Sweden public transport ticket sales rise following price cuts

Public transport ticket sales in Sweden have seen a significant increase following government measures to halve the price of monthly passes. In the Skåne region, Skånetrafiken reported selling over 131,000 monthly passes between July 1 and August 18, compared to approximately 85,000 during the same period last year. Additionally, nearly 22,000 Öresund monthly tickets were sold, up from roughly 13,000 the previous year.

Mikael Thomasson of Skånetrafiken noted that while sales have risen, it is difficult to determine the exact percentage increase or if this represents entirely new passengers, as some commuters may simply be switching from single tickets to monthly passes.

In Östergötland, the price reduction for monthly tickets via Östgötatrafiken has also been implemented as part of a Moderate-led government initiative to lower costs for commuters. The Moderate party has also proposed a new policy allowing employers to offer public transport cards as a tax-free benefit of up to 15,000 SEK per year to further encourage transit use.