicated to this lifestyle for people looking to learn more about the opportunity before jumping into a trip.

Apply for a travel grant

Just like scientists who apply for research funding, you can try to get a grant to sponsor your travel goals. Scoring one is tough, as not many exist, and many people want free travel.

One way to find them is by entering terms like “grant” or “travel grant” into a search engine alongside topics that relate to your job, interests or field of study.

For example, a quick search of “scuba diving grant” will pull up more than $500,000 in grants and scholarships for divers, according to the Professional Association of Diving Instructors. Try “grants for hikers,” and you will find options such as the American Alpine Club’s McNeill-Nott Award , offering $5,000 a year to female amateur climbers and alpinists (applications are open Oct. 1 through Dec. 31).

There are also widely known grants, such as the Fulbright-National Geographic fellowship that offers U.S. students a paid year of “storytelling on a globally significant theme.” Grantees — or “storytellers” — get standard Fulbright benefits covering travel, health care and a general stipend, plus a reporting allowance and additional materials. They will also get instruction on storytelling techniques by National Geographic staff before they start their adventure. They will have the chance to pitch stories for the publication’s platforms. Although applications are closed for the 2022-2023 competition, you can apply for the 2023-2024 year when applications open this April .

Adventure awaits in Central America. Now it just needs tourists to return.

Teach English

An old-school route for travelers is to become an English teacher abroad. A good place to start your search for opportunities is TEFL, a membership network that provides accreditation and offers a connection to more than 30,000 employers, according to its website. Members can access jobs around the world, whether they want to work four hours a day in Moscow or full time in Santiago, Chile.

Another route is online teaching. Because of the pandemic, there are more online English teaching jobs that could enable you to work from anywhere you would like to travel. Teachers with Magic Ears earn between $22 and $26 per hour, for example.

A viral TikTok showed how to get $1,000 if you’re bumped from a flight. We unpack that.

Study microelectronics from an RV

Roadtrip Nation is sending three people on a three-week RV trip across the country in the name of microelectronics. They are looking for applicants who want to pursue a career focused on microelectronics, semiconductors and microchips, so if you’re into AI or adaptive manufacturing, this gig is for you.

The trip — set to begin in May, although it could get shifted depending on the pandemic — will be filmed, resulting in a documentary that may end up shown on public television. All expenses will be covered, and road trippers will also get a daily stipend. Applications are due Feb. 6 at 11:59 p.m. Pacific time.

Become an ‘artist-in-residence’

For the creative set, one opportunity for free or subsidized travel is an artist residency.

The National Parks Arts Foundation (NPAF) lists opportunities that support visual artists, writers, musicians, and other creatives, typically for about two to four weeks. One such gig is the Death Valley National Park artist-in-residency program that has two residencies each year. Artists get a $3,000 stipend and are housed (and fed) in a hotel right inside the park.

For writers, there is the chance to stay in a “poet’s cottage” in Central Pennsylvania through the Philip Roth Residence in Creative Writing . The program gives recipients four months of time to work, plus a stipend of $5,000. Applicants must be writing their first or second book of fiction or creative nonfiction. The deadline for applications is Feb. 1.

Retreat to Peterborough, N.H., for the MacDowell program, which invites emerging and established artists and provides accommodations, use of a studio and three prepared meals per day for as many as six weeks. Applicants must work in disciplines including architecture, film or video arts, interdisciplinary arts, literature, music composition, theater and visual arts. The deadline for fall residency applications is Feb. 10.

Traveling to Europe? What to know about 5 countries during omicron.

Become a flight attendant

Should a career change suit you, you may want to consider becoming a flight attendant. With airlines’ labor shortage and staffing issues, many are hiring flight attendants — and offering bonuses and extra pay — to make sure flights can take off on schedule. And, obviously, the job is all about travel.

Several big names are hiring right now, including American Airlines , United and Delta . But there are flight attendant openings from lesser-known regional and corporate carriers, too.

How 3 travelers with disabilities or chronic illness navigate the world

Find a seasonal job

Like airlines, tourist destinations have been hurting for staff throughout the pandemic. Cool Works is a seemingly endless portal of seasonal jobs that appeal to travel lovers, including operating a gondola at a Telluride ski resort, becoming a chef right outside a national park or tending to a historic Cape Cod inn . The website features openings in categories broken down by type of job — brewery, winery and distillery, camp jobs or general labor, for example — as well as season or location, help wanted now, interesting regions and more.

If you have dreamed of shadowing a pasta maker in Italy or learning about permaculture in Malawi , you can also pick up short-term gigs working just about anywhere in the world through WWOOF, the Worldwide Opportunities on Organic Farms. Founded in 1871, the organization features opportunities in more than 130 countries. WWOOF’s mission is to connect travelers with organic farmers in the spirit of cultural and educational exchange while promoting good farming and sustainability practices.

Apply to live rent-free in Sicily

In its latest marketing stunt, Airbnb is offering one lucky applicant the opportunity to spend a year rent-free in the rural village of Sambuca in Sicily. The concept was inspired by Sambuca’s 2019 “1 Euro House” campaign that aimed to solve the town’s declining population problem by enticing new investments through cheap real estate. If you win, you will have to list one of the rooms of the house on Airbnb. You may also be able to learn Italian through a mentorship program.

More spring travel tips

Trends: Cheaper spring break | Cool all-inclusives | Let ChatGPT plan your day | Is it safe to go to Mexico? | Book a free night in Sicily

The basics: Tip without cash | Traveling with kids | Decide where to stay | A pre-trip checklist of house chores | How to get your passport | Plan a ski trip | Eat without feeling terrible | Budget for your next trip | Plan a cheaper Disney trip

Flying: Fly like a decent human being | How to set airfare price alerts | Flying with an injury | PreCheck vs. Global Entry vs. CLEAR | Can I fly with weed? | AirTag your luggage | Airport parking 101 | Deal with airport crowds | Why Stalk airfare after booking

Driving: 9 tips for road tripping with a baby | Try the Airbnb of rental cars | Rent an EV | Do I need an international license to drive abroad? | Avoid big rental car fees

Greener travel: Bike to the airport | How environmentalists travel | How to find ‘greener’ flights | Make your travel better for the planet

Pets: How to travel with pets | Why the pet fee? | Pet flying 101 | Alternatives to flying with your pet

In case of emergency: Manage airport disasters | Your flight is canceled | How to get a human on the phone | What to do if your car gets stuck | Find your lost luggage | How to get a refund for a canceled flight | Deal with a bad hotel room | When you’re bumped off your flight | If you get rebooked without your family | What are my rebooking rights? | Recover a lost item at TSA, the airport or your flight

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PSC centres are open for appointments from Monday to Friday. Any person who wishes to get a Public Services Card should contact their nearest PSC centre .

Public Services Card renewal

Existing Public Services Cards which are out of date remain valid for the purposes of collecting Social Welfare payments and, where applicable Free Travel Public Services Cards that are out of date will continue to be honoured by the National Transport Authority.

Online Renewals

A new Online Renewals Services for Public Services Cards is available here

To revisit this article, visit My Profile, then View saved stories .

