Kids in Paris – Free Travel

Anne Hidalgo, the Mayor of Paris has just released details of her plan to allow children under 11, to travel for free in Paris. This move will delight all families, who have to pay a small fortune to commute their children around the city; and finally put an end to the plethora of discounted ‘carnet’ we have bulging from our pockets, wallets and bags.

At a cost of €15 million per annum! Paris is planning to foot the bill, in an effort to encourage families to use public transport more and cars a lot less, feeding into the anti-pollution, anti-congestion policy which aims for a greener city. It will also increase the spending power of the family unit as they will have more disposable income, states the policy.

All this is part of a wider commitment to make things cheaper for people who struggle to get around the city. Last year, disabled adults and the over 65’s were given free travel passes, providing they earned a low-income.

There has already been a reduction in car lanes and an increase in pedestrian-only spaces around the capital. Plus cars that emit heavy pollution are likely to be banned anytime now. So the Mayor is clearly on a mission, one that could eventually see Paris car-free permanently, our sources tell us! This current move by Hidalgo will most certainly broaden the appeal of public transport to families and help meet these overarching challenges faced by the city.

For now though, as well as free travel for 4-11 yr old kids in Paris, the proposal also includes the city paying half the costs of travel for teenagers. It also suggests free use of the Velib bikes for 14-18-year-olds. Not only this, but the Mayor is also lobbying, the relevant authorities, to ensure that families on a very low-income, travel for free too.

Velib Bikes in Paris ©Mama Loves Paris

These moves will bring Paris in line with some of the other city’s in Europe that already offer free travel for children, like London and Berlin where fares are free and/or heavily discounted for children.

The team at MLP are all over this proposal and we are loving it! The financial savings will make such a difference as this city is super expensive to live in. This idea if implemented is a gift and we are all for it.

Despite some of the challenging aspects of travelling on the metro (rats) and the buses (older French people frustrated with the high decibel levels of non-French kids), the service overall is pretty good. Plus, it is a great way to tour the city.

The new measures are likely to start this September, so if you are living here, start thinking about that pampering treatment you were saving up for and get it booked! C’est trés important non?  And if you are visiting, then add another item to your agenda, as the savings might make a useful contribution.

Canines (see last blog post about Dogs finally allowed in parks) and children are proving to be the beneficiaries of recent  ‘radical’policies in Paris, changing years of what we have grown accustomed to! What will be next?

Well, we give this policy the thumbs up for sure. Thanks, Anne….go girl!

Love MLP

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Great news for kids in Paris