Helsingin seudun liikenne -kuntayhtymä

Ticketing practices in certain large European cities

Questionnaire to the EMTA network

Background and methods

• HSL will upgrade its ticketing and information system by the end of 2015. HSL will also introduce a new fare and ticketing system at the earliest in 2017 and is considering making changes to the current discount and free ticket groups in this connection.

• With this in mind, HSL wanted to study which customer groups are entitled to discounts, free tickets or rights to travel without a ticket in other large European cities.

• The study was conducted using a questionnaire sent to the members of the EMTA network in November 2014.

• A total of 17 cities responded to the survey (including Helsinki).

• Stockholm (Sweden)

• Copenhagen (Denmark)

• Oslo (Norway)

• Berlin (Germany)

• Vilnius (Lithuania)

• London (Great Britain)

• West-Midlands (Great Britain)

• Amsterdam (the Netherlands)

The following cities responded to the survey:

• Paris (France)

• Lyon (France)

• Warsow (Poland)

• Prague (Czech Republic)

• Budapest (Hungary)

• Turin (Italy)

• Madrid (Spain)

• Barcelona (Spain)

• Helsinki (Finland)

Children • Small children can travel free of charge in all of the cities::

• In most of the cities, children are granted a right to travel without a ticket, some cities offer free tickets.

• There is substantial variation in the cut-off age for small children: the upper age limit varies between 3 and 15 years, typically free travel is granted to children aged under 4-6 years

• Slightly older children are offered discounts in some cities:• The discounts vary, price e.g. 30/50/70% of the adult

fare. • The lower and upper age limits vary from city to city

(between about 4 and 17 years)• Discounts apply on season and/or value tickets and/or

single tickets depending on the city

Students

• With the exception of two cities, there are student tickets (discount or free tickets) in all of the cities.

• Discount tickets are offered in most of the cities:• The discount varies from city to city (price e.g. about

30/40/50/70/80% of the adult fare) • In some of the cities, there is a cut-off age for discount

tickets (e.g. 18 or 26 years)• Discounts apply on season and/or value tickets and/or

single tickets depending on the city

• Free tickets are offered in three cities (in some of them, there is an upper age limit, e.g. 17 years, or other limitations)

Young people

• Young people are offered discounts in many cities (11/17 cities) • The discounts vary, price about 50/60/70% of the adult

fare• The upper age limit varies from city to city (about

between 14 and 25)• Discounts typically apply on season tickets but in some

cities discounts are offered on value and/or single tickets

• One city offers free tickets to young people (under certain conditions)

Pensioners

• Pensioners get discounts in about half of the cities studied• In some of the cities, there is a lower age limit which

varies (usually at 60/70 years)• The discounts vary, price about 35/50/75% of the adult

fare• Discounts apply on season and/or value tickets and/or

single tickets depending on the city

• One city offers pensioners off-peak free tickets

Seniors• Senior citizens are offered discounts or free tickets in nearly

all of the cities (14/17)

• Discounts are offered in 11 cities • The lower age limit varies from city to city (at 60-80

years, on average at 65)• The discounts vary, price about 30/50/60% of the adult

fare• Discounts typically apply on season tickets but also on

value and/or single tickets depending on the city

• In four cities, seniors can travel on free tickets or without a ticket

• Seniors of limited means can travel on free tickets in some cities

Mobility impaired people

• Mobility impaired people are offered discounts or free tickets in nearly all of the cities (15/17)

• Discounts are available in ten cities• The discounts vary, price about 30/50/80% of the adult

fare• Discounts apply mainly on season tickets

• In six cities mobility impaired people can travel on free tickets or without a ticket

Blind people

• The blind are offered discounts or free tickets in nearly all of the cities (14/17)

• Discounts are available in five cities • The discounts vary, price about 1/50/95% of the adult

fare• Discounts apply mainly on season tickets

• Seven cities offer free tickets

Wheelchair users

• Wheelchair users get discounts or free tickets in several cities (11/17)

• Wheelchair users are offered discounts in four cities• The discounts vary, price about 30/50% of the adult fare• Discounts apply mainly on season tickets

• Wheelchair users are offered free tickets or right to travel without a ticket in about nine cities (depending on the person’s circumstances)• In some cities this applies only to buses