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Nicole Kobie

The Case for Making Public Transit Free Everywhere

Used to spending hundreds of dollars on public transit every month? Soon, depending on where you live, all those bus, train, and tram journeys could be totally free. Sure, transit operators would earn less revenue. But some are willing to risk the cash to find out whether free fare policies can help reduce car journeys and make cities run more smoothly.

Does it work? So far, the evidence is mixed—but ditching tickets has other benefits, from ensuring equitable access to transport to keeping buses running on time, with costs offset by savings on ticketing systems or fare enforcement.

If it feels strange not to pay, experts draw parallels with public health, libraries, and schools—services that some use more than others, but everyone pays into. “When you remove fares that says to people that you’ve got a right to get around regardless of your means, it’s a public good,” says Jenny Mcarthur, urban infrastructure researcher at University College London. The need for new thinking is acute: Road transport makes up a tenth of global carbon dioxide emissions, with soaring fuel prices also putting a squeeze on already stretched household budgets.

This is why cities and countries around the world have been edging toward free fares. Spain is the latest to join the list, offering free train travel on a selection of routes for a few months to relieve pressure on commuters as the cost-of-living crisis bites. Officials in Germany introduced a 9-euro-a-month travel pass, Ireland slashed fares for the first time in 75 years, and Italy doled out a 60-euro, one-off public transport voucher for lower-income workers. Luxembourg and Estonia ditched fares to get commuters out of cars years ago, which is the same motivation for Austria’s 3-euro-a-day Klimaticket for countrywide transport, launched last year.

Free fares boost ridership, but not necessarily from drivers. In Estonia , free transport was more likely to be used by those who were walking or cycling, a trend repeated elsewhere . That’s a problem, as pedestrians and cyclists create fewer emissions than public transport.

Short trials make it difficult to discern impact. Car use in Copenhagen initially dropped after a one-month trial of a free transport ticket, but people eventually returned to their old habits. But that’s not always true: Initial analysis of German traffic in June, just a few weeks into the 9-euro-a-month tickets, showed fewer cars on the road and faster driving times in most of the cities studied.

Lauren Goode

William Turton

Eric Ravenscraft

In 2020, Luxembourg became the first country to offer free public transport, but its tickets were already cheap, and it’s a small country—with a population of about 630,000, plenty of cities are larger—that’s famously wealthy . Two years later, traffic remains about the same or worse than before the free fare policy, at least partially because a large number of people who can’t afford to live in Luxembourg commute from across the border.

So while free fares can and do boost public transport use, such policies don’t necessarily get cars off the road. But free transport has benefits beyond the environment. In Spain, free tickets have been introduced to ease the burden of inflation and rising fuel prices rather than to directly target emissions.

Free train tickets might entice drivers to ditch the car when fuel prices are high, traffic is snarled, or when traveling for a holiday. But for low-income people who are unable to afford a car, free transport keeps cash in their pockets—and means some who can’t afford a ticket can catch a ride rather than walk. “It’s common for people to rationalize their trips when public transport is very expensive,” says Mcarthur. “They make one trip to the shops each week and can’t go whenever they please because it adds up too much.”

Local context matters. In Australia, the Tasmanian government made buses free for five weeks to offset cost of living increases. While that project was deemed a success, researchers argue that expanding the policy elsewhere in the country would benefit richer residents, as public transport in Australia is more heavily used by residents of inner cities or central suburbs traveling to central business districts—in other words, people living in expensive neighborhoods commuting to well-paying jobs. The farther away people live from central areas, the more likely they are to rely on cars to travel to dispersed workplaces, the researchers say, and that means free fares benefit wealthier people rather than those on low incomes.

In Spain, the free tickets will overwhelmingly benefit people living in urban areas that can access regional trains, known as Media Distancia, and suburban railways called Cercanías. “85 percent of Cercanías trips are done daily in Madrid and Barcelona,” says Pablo Muñoz Nieto, a campaigner at environmental activist group Confederación de Ecologistas en Acción, adding that regional trains have suffered from lack of investment and many areas don’t have services. “What do you want a free train ticket for if you don’t have a train?”

In the US, the divide between the haves and have-nots often falls along racial lines, meaning free fares could support racial equity. But while that’s true on financial grounds, there’s more to the story. As community organizer Destiny Thomas notes , US transit systems “rely on the criminalization of poverty as a primary source of revenue,” with operators issuing significant fines to those who lack the funds to buy a ticket. In 2019, the city council in Washington, DC, voted to slash fines and remove the risk of jail for fare evaders following evidence that nine in ten court summons for failing to have a ticket were given to African Americans . By removing fares entirely , transit operators avoid the risk of discriminatory enforcement.

Free fares also remove the financial cost of creating ticketing systems and enforcing them. In Boston, an extension of a free fare trial was in part inspired by a $1 billion new ticketing system , Mcarthur says—a serious investment when bus fares bring in only $60 million annually. A single-route bus trial in the city revealed an unexpected benefit: faster boarding time. “That means faster and more reliable journey times, and improved overall service,” Mcarthur says. “If you’re a public transport agency, a lot of money is spent trying to get dwell time down.”

But the rush for free or heavily-discounted tickets can have the opposite effect. In Germany, the first long weekend of the 9-euro-a-month tickets led to overcrowding, service disruptions, and thousands of hours of overtime for staff. In Spain, Muñoz Nieto warns that if train frequencies aren’t increased, services will become overcrowded; plus, making one mode free and not others could pull passengers away from buses or metro services.

Boosting services when cutting fares costs money—which has to come from somewhere. In Spain, the free tickets will be paid for out of a windfall tax on energy companies and banks that the government believes will be worth 7 billion euros over two years. “Subsidizing trains is phenomenally expensive, but it needs to be done if you want to get lots of people in and out of cities for work,” says Paul Chatterton, professor of urban futures at the University of Leeds.

And mass transit systems across the world are already subsidized to some extent by public funds. In France, fares make up as little as 10 percent of public transport budgets. Luxembourg could easily make trains free because a two-hour ticket costs only 2 euros, with fares pulling in just 30 million euros in revenue out of a 1 billion euro budget. But two-thirds of Transport for London’s budget is from fares, meaning the central government would have a bigger gap to make up if it wanted to make all public transit in the capital free.

Transit systems that rely heavily on fares for funding were put under enormous strain during the pandemic, with many networks still struggling as commuters switch to hybrid working. An empty office on a Monday, for example, also means a lot of empty commuter trains. “All the funding models have been predicated on this huge demand for commuter travel, which has been stable for 50 years,” Mcarthur says. “But then the pandemic came along and that model fell apart.”

One alternative to free fares for all is targeted discounts, offering free or cheap passes to students, young people, seniors, and those on benefits, already a common practice. Rather than subsidize transport costs for those who can afford it, free passes could be given to those on lower incomes or in regions where public transport is available but unpopular. Another intermediate step is charging a cheap flat rate, as Germany has done this summer. “People would still value the service, but you also generate some revenue,” Chatterton says.

