Criticism of free tram on Saturdays: “Excludes the south of Linz”

Every Saturday from 9 a.m. to 6.30 p.m. the tram runs free of charge between the main station and the bend. To get the “Nixi Ticket,” passengers need do nothing more than get on. The offer is valid for lines 1 to 4; the Pöstlingbergbahn and buses are not included. The campaign lasts until December 28th and is a cooperation between the Linz City Ring, Linz AG and the city of Linz.

Criticism from the south and north of Linz

Many people on social media were annoyed that Linz residents from the south or north of the bend still have to buy a long-distance ticket to travel into the city center. You then have to either pay for the tram or drive to the main station, find a parking space and then drive into the city for free, argues a reader from the south of Linz, who then prefers to go shopping in PlusCity. The aim of the campaign is, as is well known, to revitalize the city center and, above all, the stationary retail there. The FPÖ is also critical and is calling for an expansion to the entire city area.

“That wasn’t the idea”

The office of interim mayor Karin Hörzing states: “The idea of ​​the Nixi ticket is not to make public transport in the Linz area free of charge, especially since the climate ticket and the promotion of the mega ticket for people with main residence registrations provide great support. The aim of the free tram on Saturdays is to make inner-city public transport more attractive, to address the inhibitions of new groups of people (such as commuters who travel by car and park in nearby garages), to make the country road attractive even in bad weather, to give older people or people with reduced mobility the opportunity to do their errands along the country road without worry, and to make it easier for day-trippers to visit Linz.”

Action is being evaluated

The aim is also to revitalize stationary retail, cultural institutions and restaurants through the above points. The route between Biegung and the main train station was chosen because it is the urban core area and the member companies of the Linz city ring, which finances the campaign, are concentrated there. When asked whether an extension is planned, it was said that the campaign would be evaluated by Linz AG after it ends at the end of the year. Any decisions would then be made based on the results.