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In France, young people under the age of 27 will be able to travel unlimited by train this summer for 49 euros per month. The state and the regions have finally reached an agreement on this, State Secretary for Transport Patrice Vergriete announced on Wednesday.
Thursday, April 4, 2024 at 6:02 AM
Vergriete had reported on the radio on Wednesday morning that three regions were standing in the way of an agreement, but during the day all regions agreed to the new experiment, in which French young people can travel unlimited by train in July and August with a 49 euro rail pass. can take on the regional network and the intercity network. The pass is not valid on high-speed trains.
The agreement was quite complex. There was a lot of discussion about financing. While the French state and the regions would each bear half of the total cost in an initial draft of the plan, it has now been agreed that the state will pay 80 percent and the regions 20 percent. That costs the state about 15 million euros.
Not around Paris
A second problem was Île-de-France. The region around Paris, where its own Navigo flat rate system is used, does not participate in the initiative. This is disadvantageous for the regions in the north of France, which are not optimally accessible in this way. The government hopes that the Île-de-France system can be integrated by 2025.
President Emmanuel Macron had advocated in September for the introduction of a monthly flat rate for anyone who wants to travel around France by train. The initiative was inspired by the flat rate of 49 euros per month in Germany. Ultimately, the president has to settle for a lump sum for young people for the time being, and only during the summer season.