Free fares might not get everyone out of cars, but will convert some journeys, which benefits everyone in terms of carbon reduction and improving local air quality—and even helps drivers by calming traffic. Free fares won’t pull low-income people out of poverty, but will keep money in their pockets and ensure everyone can travel when they need to. Ditching fares comes at a cost, but there are savings to be had by not investing in expensive ticketing systems and wider logistical and societal benefits.

But setting aside figures about costs and statistics about ridership, there’s another way to look at it: Public transport should be considered a human right , alongside access to health and education. It’s necessary to life in a city, says Mcarthur. “Public transport is an extremely efficient way to get people around,” she says. “Buses and trains are not only efficient for people who use them, but also people who don’t.”

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FEMA, TSA Share Public Service Announcement Encouraging Travelers to Make A Plan and be Disaster-Ready

WASHINGTON – Ahead of what is projected to be another busy holiday travel period, Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro N. Mayorkas, FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell and TSA Administrator David Pekoske joined together and distributed a new public service announcement (PSA) today, asking travelers to make a plan and be prepared before traveling.

The PSA was distributed at federalized airports nationwide to be shown on airport security checkpoint monitors. To further emphasize the importance of travel preparedness, TSA and FEMA also hosted a press conference at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, where they officially unveiled the PSA. POOL FOOTAGE from today's press conference is available. Please contact [email protected] . 

In the video, Secretary Mayorkas, and Administrators Criswell and Pekoske encourage travelers to make preparations before embarking on their travels, which include checking with their airport and airline, packing items they might need during an emergency and ensuring their family’s safety while on vacation or traveling for work.

VIDEO: FEMA and TSA Encourage Travelers to Be Prepared Before Their Next Trip

“The Department of Homeland Security works day-in and day-out to keep the American people safe, but we cannot do it alone,” said Secretary Mayorkas. “Everyone has a role to play when it comes to staying safe, especially when traveling. Natural disasters and emergencies could happen at any time, so it is important to be prepared.”

“We want people to be safe when they travel and be prepared for emergencies,” Administrator Criswell remarked. “I encourage you to visit Ready.gov to learn about how you can prepare yourself and your family. And remember to download the free FEMA app and get alerts and warnings for up to five locations in the United States. I also encourage you to share this important PSA with your family and friends.”

Preparedness is important for TSA as well. The agency screened 264 million passengers during the summer travel season, which was a record number of travelers for the period. At the same time, extreme weather events are increasing in frequency and severity nationwide. 

“Transportation security might not immediately come to mind when you think of disaster preparedness, but travel readiness is an important part of being prepared,” said TSA Administrator David Pekoske. “Our hope is that passengers who make their way through security screening see this PSA on an airport monitor, and are reminded about the importance of being prepared for their travel that day and future travel by ensuring they do not have any prohibited items in their carry-on bag. We also encourage travelers enroll in TSA PreCheck and arrive early for what we are projecting to be another busy holiday travel season.”

The PSA specifically outlines three easy steps everyone can take to be prepared before they travel:

• Assess your needs. Whether you have to keep your medications cool or need help getting an assistive device, it’s important to consider what you’ll need in an emergency. Engage your support network. Enlist a trusted friend or neighbor to watch your home while you’re away.
• Make a plan. From planning your travel route to understanding the risks you might face in the places you visit, it’s important to understand what you’ll need and what you’ll do if a disaster or emergency happens when you travel.

When travelers are packing their bags and any items they may need in their emergency kit , it is important they check the TSA.gov “What Can I Bring” tool.  For other questions on items to bring, they may also reach out to AskTSA by texting TRAVEL or 275-872, tweeting @AskTSA on X or sending a Facebook message to AskTSA.

This PSA is just one of the many initiatives FEMA, the Department of Homeland Security and the entire Biden-Harris Administration are taking this National Preparedness Month to ensure people across the country are ready when disasters, man-made and natural, strike.

To learn more about National Preparedness Month and steps you and your family can take to prepare, please visit: https://www.ready.gov/september .

Story of change

Free public transport: the new global initiative clearing the air, roads and helping keep climate targets on track.

All around the world, cities, towns and even whole countries are waking up to the many benefits that come from making public transport completely free. In what appears almost unimaginable to old economic systems, to date, over 100 cities have already made public transport free, with more and more taking the leap every month. Cities as diverse as Taichung in Taiwan , Miami in the USA and Velenje in Slovenia are all providing free public mobility services to their citizens in some form, with people, local economies and the planet reaping the rewards.

The growth of truly free mobility comes at an important junction for transport and cities. Amidst a global pandemic, where the use of public transport was actively discouraged by governments and scientists, despite the limited evidence of mass transit increasing transmission rates , the dominance of the car in cities and towns reached new heights. And after this, at the height of lockdowns , people enjoyed the rare experience of almost empty streets and cleaner air. A 2020 YouGov survey found that 23% of British people expected to be using their cars more after the pandemic . In even more car-dominant societies, such as the USA and Australia, YouGov found that around 40% of respondents believed they would be increasing the use of their cars post-pandemic, despite many expressing concerns around air quality and the climate crisis.

At the same time, much of the active travel infrastructure introduced during the global pandemic, such as Low Traffic Neighbourhoods (LTNs) as a means of getting people walking and cycling, have been consistently challenged by vocal minorities. Some of the criticism levied at these schemes relates to the public consultation processes, which some felt inadequate. However, the majority of complaints come from some angry car drivers, complaining about their loss of convenience and privileged treatment on roads. Much of the evidence, however, shows that the active travel infrastructures introduced during the pandemic halved road traffic injuries relative to areas without such schemes . 

Free mobility, it seems, is the perfect antidote to rising car militancy in our cities and towns around the world – especially as countries reopen and rebuild after the pandemic. The logic is sound, too. Once the cost of mass public transit becomes lower than the fixed costs of owning a car, and the operational costs of running one,  people have a clear incentive to ditch their cars and jump on a bus, tram or train. And when public transport is free, there’s no way the car can compete. It is a potential rapid game changer.

In terms of rapid transition, free mobility has it all. For cities, it’s a win-win. Air pollution from the burning of fossil fuels – with transport and private cars a major contributor –  is an issue that plagues cities around the world – from Addis Ababa to London – responsible for  approximately 8.7 million deaths each year . In the UK alone, 40 cities and towns exceed the WHO pollution limits, with more than one in 19 deaths in these cities and towns related to long-term exposure to PM2.5 – one of the dominant emissions from cars’ exhausts. 

Without radical and targeted action from governments and citizens, the issue of air pollution is only going to get worse. Getting rid of cars is therefore paramount. Incentivising citizens to jump on high capacity, frequent service, electrified public transport is one of the most effective ways of riding cities of cars and clearing the air. 

Fewer cars also means less energy. And less energy means fewer emissions. Within the European Union, transport contributes 27% to overall carbon dioxide emissions, almost half of that comes from private car use . In the USA, famed for its gas guzzling cars and endless highways, the emissions from transportation accounted for around 29% of the total cumulative amount , with the number of vehicle miles driven by cars and light-duty trucks, such as SUVs, increasing by 48% from 1990 to 2019 . Globally, road transport is responsible for 11.9% of greenhouse gas emissions every year . Worryingly, t he emissions from road transport are going in the wrong direction when we need to be seeing deep reductions in order to keep the 1.5℃ degree target alive.

