Bragança municipality makes public transport free for all residents

The Bragança Municipal Council in Portugal decided to make public transport free for all residents across the entire municipality starting in December.

The local government expanded a previous policy that only provided free travel on the Serviço de Transporte Urbano de Bragança (STUB) network. While the STUB service has been free since the pandemic, it only covers the city and 20 of the 39 parishes in the municipality.

The new measure includes 12 additional lines operated by private companies, Rodonorte and Inter2000, which serve 19 parishes and 44 different locations. Mayor Isabel Ferreira stated that the change corrects an inequality where residents in certain areas had to pay for tickets while others traveled for free. To use the free service, residents must present a Cartão do Munícipe, a free municipal card that lasts five years.

The council estimates the annual cost of this expansion will be around 45,000 euros.