Portugal is launching a new €20 monthly train ticket called the Green Rail Pass, reports Euronews. The pass will allow passengers to travel on almost all city, regional, interregional and intercity services operated by the state-owned railway company Comboios de Portugal (CP).
The ticket is not valid for Alfa Pendular high-speed trains and other forms of public transport such as the metro or light rail systems.
The new card is less than half the price of the previous €49 unlimited monthly rail card introduced last year, which covers all regional trains. It's also less than half the price of other similar European national transport cards such as Germany's Deutschlandticket, which will increase from €49 to €58 in 2025.
Not everyone supports the Green Rail Pass
However, not everyone is happy with the innovation. The CP workers' commission says it will be a financial disaster for the state-owned rail company and will expose its lack of capacity to meet rising demand.
"To give you an idea of the financial impact of this bill, €20 is less than a 2nd class train ticket from Lisbon to Coimbra (€21,30 in 2nd class; €26,85 in 1st va class)," the Workers' Commission said in a statement.
The pass will also not apply to city trains in the metropolitan areas of Lisbon and Porto. This means it will be an additional cost for passengers who already pay for public transport cards in these areas – €30 in Lisbon and €40 in Porto.
An investment in the future
Prime Minister Luiz Montenegro said it was "an investment in people, an investment in the environment, an investment in the future." The Portuguese prime minister also added that the initiative is part of the country's wider green mobility plan, which aims to facilitate the use of sustainable transport.
"Those who live in Braga and want to go to Porto or Aveiro, those who live in Aveiro and want to go to Leiria or Lisbon, those who live in Leiria and want to go to Lisbon or Faro will have the opportunity to they will do it for €20 per month, but they will also have the opportunity to contribute to the protection of the environment at the same time," said Montenegro.
There aren't many additional details yet on exactly when the pass will be available or who will be able to take advantage of it. More information on how it will work is expected as part of a wider package of mobility measures from the government.
The campaign was originally planned to launch before the end of September. The government now says it will be rolled out before the end of the year following talks with the state-owned rail company to ensure an efficient and safe rollout that guarantees service quality.
Where else in Europe are there unlimited railcards?
Germany introduced its €49 Deutschlandticket in April last year, which allows unlimited rail travel on regional services across the country's network for one month. This has led to a surge in rail passengers in the first two months of its launch.
The reform was billed as "the biggest public transport reform in German history". However, questions were later raised about the long-term financial viability of the pass and its price is expected to increase by €9 from next year.
This year, France launched the monthly France Pass. It is only available to residents of France under the age of 27 and does not include the high-speed TGV trains or the Ile-de-France region.
In Austria, the €1095 Klimaticket is accepted on all public transport throughout the country for one year. There are reduced prices for travelers under the age of 25 and over 65, as well as for people with disabilities.
Hungary offers a similar scheme through two types of travel cards. The National Travel Card allows the use of any bus and train line in Hungary operated by the railway companies MÁV-START, MÁV-HÉV and GYSEV, as well as services by the bus company Volánbusz. The only exception is municipal services. It costs around €49 for 30 days, with students getting a huge 90 percent discount on the price.
Hungary has also introduced county travel cards that allow you to use bus and rail services in one of the country's 19 counties for around €25.