Of course, the meteoric rise of electric vehicles (EVs) in countries like Norway present a route to decarbonising road transport, but that will only get us so far. Forecasts for the mitigation potential of EVs vary, but the best estimate of their emissions reduction potential up to 2050 is a 70% reduction compared to a business-as-usual scenario . Even under this best case scenario for EVs, which doesn’t include factors such as the resource scarcity of lithium and cobalt or these metals’ susceptibility to price rises, or problems due to land-take or their micro-plastic pollution, the remaining 30% of emissions reductions must come from people ditching the car altogether. 

Here, free mobility could make serious headway. In the city of Tallinn in Estonia, the decision to make public transport free increased public transport usage by 14% in the first year and greatly benefitted lower income households in and around the city . While 14% doesn’t seem like a lot, consider that in Tallinn public transport usage is already extremely high due to a great provision of service and low fares, with 8% of this increase made up of car users switching to mass mobility . After the policy was introduced, public transport use increased by 29% . The main reason given by 90% of the nearly half a million Tallinners was  the free mobility policy, showing a level of popularity that could counter car populism. In Luxembourg, around 40% of households are set to benefit from their policy of country-wide free mobility. However, to maximise its impact, this needs to be part of a broad policy mix that both disincentivises car use, while giving incentives for public transport use by making it more accessible, attractive and responsive to citizens’ needs.

Context and background

While the win-win of cleaner air and fewer emissions that free mobility brings to the table is well documented around the world, the wider context of the global pandemic is vital for galvanising a rapid transition away from fossil fuel-dependent mobility. 

COVID-19 undermined confidence in public transport. Use collapsed during the first wave of the pandemic, as stay-at-home orders from governments came into force. In the USA, just over half of all Americans used public transport less frequently or not at all , with only 34% of US citizens using public transport the same as before. In other nations, the drop off in public transport usage was even more dramatic: Northern Ireland, for instance, saw a drop off of more that 90% during the height of the pandemic. In the city of New York, rail and bus ridership dropped by 74% even before Governor Cuomo decided to shut down the city-wide transit system . 

Alongside the orders from governments to stay-at-home and work-from-home, there were also growing concerns amongst the public that mass mobility options were riskier due to increased transmission of the virus. However, it seems that the fear of using mass mobility got ahead of the evidence. A scientific study in Paris recently found that of the 150 identified COVID-19 clusters originally identified in May 2020, none originated from the Parisian public transport system . Even in Hong Kong, one of the most densely populated places on earth, where its transit system carries approximately 12.9 million people per day , only 1,100 COVID-19 cases were recorded overall, despite public transport usage not falling as much as in other megacities.  

The combination of pandemic policy and misplaced fear around transmission has pushed public transport out of fashion and hardened attachments to the car. Research from the automotive services firm RAC found that the reluctance to use public transport in the UK was at its highest for 18 years . The pandemic, the RAC argues, has set back attitudes to public transport by two decades. At the same time, however, other vehicle lobbies point to the growth of home working during the pandemic as having permanently suppressed commuting by car. 

But free and integrated mobility may be just the antidote for this post-pandemic bounce to car use. By making transport free – or almost free – commuters can be lured away from relying on their car, reducing emissions and congestion. In the Austrian city of Vienna, for instance, a yearly fee of €365, which amounts to €1 a day, gives you unlimited access to public transport. Half of Vienna’s population, which is around one million people, has paid for one of these transport cards, and 38% of all journeys are made by public transport with walking now more popular than the car, which accounts for just 27% of trips . What’s more, pursuing free mobility could be a route to generating employment and boosting productivity as the labour market readjusts to post-pandemic realities, while also ramping up efforts to achieve climate and environmental targets.

However, there is the question of funding free public transport. And in the wake of the pandemic, which left huge holes in transport providers’ budgets, raising the requisite funds to make mobility free is a challenge. Usually public transport is funded through three channels: fares, taxpayer and government subsidies, and third-party funding . The importance of each of these channels to the functioning of the mobility network varies from context to context, as no two networks are the same. But in removing fares from the equation, the other two channels need to pick up the slack, either through a small increase in business taxation, like in France , or exploring different commercial revenue streams, such as renting out retail space in Network Rail stations. Also it is important to remember the multiple wider, health and economic benefits to society and the economy – typically unmeasured and unrecognised – that mass transit systems provide.

Free mobility must be improved mobility 

While price is obviously an important factor in peoples’ decisions over transport options, it’s not the only factor. The quality, frequency and safety of public transport provided is also fundamental to a rapid transition away from the passenger car. The case of the Belgium city of Hasselt is illustrative of this, where public transport was made free with no network or system improvement. It wasn’t until the quality of the transport network and the service improved that citizens started to take advantage of it. From there, the free mobility service saw a ninefold increase in ridership , with 37% of the additional trips coming from completely new users, 16% of which had switched from cars , 12% from bicycles and 9% from walking. 

Without the provision of mobility being upgraded to deal with both the increased demand that comes with making it free and the varied needs of commuters, free mobility will not be enough to substantially drive down car use and clear the air. The defining attribute is that of convenience , where the provision of free mobility not only saves citizens money, but time too. To do this though, each city, town or country must take a contextual and targeted approach to free mobility, ensuring the provision of service meets the actual needs and demands of its citizens. 

Help the poorest to maximise the co-benefits of free mobility

Helping the poorest and most marginalised must be the foundation for any free mobility policy. In the American state of Washington, 28% of residents live in poverty and these households are 6.8 times more likely not to have a car . As rising housing costs in urban centres have pushed poorer households into suburbs with fewer transport links, families are finding themselves isolated from wider society. 

The social and economic impact of this cannot be understated, as poor transport links and unaffordable costs both systematically create and perpetuate inequality. In fact, an ongoing study on social mobility at Harvard found that commuting times have ‘emerged as the single strongest factor in the odds of escaping poverty’ . Another study, based in the Uruguayan capital of Montevideo, found that people living in lower income areas of the city have significantly fewer opportunities than those people living in wealthier areas due to poor mobility . In the small European nation of Luxembourg, which has made public transport free country-wide, 40% of households are expected to directly benefit, saving an estimated €100 each year .

Free mobility is not only an environmental policy, it is a social justice policy too that helps lift people out of poverty and fosters a sense of social cohesiveness through greater equality of opportunity and accessibility. In the words of Luxembourg’s mobility minister, François Bausch, the free mobility policy ‘objective is to stop the deeping gap between rich and poor. For people on low wages, transport expenses matter. Therefore, it is easier to make it free for everyone.’

Free mobility pays society-wide dividends

Free mobility can kick-start a profusion of society-wide benefits: increased social inclusion, increased mobility of lower income citizens, better health, more disposable income for all citizens, but especially those among the most disadvantaged groups (although this may entail rebounds), lower employment costs for businesses thereby boosting employment opportunities, increasing public transports’ overall share of mobility, and reduced environmental impacts through fewer emissions and cleaner air. 

