Free Public Transport for the Residents of Tallinn 

Background Information

A legally non-binding local referendum was held on March 19-25, 2012 (“Do You support free rides on the Tallinn municipal public transport network for Tallinn residents”, 75 percent Yes, 25 percent No).

Tallinn City Council made the decision on September 20, 2012 to give a 100 percent discount to Tallinn residents using the municipal public transport company. The decision came into effect on January 1, 2013. 

Goals of the Initiative

The government decided to raise the subsidy from 70 percent to 90 percent to cover the mobility needs of Tallinn residents.      

Innovation for the Initiative

It is evolutionary in the sense that government subsidies on public transport in Europe have already risen above 50 percent, which means that public transport is almost free in most European cities. It is still revolutionary as Tallinn is by far the largest city to offer a 100 percent discount on public transport for its residents.

Outcomes and Assessments

Change in modes of transportation—public transport as the main mode of mobility in the city up by 13 percent (now 64 percent), private car use down by 11 percent (now 23 percent). In the context of the fast growth of private car ownership the traffic volume in the city center remained at previous levels. Fourteen percent of residents claimed that free public transport has had strong or moderate impact on their shopping and leisure time behavior. Tallinn’s permanent residents  grew by around 16,000 residents – all taxpayers of the city.