Voters in Zurich have approved a plan to cut the cost of an annual travelcard on local public transport (ZVV) down to 365 francs (1 franc a day) from the current price of over 800 francs. Will it really happen and how will it work?
How much will this ticket cost?
An annual season ticket for zone 110 (which covers downtown, central train station, and urban neighbourhoods) will only cost 365 francs in 2nd class for adults – the equivalent of 1 franc per day.
The current price is 809 francs, which means a hefty reduction of 444 francs.
The fare will also fall significantly for children and young people: instead of 586 francs currently, they will only pay 185 francs per year.
Will everyone in Zurich be able to benefit from these cheap tickets?
Under the plan all residents of Zurich will be entitled to receive and use the discounted travelcard – regardless of their income.
However, people who commute to the city for work but live outside it, will continue to pay the regular price.
When will the new subscription go into effect?
Zurich authorities now have one year to plan and submit a concrete implementation proposal to the Municipal Council.
“The ZVV will work with the City to find the simplest possible solutions,” the public transport company said.
And depending on the details – in other words, what kind of plan will ultimately be worked out – the proposal may be subject to another referendum.
As city authorities explain it, “depending on its design, the implementation proposal will be subject to a mandatory or optional referendum.” This could happen, in other words, if the ultimate project will differ from the original plan.
So, don’t expect any changes in the immediate future.
READ ALSO: Why are things so slow to change in Switzerland?
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Who will fund the discounted fares?
The City of Zurich – that is, local taxpayers – will provide the financing.
The canton has mandated the ZVV to achieve a cost coverage rate of at least 60 percent.
The additional money, from the City of Zurich, is estimated at 40 million francs per year.
Is the city happy about this project?
No.
The reason is that “this presents the City of Zurich with financial and operational challenges.” municipal authorities explained.
Firstly, an estimated 140 million francs in tax revenue must now be spent annually to subsidise annual passes.
There are also logistics that need to be worked out.
“The operational challenges lie in the fact that ticket sovereignty lies not with the City of Zurich, but also with the ZVV. Whether Zurich residents will receive a public transport voucher in the future, for example, or whether their ZVV ticket purchases will be subsequently reimbursed by the city remains to be clarified.”