In purely economic terms, estimates from the World Bank suggest that with a total investment of $4 trillion today into public buses, trains and rail networks would yield annual benefits of $1 trillion all the way up to 2030, totalling a net value of $19.6 trillion . By 2050, scaling up mass transit options would create nearly 12 million decent green jobs . There are also ongoing costs that would be avoided through a mass modal shift, enabled through free mobility, as air pollution, congestion, road traffic accidents and noise pollution costs the city of Beijing between 7.5 to 15% of its GDP . 

Pursuing a policy of free mobility also presents the opportunity to engage multiple societal stakeholders, bringing them on for the (free) journey and ensuring their needs are represented. In Luxembourg, the free mobility policy that sought to increase public transport use by 50% by 2025 and reduce private car use by 15% involved engaging employers, passengers, schools and colleges, amongst others, to ensure no section of society was left out . This process of stakeholder engagement resulted in the creation of the Mobiliteit.lu app that simplifies door-to-door travel planning across all modal options – be it bike or tram – where citizens can choose their preferred route and mode, with the app providing live data on travel times and potential disruptions.  

With a growing pile of evidence to support it, free public transport is going from something that old economic thinking could barely imagine, to being a practical and highly effective way rapidly to change behaviour bringing climate, health, communal and economic benefits. It’s a single initiative that is solving multiple problems.

Scope and evidence

• To date, over 100 cities have already made public transport free, with more and more taking the leap every month. 
• Within the European Union, transport contributes 27% to overall carbon dioxide emissions, almost half of that comes from private car use .
• In the USA, famed for its muscle cars and endless highways, the emissions from transportation accounted for around 29% of total cumulative emissions , with the number of vehicle miles driven by cars and light-duty trucks, such as SUVs, increasing by 48% from 1990 to 2019 . 
• In the small European nation of Luxembourg, which has made public transport free country-wide, 40% of households are expected to directly benefit, saving an estimated €100 each year. 
• In the Belgian city of Hasselt, the free mobility service saw a ninefold increase in ridership , with 37% of the additional trips coming from completely new users, 16% of which had switched from cars , 12% from bicycles and 9% from walking.
• Air pollution is an issue that plagues cities around the world, from Addis Ababa to London, and is responsible for approximately 4.2 million deaths each year . 
• In the UK alone, 40 cities and towns exceed the WHO pollution limits, with more than one in 19 deaths in these cities and towns related to long-term exposure to PM2.5 – one of the dominant emissions from cars’ exhausts.
• The World Bank suggests that through a total investment of $4 trillion today into public buses, trains and rail networks would yield annual benefits of $1 trillion all the way up to 2030, totalling a net value of $19.6 trillion .

Lessons for rapid transition

• Free mobility can create a raft of environmental, economic and social benefits , including cleaner air, reduced emissions and improved social inclusion amongst society’s most disadvantaged.
• By making transport affordable and reducing living costs, free mobility can provide a chance to bring everyone on board for rapid transition. Not only does this create policies that actually meet societal needs, but it engages disparate groups in society on matters of sustainable behaviour change.
• Each free mobility policy has to be tailored to the specific geography of the town, city or country, as well as what the citizens actually need from their public transport service. Just like other areas of rapid transition, a one-size-fits-all approach won’t cut it. But free mobility shows that local initiatives can have large cumulative impacts.
• Brand, R. (2008). Co-evolution of Technical and Social Change in Action: Hasselt’s Approach to Urban Mobility. Built Environment, 34(2), 182-199. https://doi.org/10.2148/benv.34.2.182
• Cats, O., Susilo, Y., & Reimal, T. (2016). The prospects of fare-free public transport: evidence from Tallinn. Transportation, 44(5), 1083-1104. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11116-016-9695-5  
• Chetty, R., & Hendren, N. (2018). The Impacts of Neighborhoods on Intergenerational Mobility I: Childhood Exposure Effects*. The Quarterly Journal Of Economics, 133(3), 1107-1162. https://doi.org/10.1093/qje/qjy007
• Creutzig, F., & He, D. (2009). Climate change mitigation and co-benefits of feasible transport demand policies in Beijing. Transportation Research Part D: Transport And Environment, 14(2), 120-131. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.trd.2008.11.007
• Dai, J., Liu, Z., & Li, R. (2021). Improving the subway attraction for the post-COVID-19 era: The role of fare-free public transport policy. Transport Policy, 103, 21-30. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tranpol.2021.01.007
• Hernandez, D. (2018). Uneven mobilities, uneven opportunities: Social distribution of public transport accessibility to jobs and education in Montevideo. Journal Of Transport Geography, 67, 119-125. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jtrangeo.2017.08.017
• Laverty, A., Aldred, R., & Goodman, A. (2021). The Impact of Introducing Low Traffic Neighbourhoods on Road Traffic Injuries. Findings. https://doi.org/10.32866/001c.18330
• Scott, N. (2020). Where can cycling lift the common good? Regional political culture and fossil capitalism play a role. Journal Of Transport Geography, 86, 102745. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jtrangeo.2020.102745  

2020s , 2030s , 2040s , 2050s

Areas of change

Clean energy , Efficient travel

FREE TRAVEL

Do you have a free travel pass?

If you are the holder of a free travel pass did you know that you are entitled to travel on any Bus Feda route throughout Ireland free of charge?

Free Transport Entitlements

If you are a holder of the free travel pass or you have a public services card with free travel entitlements you are entitled to travel on any of our licensed routes free of charge throughout Ireland. The following public services categories are accepted on our Irish routes: • If FT-P is written on your Public Services Card, you personally are entitled to free travel. • If FT+S is written on your Public Services Card, your spouse, partner or cohabitant can join you for free when you are travelling (they cannot travel for free alone). Your spouse, partner or cohabitant’s name will not be on the card. • If FT+C is written on your Public Services Card a companion (over 16) can travel with you for free (because you are unable to travel alone for medical reasons) • If you are in receipt of Carer’s Allowance you will be entitled to a free travel pass. • We also accept the Northern Ireland Senior SmartPass

Free Travel Survey

Bus Feda will be participating in a national survey of free travel pass users, which begins on April 1.

This Department of Social Protection survey will last for six months and will require all users of Travel Passes and Public Service Free Travel Cards to register their details when using services such as Bus Feda.

If you are a travel pass holder and planning to travel with Bus Feda, remember to always bring your pass with you as failure to produce a pass will result in you being charged the normal fare.

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If you have any questions about using the free travel pass on our bus please get in touch by dropping us a line via our contact page or calling 074 9548114 .

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Accessible transit

The RTA is committed to a transit system that is accessible for all riders regardless of ability. This page includes information about how the transit system is accessible, how to apply for certification for ADA Paratransit services, and how to learn to use the system and achieve travel independence.

How accessible is our region’s transit system?

Watch a video to learn about accessibility features on the region’s transit system or explore below to find out more.

CTA and Pace Buses

CTA and Pace buses are 100 percent accessible. Accessible features such as ramps, wheelchair securement areas, priority seating, and visual display and auditory announcements have been installed on all CTA and Pace buses to make fixed route bus service accessible to people with disabilities. The Americans with Disabilities Act requires bus drivers to call out stops and to have large print and Braille signage in fixed route buses. All CTA and Pace buses have automated systems that visually display and verbally announce stops. Bus drivers also are able to assist passengers with boarding and exiting the bus, using the ramp, accessing priority seating, securing wheelchairs and scooters, or putting fares in the fare box when asked, though please note that drivers will not provide physical assistance to riders.