People using walkers

• People using walkers can travel without a ticket in some cities (2/17)• In one city this applies only to buses

• In some cities, people using walkers can get discounts etc. if they are mobility impaired

Entitlement to a companion• In some cities (6/17), some special groups are entitled to

have a companion to travel with them for free • The companion can usually travel without a ticket or on a

free ticket

People traveling with a small child in a pram or other such

• People traveling with a small child in a pram can travel without a ticket in three cities• In one city this applies only to buses

• In one city people traveling with a small child in a pram get a discount

Other groups mentioned 1/2• The unemployed are offered free tickets or right to travel

without a ticket in some cities (this may apply to people of certain age only), discounts are offered in some cities

• People of limited means are offered discounts or right to travel without a ticket in some cities

• Conscripts are offered discounts in some cities

• Families of a certain size are offered discounts or right to travel without a ticket (there may be time limits or income limits) in six cities

• Veterans are offered free tickets in three cities and discounts in three cities

Other groups mentioned 2/2In addition, some cities offer discounts, free tickets or right to travel without a ticket to the following groups:

•Police

•Fire fighters

•Schoolchildren

•Groups

•Blood donors

Summary 1/2Helsinki (Finland) Stockholm (Sweden)

Copenhagen (Denmark) Oslo (Norway) Berlin (Germany) Vilnius (Lithuania) London (Great Britain)

West-Midlands (GreatBritain)

Amsterdam (The Netherlands)

Adult >17 y 20-65 y >16 y 16-66 y >15 y >18 y >16 y

Child

<7 y (without a ticket), 7-16 y (50%, season, value,

single) <11 y (without a ticket)

<11 y (without a ticket)12-15 (50%, (single,

value and season)<3 y (without a ticket), 4-15 y (50-

70%, season and single) <6 y (without a ticket) <7 y (free ticket)<4 y (without a ticket), 5-10 y (free ticket/without a ticket)

<5 y (without a ticket) 5-15 y (50%, season, single, etc.)

<3 y (without a ticket) 4-11 y (34%,value)

Student Yes (50%, season, value) Yes (75%, season)Yes (price varies,

season) 20-29 y (40%,season)Yes (price varies,,

season)>18 y (80/50%, season,

single)5-17 y (free ticket), >18 y(30%

season)

>16/18 y (about 40%, season, 16-18 y full time

students (50%, season, single, etc. Yes (free ticket)

Young people - <19 y (60%, all tickets)16-19 y (price

Varies, season) 16-19 y (50-70%, season) 6-14 y (75%, single)

11-16 y (discount/free ticket, season, single), 16-20 y

(discount/free ticket, season,single) - -

Pensioner

KELA pensioner(of limited means) (50/75%,

season, value) Yes (60%, all tickets)>65 y (price varies,

season) Yes (50 %, season and single)) -60-80 y (50%, season

and single) -

>62 y (free ticket, Mon-Fri from 9.30 am, Sat-Sun all

day) -

Senior - >65 y (60%, all tickets) - >67 y (50%, season and single) >65 y (74%, season)>80 y (80% season

and single) >60 y (free ticket) -

>65 y (34%, value), Seniors of limited income

(free ticket)

Mobility impaired Yes (75%, season, value)Yes (free ticket, also for

companion)Yes (price varies,

season) Yes (50%, season and single ) Yes (free ticket)Yes (50/80%, season

and single) Yes (free ticket) 5-61 y (free ticket) -

Blind Yes (free ticket) - Yes (95%, season) Yes (50%, season and single) Yes (free ticket) - Yes (free ticket) 5-61 y (free ticket)Yes (normal-pricedspecial ticket)

Wheelchair No penalty fare Yes (without a ticket on buses) - Yes (free ticket)) Yes (free ticket)) -Yes (wihtout a ticket

on buses / free ticket)May belong to the mobility impaired -

Walker - Yes (without a ticket on buses) - - - - - May belong to the mobilityimpaired

-

Entitled to a companion Yes (without a ticket) - -

Yes (companion of a

blind person without a ticket companion of a mobility impaired person 50%,) Yes (without a ticket) - - - -

