Slashdot Mirror
Paris Will Make Public Transportation Free for Kids (citylab.com)
In a plan to help families and reduce car usage, anyone under 11 years old will be able to ride metro and buses for free, as will people with disabilities under 20. From a report: Starting in September, Paris is making all public transit free for people under 11, including non-nationals. Preteens aren't the only ones getting a bonus, either. All people with disabilities will get free public transit until the age of 20, while high school students between the ages of 14 and 18 will be entitled to a 50 percent tariff reduction. To make transit access for this group even easier, any 14- to 18-year-olds who buy a travel pass will also get a free bikeshare account as well.
The plans, which apply across the Greater Paris region and cost an estimated $17 million a year, are part of a staggered plan to make things cheaper for people with mobility challenges. Already last spring, the region introduced a (means-tested) scheme by which adults with disabilities and all people over 65 got a free annual travel pass if they were on a low-to-medium income. This new plan to extend cheap or no fares toward younger people should make the public transit system more widely accessible and prove to be a happy cost-saver for families.
The plans, which apply across the Greater Paris region and cost an estimated $17 million a year, are part of a staggered plan to make things cheaper for people with mobility challenges. Already last spring, the region introduced a (means-tested) scheme by which adults with disabilities and all people over 65 got a free annual travel pass if they were on a low-to-medium income. This new plan to extend cheap or no fares toward younger people should make the public transit system more widely accessible and prove to be a happy cost-saver for families.
11 and under get to ride for free. 14 to 18 get a 50% discount.
So 12- and 13-year-olds get screwed, seemingly having to pay full fare.
To be honest, I've not had that for years. Yes it was very worrying, because what the hell was it? Brake dust, with added asbestos for extra flavour? Carbon from the electrics? Luckily the new trains don't seem to be anywhere near as dirty as the old ones, so black snot is a thing of the past.
I find it hard to imagine that they used to run steam trains burning coal through these tunnels. How disgusting would that have been! :-O
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/ne...