More than 70 percent of CTA 'L' stations are accessible, and more stations are becoming accessible each year through the All Stations Accessible Program (ASAP) . Use the RTA's trip planner and maps  to locate an accessible station.

All CTA 'L' train cars are accessible. Accessible CTA 'L' stations have elevators, audio and visual announcements, tactile strips on the platform edge, Braille and large print signs, and gap fillers to bridge the gap between the platform and the train.

More than 75 percent  of Metra stations are accessible, and work to increase the number of accessible stations is currently underway. Accessible Metra stations have audio and visual announcements, Braille and large print signs, and tactile strips along the edge of the platform to alert customers to the platform edge. In addition, accessible Metra stations that are not at ground level have elevators or ramps. These features allow customers with disabilities to use Metra to travel safely throughout the RTA region. Visit Metra’s website to learn more  

All Metra trains are required to have at least one accessible car per train. For all rail cars without steps, a ramp or lift is used by railroad personnel to help with boarding. 

In instances where the rail car has steps, a lift will be deployed. Many stations have signs that show riders where the accessible boarding area is on the platform. At stations where these signs do not exist, rail personnel will direct you to the accessible train car. Additionally, the universal accessibility symbol is on the side of each accessible train car.

ADA Paratransit

ADA paratransit is a shared ride, advanced reservation, origin-to-destination transportation service for individuals who, because of their disability, are unable to use CTA or Pace fixed route transit service for some or all of their trip. Pace operates ADA Paratransit service for the entire RTA region.

ADA Paratransit users must make a reservation the day before a trip. Services operate the same days and hours as the fixed route services available in the area. It is important to note that ADA Paratransit services are comparable to fixed route and only operate within three-quarters of a mile of CTA or Pace fixed route bus routes or CTA 'L' train stations. If an area does not have fixed route service, there will be no ADA Paratransit service in that area.

For more information on how to use ADA accessible fixed route buses and trains on CTA, Metra and Pace, watch the below video:

Individuals who are interested in using ADA Paratransit service must apply and be found eligible according to ADA guidelines. The RTA handles ADA Paratransit Certification for the entire Chicago region to determine an individual's functional ability to use fixed route services.

To apply for ADA Paratransit, call the RTA's ADA Paratransit Certification program at 312-663-HELP (4357) between 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday.

For new, first-time ADA Paratransit applicants:

First-time ADA Paratransit applicants must call the helpline at 312-663-HELP (4357) to begin the process. On this call they will be asked a few screening questions, and a flyer to explain the program in more detail will be mailed to them. The flyer will include a few self-screening questions to help the customer decide if they may be eligible for the service before continuing with the application process.

If the customer wants to continue to the application process after reviewing the flyer, they will call the helpline back at (312) 663-HELP (4357) to schedule an in-person interview appointment. Applicants will be instructed to bring a photo ID to the interview. They may also bring additional information about their disability or health condition(s), but this is not required. Transportation to and from this appointment will be provided at no charge if requested.

During the in-person interview appointment, staff will ask the applicant about their ability to use regular buses and trains on CTA and Pace. Applicants may also be asked to complete a physical assessment that will take about 30 minutes and will give us a better idea of the applicant’s travel abilities and limitations.

For customers who are applying for ADA Paratransit recertification:

When a customer calls the helpline at 312-663-HELP (4357) to renew their certification, they will be scheduled for a 30-minute phone interview. Certification staff will call the applicant at their scheduled appointment time. During this interview, we will ask the applicant screening questions to determine if they continue to be eligible for ADA Paratransit service.  

All ADA Paratransit certification decisions are made within 21 days of the completion of the interview and assessment. If a decision is not made within 21 days, we will provide ADA Paratransit service until a final decision is made. Applicants are notified of their eligibility by letter.

If the applicant is determined to be eligible for ADA Paratransit for some or all trips, they will receive a Certification Letter, a Customer Guide with information about how to use the service, and an RTA ADA Paratransit Permit ID Card.

There are three types of eligibility:

Unconditional Eligibility - Your disability or health condition always prevents you from using fixed route buses or 'L' trains and you qualify for ADA Paratransit service for all of your trips.

Conditional Eligibility - You are able to use the fixed route buses or 'L' trains for some of your trips and qualify for ADA Paratransit service for other trips when your disability or environmental barriers prevent the use of fixed route transit service.

Temporary Eligibility - You have a health condition or disability that temporarily prevents you from using the fixed route buses or 'L' trains.

Appeal Process

If you have received conditional eligibility, temporary eligibility, or ineligible, you will be notified of the exact reason for this decision. If you disagree with the decision, you have the right to appeal.

You can appeal any eligibility decision made by the RTA that limits your ability to use ADA Paratransit service. For example:

• You were found "Not Eligible" for ADA Paratransit
• You were found "Conditionally Eligible" and disagree with the eligibility categories you were given or you think the conditional status is wrong.
• The eligibility granted was “Temporary Disability” and you disagree that your eligibility is temporary.

All requests for an appeal must be in writing and should be mailed to:

RTA ADA Certification Appeals Program Regional Transportation Authority 175 W. Jackson Blvd. Suite 1550 Chicago, IL 60604

If you have any questions about the appeal process, call the RTA's ADA Paratransit Certification program at 312-663-HELP (4357).

If you are traveling to the RTA region and need to use ADA paratransit service while visiting, contact Pace Customer Service at (312) 341-8000 and provide information on the dates you will be visiting.

Mobility Education

To help our region’s customers with disabilities and older adults use public transit, the RTA offers free services, including: transit orientation presentations for groups, information assistance at outreach events and resource fairs, and one-on-one travel training to individuals in their communities.

To schedule individual travel training, call (312) 913-3120 or email [email protected] . To schedule a presentation to a group, call 312-913-3126.

If you are an older adult or a person with a disability and want to learn more about taking accessible CTA, Metra, and Pace public transit, the RTA's Travel Training Program may be for you. During your free one-on-one sessions, you will meet with a professional Travel Trainer from the RTA who:

• Has experience with older adults and people with disabilities
• Can explain accessibility features on transportation (ramps, lifts, signage, etc.)
• Teaches you how to use the public transit system
• Assists you with planning your trip
• Accompanies you while you are learning your trip
• Is certified in Orientation & Mobility, for participants who are blind or have low-vision

RTA Travel Training Brochure

RTA Folleto de Capacitación para Viajes

Call 312-913-3120 or email [email protected] for more information and to request Travel Training.

If you are part of a group of older adults or people with disabilities who would like information on accessible transportation options, then the RTA Group Transit Orientation presentation may be right for you.