Pram Yes (without a ticket) Yes (without a ticket on buses) - - - - - - -Disabled war veterans

Front veterans (free ticket) School children (50%, season) Conscript (50%, single)

Of limited means (50%, value)

School children 7-18 y (50/80%, season, single

Unemployed 18-24 y (free ticket)

Police (without a ticket)

Family (children aged <6 7-11 y with an adult)(without a

a ticket on weekends andholidays)

Family (<4 children with anadult)(without a ticket,

on weekends and holidays)

School children (75%, value and season)

Veteran >70 y (50/80%, season, single

Rail pass (66%, part of off-peak rail services )

Groups of school children (5-17 y (off-peak free ticket)

Veteran (free ticket)

Group (discount))

Others

Summary 2/2Paris (France) Lyon (France) Warsow (Poland)

Prague (Czech Republic) Budapest (Hungary) Turin (Italy) Madrid (Spain) Barcelona (Spain)

Adult 18-60 y

Child

<4 y (without a ticket), 4-9 y (50%, single), <12 y (50%,

visitor, season) <4 y (free ticket<7 y (without a ticket),

7-16 y (50%, value)<6 y (without a ticket), 6-15 y

(free ticket)

<6 y (without a ticket), 6-

14 y (36/50%, season, single) <10 (free ticket) <4 y (without a ticket)

<4 y (without a ticket)4-13 y (free ticket)

Student<26 y (46-58%, season),

Group ticket(50%, single)Yes (50-70%, season,

multi-journey)

Yes (50%, value,7-21 y (free ticket

families with over 4 children) 19-26 y(50%, season)Yes (36-50%, season,

day, single) <26 y (56.3%, season) - -

Young people<26 y on holidays (50%,

season) 18-21 y (70%, season) 7-21 (50%, value 15-19 y (50%, season) - - <23 y (65%, season) <25 y (74%, season)

Pensioner - - <70 y (50%, value) - Yes (35%, season, single) - - -

Senior >60 y (30-59%, season) >65 y (15-50%, season) >70 y (without a ticket)

60-65 y (50 %, single and season), >65 y (free ticket), ?70 y

(without a ticket ) >65 y (without a ticket)>65 y of limited means

( 70%, season) >65 y (18%, season

>65 y (41%, season)/ >60 y of limited means (free ticket)

Mobility impaired Yes (30-59%, season Yes (30%, season)

Yes (without a ticket/50%, value), 7-26 y (without

a ticket) Yes (without a ticket) -Yes (80%, season)

Yes (like seniors)

Blind Yes (50%, single) Yes (1%, season) Yes (without a ticket) Yes (without a ticket) Yes (without a ticket) --

Wheelchair - Yes (30 %, season Like the mobility impaired Yes (without a ticket) Yes (without a ticket)) - Yes (like seniors)

Walker - - Yes (without a ticket) - - - - -

Entitled to acompanion Yes (free ticket) - Yes (without a ticket) - - Yes (free ticket) - -Pram - - Yes (without a ticket) - Yes (36%) - - -

Of limited means + family (free ticket / 50-75%,

single and season)

Large family (?3 children)(60-70%, season, multi-journey)

Police and militaryPolice (free ticket)

Adult + child (30%, on weekends, single)

Veterans (free ticket)

Unemployed (11.61%, season)

Large family (80/50%, season) Unemployed (22% season)

Young people taking vocational

training(free ticket)

School children (15/50/70

% season, multi-journey)

Honorary citizen

of Warsaw and

Member of Parliament

(without a ticket)

Police, firemen, army, navy and air forces

(free ticket)

Mobility impaired of limited means or

pensioner (11.4%, season)

Large family(3-4 children

80%, 5 or more 50%,

season)

Conscripts (25%, signle)Of limited means (15-30%,

season)

Tietyn määrän verta Person who has donated

a certain amount of blood (without a ticket)

Fire men (65%, single) Veteran (50%, value)Veteran (30-59%, single

and season)Unemployed (without a ticket)

Police (62.3%, season)Of limited means (without a ticket)

Large family (50%, single)Ticket inspector

(free ticket)

disability ?67%

(free ticket), Disability 35-66%

(42.11%), Disability 11-34%

(55.26%)

Others