Tyrol Greens propose free public transport funded by tourist levy

Tyrol’s opposition Greens have proposed making all buses and trains in the state free for residents and visitors, ORF reported on Tuesday. The party says a higher overnight stay levy could fund the plan.

Greens leader and parliamentary group head Gebi Mair put the annual cost at about 150 million euros. Current ticket revenue accounts for around 135 million euros, he said, with a further 15 million needed for operations and infrastructure. The party aims to double the number of regular public transport users from about 200,000 to 400,000.

The Greens say the funding could come from increasing the overnight stay levy by about two to three euros per guest. Tyrol records around 50 million guest overnight stays a year. Visitors would be able to use public transport throughout the state for free in return.

Mair criticised the state’s governing coalition and tourism councillor Mario Gerber of the Austrian People’s Party, saying they had promised a state-wide mobility ticket for visitors in 2022 but abandoned the plan in 2024.

Green MP and tourism spokesperson Petra Wohlfahrtstätter said free transport could reduce holidaymakers’ car use. She cited figures from Tirol Werbung showing that only six to eight per cent of visitors arrived by train in the 2023-24 season. She pointed to Salzburg, where a guest mobility card is funded through the overnight stay levy.

Green MP Zeliha Arslan said transport costs burden low-income households. Around 100,000 people in Tyrol are at risk of poverty or social exclusion, she said, adding that free public transport could help families, children and young people take part in social life.

The Greens plan to put the proposal up for discussion in the Tyrol state parliament on Thursday.