Presentations inform audience members, including agency staff, about the accessibility of CTA, Metra, Pace, and their local transit options, and demonstrate the benefits of using public transportation. Topics are customized to each audience, and may include:

CTA, Metra and Pace Accessibility Features, Accessible Trip Planning, RTA Ride Free and Reduced Fare Programs, Ventra Cards, Travel Safety Tips, Local Transit Options, RTA's Free Travel Training Program

• CTA, Metra, and Pace accessibility features
• Accessible trip planning
• RTA Ride Free and Reduced Fare programs
• Ventra cards
• Travel safety tips
• Local transit options
• RTA's free Travel Training program

RTA Group Transit Orientation Brochure

Folleto de Orientación de Tránsito Grupal

Call RTA's Mobility Management Program at 312-913-3203 or email  [email protected] to schedule a free presentation or request more information.

Watch the RTA Mobility Management Video Series for more tips on how to ride transit in the Chicago region.

From Yosemite to Acadia, National Park Week 2024 kicks off with free entry

National Park Week kicks off April 20 with free entry to every national park in America. 

That’s not just capital NP national parks like Grand Teton and Olympic , but all 429 sites within the National Park System , ranging from national battlefields to seashores.

Entry fees are only waived that first day, but there are special activities planned throughout National Park Week (and many sites don’t charge entry fees anyway).

"With countless options of things to do and see, there really is something for everyone in our country’s national parks,” National Park Service Director Chuck Sams said in a statement.

What travelers should know:

What is the purpose of National Park Week?

The first National Park Week in 1991 marked the 75th anniversary of the National Park Service.

The next wasn't until 1994, but since then, it’s become an annual, presidentially proclaimed celebration across America’s ever-growing list of national parks, according to National Park Service spokesperson Kathy Kupper.

“During National Park Week, and throughout the year, I encourage people to discover and enjoy the natural, cultural, historical, and recreational opportunities available in national parks and through National Park Service community programs,” Sams said.

How long is National Park Week?

National Park Week spans nine days. It runs from April 20 through April 28. 

Each day will spotlight a different parks-related theme.

◾ April 20: Discovery

◾ April 21: Volunteers 

◾ April 22: Earth Day 

◾ April 23: Innovation 

◾ April 24: Workforce Wednesday 

◾ April 25: Youth Engagement 

April 26: Community Connections 

◾ April 27: Junior Ranger Day

◾ April 28: Arts in Parks 

Travelers can find their nearest park through the National Park Service and National Park Foundation’s Find Your Park site.

What is the most visited national park? Answers to your biggest park questions

Are national parks free on Earth Day?

Not this year. Earth Day is April 22. 

Last year, it happened to coincide with the first day of National Park Week when parks offer free entry. 

However, this year, the first day of National Park Week is April 20.

When are all US national parks free?

There are five more free entry dates this year:

◾ April 20 : First day of  National Park Week

◾ June 19 : Juneteenth

◾ Aug. 4 : Great American Outdoors Day 

◾ Sept. 28  : National Public Lands Day

◾ Nov. 11 : Veterans Day

Martin Luther King Jr. Day was also an entry-fee-free day in January.

Certain groups like military service members, veterans , and U.S. citizens and permanent residents with permanent disabilities are eligible for free entry any time of year. Fourth graders and their families are also eligible for free park visits through the Every Kid Outdoors program.

Visitors should note some parks charge fees for parking , access to specific facilities, and other things, even when entry fees are waived.

What activities can people do when visiting the national park?

Activities vary by date and location and can be found on the National Park Service’s event calendar . Junior Ranger Day events include the chance to build biplane models at Tuskegee Airmen National Historic Site in Alabama and learn about the history of dogs in Hidatsa villages and earn a BARK Ranger badge for their own pups at Knife River Indian Villages National Historic Site in North Dakota.

“Of course, we hope that kids will want to protect parks and want to make sure that we pass on parks to the future generations of kids, but in order to do that, we have to make sure that we are letting kids come to our parks to have fun, to fall in love with nature, to fall in love with history and culture,” Caitlin Campbell, interpretation and engagement coordinator for the National Park Service, told USA TODAY.  “Our primary objective is to make sure that kids feel welcome in parks and know that parks are a fun and safe place where they belong.” 

All year long, kids of all ages and abilities are invited to take part in the free Junior Ranger program in parks and online .

"They can find Junior Ranger programming probably pretty close to where they live," she said. "Any day of the year, they could celebrate (being a) Junior Ranger, but we hope that they celebrate during National Park Week."

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ICYMI -- FEMA, TSA Share Public Service Announcement Encouraging Travelers to Make a Plan and be Disaster-Ready

WASHINGTON -- Ahead of what is projected to be another busy holiday travel period, Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro N. Mayorkas, FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell and TSA Administrator David Pekoske joined together and distributed a new public service announcement (PSA) yesterday, asking travelers to make a plan and be prepared before traveling. 

The PSA was distributed at federalized airports nationwide to air on airport security checkpoint monitors. To further emphasize travel preparedness, TSA and FEMA also hosted a press conference at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, where they officially unveiled the PSA.

In the PSA, Secretary Mayorkas, and Administrators Criswell and Pekoske, encourage travelers to make preparations before embarking on their travels, which include checking with their airport and airline, packing items they might need during an emergency and ensuring their family’s safety while on vacation or traveling for work.

POOL FOOTAGE AVAILABLE: For pool footage from the press conference, please contact [email protected]

“The Department of Homeland Security works day-in and day-out to keep the American people safe, but we cannot do it alone,” said Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro N. Mayorkas.  “Everyone has a role to play when it comes to staying safe, especially when traveling. Natural disasters and emergencies could happen at any time, so it is important to be prepared.” 

“We want people to be safe when they travel and be prepared for emergencies,” Administrator Criswell remarked. “I encourage you to visit Ready.gov to learn about how you can prepare yourself and your family. And remember to download the free FEMA app and get alerts and warnings for up to five locations in the United States. I also encourage you to share this important PSA with your family and friends.”

Preparedness is important for TSA as well. The agency screened 264 million passengers during the summer travel season, which was a record number of travelers for the period. At the same time, extreme weather events are increasing in frequency and severity nationwide.  

“Transportation security might not immediately come to mind when you think of disaster preparedness, but travel readiness is an important part of being prepared,” said TSA Administrator David Pekoske. “Our hope is that passengers who make their way through security screening see this PSA on an airport monitor, and are reminded about the importance of being prepared for their travel that day and future travel by ensuring they do not have any prohibited items in their carry-on bag. We also encourage travelers enroll in TSA PreCheck ®  and arrive early for what we are projecting to be another busy holiday travel season.”

The PSA specifically outlines three easy steps everyone can take to be prepared before they travel:

• Assess your needs. Whether needing to keep your medications cool or getting help with an assistive device, it’s important to understand what you’ll need in an emergency.
• Engage your support network. Enlist a trusted friend or neighbor to watch your home while you’re away. 
• Make a plan. From planning your travel route to understanding the risks you might face in the places you visit, it’s important to understand what you’ll need and what you’ll do when a disaster or emergency happens when you travel. 

When travelers are packing their bags and any items they may need in their emergency kit , it is important they check the TSA.gov “What Can I Bring” tool.  For other questions on items to bring, they may also reach out to AskTSA by texting TRAVEL or 275-872, tweeting @AskTSA on X or sending a Facebook message to AskTSA. 

