Brazil expands free public transport

In late July 2026 the Federal District of Brazil broadened its "Vai de Graça" program, making all public‑transport modes free on Sundays and public holidays without any registration. The change lifted ridership, with validator accesses rising sharply and travel on those days increasing by more than 70 %.

Within days other jurisdictions began extending free‑transport measures. The municipality of Indaiatuba started issuing fully free school‑transport passes for students in technical, technologist and pre‑vestibular courses, loading the fare onto a magnetic card. At the same time, federal deputy Lindbergh Farias introduced Bill 4.841/2026 to create a National Policy of Free Student Transport, allowing states, the Federal District and municipalities to adopt the scheme voluntarily. Together, these steps show a rapid scaling of free‑public‑transport initiatives in Brazil, moving from general weekend access to targeted student benefits and a potential nationwide framework.