Although public transport is much more environmentally friendly, many Germans prefer to drive from A to B in their cars. A major project to counteract this was the introduction of the Deutschlandticket. The city of Mainz has now come up with another strategy to encourage the use of public transport. Every first Saturday of the month, all residents and visitors to the city can use public transport free of charge. The 0-Euro Saturday starts on July 6th. The Mainz project is initially planned for one year, reports the Tagesschau.

In future, public transport users in Mainz will no longer need to buy a ticket for the first Saturday of the month. The promotion is valid from midnight until the end of operations at night. All buses and trams in the Mainz city area are included in the mobility initiative. The 0-euro Saturday also applies to Wackernheim and Zornheim.

The project is intended as a supplement to the Deutschlandticket. There are currently around 70,000 active Deutschlandtickets in use, which were purchased through the Mainz Transport Company (MVG). One in three residents has such a ticket. As a result, passenger demand rose by 20 percent last year. “With the 0-euro Saturday, we want to specifically reach those who have not previously used our public transport service or who have only rarely used it,” said Janina Steinkrüger, Head of the Department for Environment, Green, Energy and Transport. At weekends in particular, it is possible to transport significantly more people than from Monday to Friday, as the planned capacities are high.

In addition to the positive effects on the environment, the project is also intended to support the city economically. Mainz expects that the 0-euro Saturday will revitalize the city center and increase visitor frequency. The shops in the center should benefit from this. “The campaign makes a significant contribution to the attractiveness and economic dynamism of our city. A great offer for tourists and citizens,” explained city manager Sandra Klima.

By Sophia Haberkorn

The original of this article “German city starts 0-euro project” comes from EFAHRER.com.