This PSA is just one of the many initiatives FEMA, the Department of Homeland Security and the entire Biden-Harris Administration are taking this National Preparedness Month to ensure people across the country are ready when disasters, man-made and natural, strike. 

To learn more about National Preparedness Month and steps you and your family can take to prepare, please visit: https://www.ready.gov/september . 

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Road Trips: How to Plan an Accessible Getaway

By Syren Nagakyrie

Planning an accessible road trip is getting a little easier for people with disabilities. There are more resources created by and for the disability community, and the tourism industry is starting to recognize the value of accessible travel. As a disabled, chronically ill, neurodivergent person, I take road trips every year and have learned some tips and tricks along the way.

Renting a vehicle

Most major car companies offer adaptive driving devices for their vehicles at no additional cost. Enterprise , for example, offers hand controls, left foot accelerators, pedal extenders and spinner knobs to facilitate steering. Budget can provide hand controls, spinner knobs, a panoramic mirror, swivel seats and transfer boards. Be prepared to request adaptive devices at least three business days in advance.

For a wheelchair-accessible van with a ramp or a lift, rent from a mobility company like BraunAbility , one of the largest builders of wheelchair-accessible vans in the country, with rentals at many locations. MobilityWorks , an accessible-vehicle and adaptive-equipment dealer, has rental locations in 34 states. AccessibleGO , which offers a one-stop shop for adapted rental cars and wheelchair-accessible vans, has agreements with 100 wheelchair van rental locations nationwide; request a quote on their website. For accessibleGO’s rental cars, you can request hand controls and a spinner knob at checkout.

Route planning

You can use Google Maps, Waze and MapQuest for initial accessibility research using photos and street view. Google Maps provides directions for some wheelchair-accessible pedestrian and transit routes.

Sites such as Roadtrippers and Furkot can plot an entire itinerary. While these websites are not disability specific, they are invaluable tools. (Roadtrippers does have a wheelchair-accessible check box in the search function.) You can filter by types of destinations such as national parks or museums, and search for hotels and campgrounds. Furkot allows you to input how long you want to drive each day, whether you want to travel on Interstate highways or take more scenic roads. The app will determine the best route and length of time between stops, and suggest where to stay overnight.

Finding lodging

While hotels and other accommodations are required to comply with the Americans With Disabilities Act, many hotels do not meet all accessibility needs. Most of the booking sites list hotels with accessible rooms for those with mobility, hearing and vision needs, but this information is not always verified. Do additional research on review sites and look for photos. Hyatt, Marriott, Hilton and Fairmont hotels offer allergy-friendly and scent-free rooms in some locations. Call the hotel to verify accessibility and to make sure a specific room is reserved for you.

Vacation rentals are typically not required to be A.D.A. compliant, but some do provide accessibility information. Airbnb recently rolled out an adapted category with accessibility search features and homes that have been scanned for accessibility. Review photos and contact the host for more information. Some hosts will make accommodations, such as changing the cleaning supplies or shifting furniture, but document your request using the in-app messaging system so that customer service can help if you run into issues.

Wheel the World is an accessible travel agency offering bookings at over 3,000 verified accessible hotels in the United States. The hotels have been reviewed in person by trained assessors; only those that meet the criteria are listed. Sign up as a disabled traveler or a companion and complete a personal profile that includes options for a variety of disabilities and accessibility needs. The site will provide listings that match your profile with partial, adequate and outstanding match options.

Food and medication

There are a variety of options to keep food or medication cold while traveling. Electric coolers can plug into your vehicle’s 12-volt outlet, but pay attention to the type of cooling mechanism — the less expensive versions are usually thermoelectric and will cool only to about 30 degrees below ambient temperature (if it is 70 degrees in the car, it will cool to 40 degrees). Compressor coolers are more expensive but maintain normal refrigerated temperatures.

Many hotels provide mini-refrigerators. When you know you will be stopping somewhere with a fridge almost every night, layer large ice packs and supplies in a cooler, then top them with another insulating layer like a cooling bag. This keeps everything cold for a couple of days at a time.

It’s also a good idea to travel with a single-burner cooktop — electric to use inside, or propane to use at rest areas and campgrounds — and a camp mess kit so that you can safely cook meals.

Some of the best apps to find food, restaurants and grocery stores that accommodate dietary needs are Fig for allergy-specific options, Happy Cow for vegan-friendly options and Find Me Gluten Free for celiac-safe spots. Add your favorite options to the route-planning app so that you know where to stop.

Finding activities

In addition to the apps mentioned in the route-planning section, state and local tourism organizations are good sources for accessible destinations.

National parks and monuments, which are required to meet federal accessibility guidelines, typically have visitor centers and recreation sites with accessible features. Each park website has information, as well as programs and services within the park. While accessibility varies, you can usually find information on wheelchair-accessible trails and campsites, tactile and audio features, assistive listening devices, and American Sign Language interpreters.

At state parks, accessibility features may not be consistent, but you can usually find some information on each park’s website.

Apps like AllTrails list wheelchair-friendly trails across the country, but the information may not be verified, so contact the park or land manager for verification. Among the parks with notable accessible trails are Redwood National and State Parks, North Cascades National Park, Badlands National Park, and Great Smoky Mountains National Park .

Syren Nagakyrie, the founder of the nonprofit Disabled Hikers and the author of “The Disabled Hiker’s Guide to Western Washington and Oregon” and “The Disabled Hiker’s Guide to Northern California,” among other guidebooks, leads group hikes and conducts assessments throughout the United States.

Open Up Your World

Considering a trip, or just some armchair traveling here are some ideas..

52 Places:  Why do we travel? For food, culture, adventure, natural beauty? Our 2024 list has all those elements, and more .

Mumbai:  Spend 36 hours in this fast-changing Indian city  by exploring ancient caves, catching a concert in a former textile mill and feasting on mangoes.

Kyoto:  The Japanese city’s dry gardens offer spots for quiet contemplation  in an increasingly overtouristed destination.

Iceland:  The country markets itself as a destination to see the northern lights. But they can be elusive, as one writer recently found .

Texas:  Canoeing the Rio Grande near Big Bend National Park can be magical. But as the river dries, it’s getting harder to find where a boat will actually float .

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The life and music of Amy Winehouse, through the journey of adolescence to adulthood and the creation of one of the best-selling albums of our time. The life and music of Amy Winehouse, through the journey of adolescence to adulthood and the creation of one of the best-selling albums of our time. The life and music of Amy Winehouse, through the journey of adolescence to adulthood and the creation of one of the best-selling albums of our time.

• Sam Taylor-Johnson
• Matt Greenhalgh
• Marisa Abela
• Eddie Marsan
• Jack O'Connell
• 29 User reviews
• 41 Critic reviews
• 50 Metascore

• Amy Winehouse

• Mitch Winehouse

• Blake Fielder-Civil

• Cynthia Winehouse

• Joey the dealer

• Janis Winehouse

• Nick Shymansky

• Raye Cosbert

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• Perfume Paul

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• Trivia Marisa Abela did all the singing in this film herself. She trained extensively to mimic Amy Winehouse 's vocals.

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• Runtime 2 hours 2 minutes

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